Students are hungry users of printing and copying technology, with hundreds of universities across the country seeing their printers regularly pushed to their limit by the demands of students who are racing to meet deadlines and hand-in dates.
Multifunction printers (MFP’S)
United Carlton are a sales and service provider across the leading brands of copiers and printers, supplying solutions to individuals and the trade. Their range of multi-functional printers are ideal for student-use, as they offer a space-saving solution for your premises but also permit a wide range of functions such as copying, scanning and email.
When purchasing a range of Multi-Function Printers for use, first consider the data from independent testing agencies to ensure your device will fulfil the needs of your users. You also need to ensure the device is compatible with your network and can be integrated on-site. Usually, this is accomplished via network cables but some printers are wireless. Fortunately, many retailers offer an installation service.
You also need to consider the functions on offer from the printer. Some products offer lots of functions but can’t multi-task, which is a problem for university use when multiple jobs will be sent to the device. More modern MFP’s also allow printing without a computer, allowing students to print from mobile devices. This can be beneficial but can also be harder to monitor or regulate, so ensure any payment system you have for your printers can work across mobile devices.
It is vital to ensure that your device comes with adequate support, which is something companies like United Carlton will offer. Knowing your MFP comes with support means you won’t have to worry about downtime, so you can free up any maintenance time for staff on-site.
Of course, it may not be necessary or financially viable for you to invest in a range of MFP’s if you already have a suitable printing and scanning suite. The main benefits of a single system are the space-saving and convenience – so the question is ultimately down to what your campus prioritises.
3D Printers
3D printers are often touted as being the future of manufacturing. For universities, they can be a useful investment for students in many fields, such as product design and engineering. They are a costly venture however. Arizona University in the U.S uses two Makerbot Replicator 2 machines in its university – which can retail for more than £2000 each. That isn’t taking into account the cost of the filament material printers use, which is far more expensive than paper.
However, as the technology grows and the demands increase, it seems inevitable universities will have to provide 3D printing facilities in the future. Educating your staff about their capabilities and limitations as well as discussing ways of regulating student usage is a talk worth having early. Arizona university charges students per gram of filament through their library account – but it can be hard to automate a payment system using filament as opposed to paper printers, so speak to an expert if you intend to install 3D printers on campus.