Why do copiers misfeed

Managed IT Services. Document Management. Managed Print Services. Remote Work Support. Interactive Panels. Get Pricing. The incorrect side of the paper is facing up. There are a few ways to identify which side is the correct side. Better quality paper will have an arrow on the side of the packaging that will point to the side that should be facing up.

If your packaging does not have this arrow, you should cup your fingers loosely under the middle of the ream, flip it and do the same to the other side. Whichever side has the most sag is the side that should face up. The paper tray has been overloaded. The feeders are set to pick up the paper at a particular starting point. If the paper is stacked outside of that starting point, a misfeed will occur causing a jam right out of the gate.

It should guide the paper, not restrict it. Wipe the rollers. Each time you replace the paper in the copier, you should take the time to wipe the rollers with a dry, clean, lint-free cloth. Paper does contain dust particles, and when running across the rollers, this dust can stick to them and begin to build up. Rollers are meant to grab the paper and guide it through the copier. So, when they have a lot of dust build up they are less likely to function properly, causing the copier to misfeed paper.

When printing thicker paper, use the manual feed. Most copiers can take and copy onto thicker types of paper. Also, make sure when running card stock or thicker paper in your copier, to use the manual feed.

This allows the paper to have a shorter and straighter fewer turns or bends path through the copier for this type of paper. Turn the machine off. You are going to be placing your hand on an electrical device with many moving parts, and by cutting its power, you have the best chance of not getting injured.

Remove the jammed paper. After opening up the copier and before placing your hands inside the copier, you may want to let it cool.

This should only take a few minutes. Look for paper tears and remnants. Once you have removed the jammed paper, take a close look at the area where it jammed to make sure you have removed any paper particles, remnants or torn fragments. As an added measure, by placing the removed piece of paper on a flat surface, you can ensure you have all of its pieces.

Inspect the rollers. After removing the paper, you should inspect the rollers for any marks, dust, or paper underneath the rollers that may not be easily seen.

Close the machine and power it on. Once complete with clearing the jam, you can close it carefully making sure that it locks or snaps back into place, and then power on the machine. Review display panel one more time. Finally, make sure to check the LCD panel or display one more time.

Copiers usually go through their own electronic diagnosis when powering up to ensure that the machine has been closed properly, its in good working order, and ready for use. The Reoccurring Jam—not the Norm Sometimes no matter what you do to clear a copier jam, remove all of the paper, clean the rollers, and close it properly, it continues to jam. Additional Tips to Consider Clean the glass. This is one of the easiest things to do, but it is most commonly overlooked.

Use a surge protector or power conditioner. A copier is an expensive and important piece of machinery in every office. They need clean, reliable power and should be protected from power surges. Just as any other investment in your business you should take the necessary steps to ensure its proper care.

Paper dust can collect inside your machine and cause a copier paper jam. Many businesses try to cut costs by going with cheaper, recycled paper from office supply chains. Recycled paper generates more dust.

Dust can cause all kinds of operational and image problems. Dirty paper trays and feeders. Keep the paper trays clean. The dirt from the trays will make its way to the rollers causing slippage, which will lead to a jam.

Clean the paper trays monthly. Or food crumbs inside that cause paper jams. Be careful with staples and paper clips, too! The machine jams, but even worse, parts get damaged. We often see drums that have the imprint of a staple or a paper clip on the surface. In that case, we have to replace the part and charge the customer. Getting a paper jam message with no paper jam that you can see? Or a copier paper jam that keeps happening after you clear it? This often happens because the initial jam did not fully clear.

Picture running on a treadmill dusted with powder. As you can imagine, the surface would be slippery and lacking in traction. Well, the same applies to the feed rollers. Although the rollers last a long time, eventually they do wear out and do not effectively grasp the paper.

A reputable copier service provider such as Superior Office Systems SOS can put a stop to copier paper jam problems caused by worn parts.