A MFP ( multi-functional product / printer / device ), multi-function >, all-in-one ( AIO ), or multi-functional device ( MFD ), is a machine offices that combine the functions of multiple devices in one, thus having a smaller footprint at home or small business settings (SOHO market segment), or to provide management/distribution/production of centralized documents in large office settings. A typical MFP can serve as a combination of some or all of the following devices: Email, Fax, Copy, Printer, Scanner.
Video Multi-function printer
Type MFP
MFP manufacturers traditionally divide MFP into various segments . The segments roughly divide MFPs according to their speed in pages per minute (ppm) and duty/resilience cycles. However, many manufacturers are beginning to avoid the definition of segments for their products, because the speed and basic functions alone do not necessarily distinguish many features that belong to the device. Two MFP colors of the same speed can end up in the same segment, although it has very different features, and therefore a very different price. From a marketing perspective, more expensive MFP manufacturers want to distinguish their products as much as possible to justify price differences, and therefore avoid the definition of segments.
Many MFP types, regardless of the category entered, also have a variation of "printer only", which is the same model without including the scanner unit. This can even happen with devices where the scanner unit physically looks very integrated into the product.
In 2013, almost all printer manufacturers offer multifunction printers. They are designed for home business, small business, corporate and commercial. Of course, cost, usability, toughness, output, output quality, etc. All varies with different use cases. However, they all generally perform the same function; Print, Scan, Fax, and Copy. In commercial/corporate areas, most MFPs have used laser-printer technology, while the personal environment, SOHO, uses inkjet methods. Typically, inkjet printers have struggled to deliver the performance and color saturation demanded by the company/large business usage. However, HP recently launched its business class MFP using inkjet technology.
However, instead of rigidly defined segments based on speed, a more general definition is based on targeted target audience and capabilities being much more common in 2013. Although this sector has no formal definition, it is commonly agreed among MFP producers that the product fall down. roughly into the following categories:
All-in-one
All-in-one is a small desktop unit, designed for home or office use.
This device focuses on scanning and printing functions for home use, and may be equipped with integrated software to organize images, simple OCRs, and other uses that appeal to home users. All-in-one will always include the basic functions of Print and Scan, with most also including the Copy function and fewer numbers with Fax capabilities.
In the past, these devices were usually not connected to the network, and were generally connected with USB or Parallel. In 2013 even cheap all-in-one devices support ethernet and/or Wi-Fi connection. In some cases, wireless devices require connections to the host computer with a cable (usually USB) to initialize the device, and once the initial setup is complete, support wireless operation for all work done thereafter.
The All-in-one device may have home-oriented features and personal use not found on larger devices. These functions include smart card readers, direct connections to digital cameras (eg PictBridge technology) and other similar uses.
The printing machine of most All-in-one devices is based on home desktop inkjet printers, or on home desktop laser printers. They may be black-and-white or colored. The laser models provide better results for text while inkjets provide more convincing results for images and they are cheaper multifunctional ones.
Some of these devices, such as the Hewlett-Packard Photosmart C8180 printer, have DVD burning and LightScribe burning functions where users can burn DVDs and create images on special Lightscribe DVDs or DVDs using special software such as Roxio or Nero AG Software Suite to create photos. To create a Lightscribe image takes about 10 to 25 minutes.
SOHO MFP
Large or small stand-alone desktop unit, designed for Office/Small House use. Often, the MFP (desktop or freestanding) form factor depends on the added option, such as an additional paper tray.
Generally SOHO MFP will have the basic Print, Copy, Scan and Fax function only, but towards the end of a larger scale, it may include simple document retrieval and retrieval, basic authentication functions and so on, making higher end of the "SOHO" scaling difficult differentiated from the lower end of the "Office" MFP scale.
SOHO MFP is usually a network, but may also be connected via USB or, more rarely, parallel. SOHO MFP may have basic finishing functionality such as duplexing, stapling and punching holes, but this is rare. In general, document output offsets, sorting, and checking are standard capabilities.
Compared to All-in-one products, SOHO MFP is more likely to have automatic document feeder, greater fax capability, and faster output performance. Most SOHO MFPs have a history in low-end black-and-white photocopiers, and printing machines based on this technology.
Office MFP
Medium-sized free standing unit, designed as a central office system.
These units are usually the most complete type of MFP. They include basic Print, Copy, and Scan functions with optional Fax functionality and networked document storage with security, authentication using common network user credentials, the ability to run custom software (often the manufacturer will provide Software development tools), advanced network scanning purposes such as FTP, WebDAV, Email, SMB and NFS store, encryption for data transmission and so on.
Office MFP typically has advanced finishing functions as options such as duplexing, stapling, holepunching, offset mode, and booklet creation.
Office MFP is almost always networked, but some have an optional or standard (and rarely used) USB and parallel connection. Most MFP Office has its history in mid-range (color and black and white) copiers, and printing machines are therefore based on this type of technology; however, Hewlett-Packard has recently introduced two MFP Office based on fixed-head technology inkjet.
Printing production of MFP
The large free-standing unit, designed as a central printing device or departmental-reprographic device.
