MFP is

The abbreviation MFP is quite common and is used to describe devices with a wide range of tasks. Further, the article discusses in detail the features of MFPs, their types, price category and selection tips.

What is an MFP?

Decoding MFP - a multifunctional device. A multifunction device (MFP) is a special type of equipment that can simultaneously work as a printer, copier, scanner and fax machine. A standardized set may contain all the options of the above devices or add new ones at the request of the user. The purpose of the MFP is to work with documents.

For the first time, the idea to combine a pair of devices in one place arose at the Garther Group at the end of the last century. Employees of the company calculated the costs of maintaining and repairing office equipment and began to look for a way to reduce it. The very first device made copies and scans, but did not print documents. In a modern interpretation, the product was released by Okidata from Japan. They got a unique printer, which allowed you to scan, print, and also Xerox data.

Why do you need such equipment

Despite the rapid growth of electronic media, the MFP is an indispensable office equipment in any office. Indeed, due to the versatility of the device, many work processes can be optimized. MFPs have a number of significant advantages:

• Save work or home space. Due to its small parameters, it does not take up much space in the room. It is much easier to place one device instead of several different ones.
• Offline mode. The ability to make copies even when the computer is not working.
• Inexpensive price. One device will cost much less than if you had to buy a printer, scanner, and other equipment separately.
• It has been experimentally proved that the cost of a copy is many times lower than on other devices.
• Convenience and ease of use, as well as the availability and standardization of consumables.
• The user does not have to purchase three different cartridges for the scanner, copier and printer. All work will be done by one set.
• They have such useful options as duplex and auto feed. However, they significantly overload the OS of the MFP.

The ability to independently pick up equipment. In addition to a standardized set, you can buy the necessary functionality and improve the MFP.

REFERENCE! When buying an MFP in an office, you need to understand that its failure will lead to a malfunction of the entire team, since several functions will not be available at once.

Varieties

A large number of various models are on sale. By the way they display pictures, they are:

Inkjet. They are in demand in photo salons, as they are of good quality when printing graphic data and photographs. The image is obtained from small droplets of ink that come from the channels of the print head.

LED light. They acquire mainly professional photo salons and workshops. The device can work with graphics of any complexity. Such models are expensive and have a special technology for applying prints. In this method, special LEDs are used, which are on a special line.

Laser Got the most distribution, as, along with high performance, they provide decent quality. The image is recorded on the built-in drum using a thin laser beam. Then the paper goes to the furnace, where the ink is adhered to the texture of the sheet.

ATTENTION! Depending on the color rendering of the MFPs, there are color and monochrome.

MFIs are chosen by both large enterprises and small firms that are just starting to develop a business. They are preferred to buy when there are no temporary resources for testing and selection of equipment, as various options may be needed. It is great for small areas. It is better to give priority to options with the ability to connect to a local network or with a bluetooth system. For a large office it is better to buy several MFPs. However, check with the workers in advance the required options, as the models used may have specific characteristics. Also, the MFP will be an excellent choice for the home, where each family member may have their own goals for using office equipment.

ATTENTION! A variety of sizes, parameters and configuration allows the use of multifunction devices in all areas of life.

How much are?

The formation of the price range is affected by the characteristics and power of the equipment. The device has a long service life and during use allows you to save a large amount of money. Here is the estimated cost of various types of multifunction devices:

For home-office - from 250 to 1000 dollars. The monthly turnover reaches 10,000 pages, and print speeds up to 10 pages per minute. When choosing, you should focus on the planned scale.

For a small business - about 1,500 dollars. Print speed is up to 30 pages per minute, and a monthly turnover of up to 3000 pages. Must have a touch screen and a USB input.

For the office - up to $ 2,000. Monthly load - more than 5000 pages. There is an option for duplex printing and network distribution of documents. You can make brochures and file attachments on the machine.

For powerful corporations - more than $ 2,000. The maximum possible print speed is 43 pages in 60 seconds; in a month it produces up to 200,000 pages. In addition, the use of sheets of A3 is provided.

Tips for choosing an MFP

There are a large number of MFP models, and it is difficult for an inexperienced person to make a choice from such a variety. The issue of choosing an MFP should be taken seriously, since it is bought for a long time. First you need to find out what features and options are of utmost importance. For example, if the device only plans to print text files, it makes no sense to buy an MFP with the ability to print in color. The following parameters should be noted:

• The presence of color or monochrome printing.
• The ability to connect via the Internet, which is convenient if you have multiple users on different computers.
• Print speed (pages per minute). This is a priority feature for a large and busy enterprise.
• On time. On some models, the mechanism must warm up before starting. The time may be a few minutes or seconds.
• The maximum possible monthly load.
• The quality of the tasks performed.
• Paper feed or the number of blank sheets in the device. It is desirable that they suffice for a full shift or a specific project.
• Support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile printing.
• The price of the device and consumables to it.
• Availability of sorting copies. In this case, each next stack is shifted relative to the previous one by several centimeters. There is a separation of one task from another.
• Design and dimensions, so that the device fits perfectly into the interior and area of ​​the room.

The laser device is ideal for printing black and white sources. They are bought for both office and home use. Most buyers prefer this type for the following reasons:

1. The speed of operation is many times higher than that of an inkjet one. This makes it possible to process a mass of information in a short period of time.
2. Models are durable, do not cause inconvenience with the coloring pigment and rarely break.
3. At cost, printing a single page is cheaper than an inkjet.
4. It is possible to print with various resolution settings.

IMPORTANT! The laser MFP prints up to 23 A4 sheets per minute. Full refill of the toner lasts between 3,000 and 10,000 medium-sized pages.

However, there are also fans of inkjet models. For domestic needs, it is indispensable. The following advantages can be distinguished:

• Reasonable price: many times lower than that of laser "brothers".
• Great for printing photos and color images.
• It is possible to adjust the quality indicators.
• High quality playback, not inferior to pictures taken in the darkroom.

The advantages of MFPs in comparison with single types of equipment are obvious: compactness, saving on purchase and ease of use. We hope that this article will be useful and will help you choose the right device.