These devices, although much larger and more expensive than Office MFP, generally do not have all the advanced networking functions of their smaller relationships. Instead, they concentrate on high-speed output, high quality, and advanced finishing functionality including book-making with insertion cover (including hot glue bonding) and so on. Production printing itself is often subdivided into "light" printing and "heavy" printing, with the differentiating factor being speed. 100ppm devices for example, fall into the category of light production printing according to the standards of most manufacturers.
Because of the focus on printing, while most MFP Production Printing has a scanner, it is rarely used and often only has very basic functions.
There are a variety of different printing machines for MFP Production Printing, but in the final "light" of the Printing Production market, largely based on large Office MFP, which itself is based on photocopy technology as described above. MFP Production Printing can also be known as a "Print on demand" device, or "Digital presses". This last term can also be used to refer to a print controller that controls MFP.
Maps Multi-function printer
Characteristics
It is useful to consider the features and functions of MFP before integrating it into your home or work environment. It is possible to have an MFP with almost all the features and functions listed below, but AIO or SOHO MFP is usually impossible to include much of this.
MFP, like most external peripherals capable of functioning without a computer, is essentially a type of computer itself. They contain memory, one or more processors, and often some types of local storage, such as hard disk drives or flash memory. As mentioned in the Type MFP section, physical printing machines may be based on several technologies, but the MFP is the most evolution of digital copiers.
Security
When removing old printers with local storage, one should remember that confidential documents (print, scan, copy jobs) are potentially still unencrypted on the printer's local storage and can be undone.
Software
MFP also runs a series of instructions from their internal storage, which is comparable to the computer's operating system.
Generally, as the size and complexity of the MFP increases, the more computers become the devices. It is rare for a small AIO or even SOHO MFP to use a general purpose operating system, but many larger MFPs run Linux or VxWorks.
In addition, many printers, separate, but not integral to the MFP, also run the computer's operating system, with GNU/Linux and Microsoft Windows (often Windows NT 4.0 Embedded, Windows XP Embedded).
On top of the core operating system and firmware, MFP will also provide some functionality, equivalent to the application or in some cases daemon or service.
These functions can include (among many others):
- Bytecode or virtual machine programming for internally hosted third party apps
- Image conversion and processing functions
- Control Panel MFP for user input
- Network service clients to send documents to various destinations
- Network service server to receive documents for printing or storage
- The functionality of raster image processing (though, it is often handled by a separate print control unit instead)
- Web server for remote management functions
Software
Computer systems equipped with the right software should be able to take advantage of the MFP's capabilities, an important requirement to examine when considering integrating an MFP with an existing office. Some or all of the following functions may be provided:
- Device administration and configuration
- Document imaging, such as ad hoc scanning
- Document management such as remote scanning, conversion of document types from text to PDF, OCR, etc.
- Document type/paper input mode selection
- Monitor print quotas, toner/ink levels, etc.
Software development package
In addition to specialized software packages, many vendors also provide the ability for users to develop software to communicate with MFP through Software development tools. Different vendors have different licensing models, from fully "closed" ownership systems (often at great expense involved) to open a strategy without involving direct costs. The incomplete list of these technologies are:
- OmniPage Shades
- Canon MEAP (Embedded Embedded Application Platform)
- HP Open Extensibility Platform (OXP)
- Konica Minolta OpenAPI
- Lexmark Embedded Solutions Framework (eSF)
- Ricoh Device SDK
- Samsung XOA - Open Architecture eXtensible
- Sharp OSA (Open System Architecture)
- Toshiba OPA (Open Platform Architecture)
- Xerox EIP (Extensive Interface Platform)
In general, this technology is included in one of two technical models - Server-based or MFP-based internal software.
Server-based technology uses methods to communicate information to and from MFP (often SOAP/XML based), running the operating code on a computer with power on the network. This method has the advantage of being very flexible, because free software does whatever the developer can do. The only limit of the MFP itself is the ability of MFP to display the user interface to the workings of the application. Since many applications are based on custom printing, scanning and authentication requirements, MFP manufacturers using this method are interested in this core technology in the user interface.
MFP internal software, by comparison, has the advantage of not requiring anything outside the MFP. The software runs inside the MFP itself and even complete network outages will not interfere with the software to work (unless of course the software requires a network connection for other reasons). MFP internal software is often, but not always, Java-based and runs on a Java virtual machine in MFP. The negative side for this kind of software is usually much more limited in capabilities than Server based systems.
Manufacturer
Manufacturers/MFP brands include
- Brother
- Canon
- Dell
- Epson
- Hewlett-Packard
- Kodak
- Konica Minolta
- Kyocera
- Lexmark
- OcÃÆ'Â © (Canon)
- Okidata
- Olivetti
- Panasonic
- Ricoh
- Samsung
- Sharp
- Sindoh
- Toshiba
- Utax
- Xerox
- Infoeglobe
Note that not all of these manufacturers produce any type of MFP - some may only focus on AIO products, while others may focus on Production Printing only, while others may cover a wider range.
See also
- PictBridge allows images to be printed directly from a digital camera to a printer, without a computer.
- Computer printers
References
External links
- Your Driver's Site
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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