What is a Printer Maintenance Kit
If you’re interested in performing preventative maintenance for your printing system, you may realize that you need a printer maintenance kit to complete it. Though not all Xerox printers have maintenance kits available, for those that do it’s a great preventative maintenance tool. Maintenance kits go beyond the toner cartridge and supply printer parts needed later in the life of a product.
Taking a moment to understand what a printer maintenance kit is, which printers use them, and why you should use one if it’s available can help you develop a comprehensive printer maintenance kit that saves you time and money.
What is a Printer Maintenance Kit?
A printer maintenance kit is a series of replacement parts for a specific model of printer. Printer maintenance kits combine multiple parts into a single package, so that end-users can replace multiple components at the same time to return a system back to peak functionality.
All printers, like other mechanical systems, will require the periodic replacement of components with a limited life cycle. These components are often rated for the approximate number of prints in their lifecycle. Some systems will offer a warning prompting the user when replacement is necessary.
Replacement components may be sold in individual parts, may be bundled together in a kit, or sold individually as a stand-alone product. To learn more about what is printer maintenance, check out our article!
What Does the Kit Contain?
Printer maintenance kits generally contain one or more of the following components:
- Fuser
- Transfer Roller
- Feed Rollers
- Pickup Rollers
- Separation Pad
Most Xerox kits contain a replacement fuser and transfer roller, as well as replacement feed rollers. Let’s take a closer look at what these components do.
Fuser
The fuser unit is critical for the function of a laser printer. As the name would suggest, the fuser fuses the toner ink to the page. This is done through a combination of pressure and heat. The fuser assembly consists of two heated rollers that heat the toner and bond it to the page as it passes swiftly through the assembly.
The fuser is a long-life item but it still needs to be replaced periodically. Be sure to have your printer maintenance kit on-hand so that you can change the fuser assembly when prompted. This will ensure you experience minimal downtime throughout the process.
Transfer Roller
While the fuser bonds the toner to your paper, the transfer roller places the toner there in the first place. The transfer roller is before the fuser on the printing path, and functions to transfer toner from the toner drum to the paper. After it has been transferred it is passed into the fuser assembly where it is fused to the paper and finished.
Feed Rollers
Paper feed rollers are used to pass paper from the feed tray into the system. Though feed rollers are fairly simple and straightforward, over time they can get dirty and lead to a paper jam, misaligned prints, or non-reliable performance.
Which Xerox Printers Have Maintenance Kits?
Genuine Xerox printer maintenance kits are available through Xerox for select ColorQube, VersaLink, WorkCentre and Phaser models.
ColorQube
ColorQube 8570/8580/8700/8870/8880/8900
VersaLink
VersaLink C500/C505/C600/C605 (110V)
WorkCentre
Phaser
What is the Kit Used For?
Printer maintenance kits are used to perform preventative maintenance on a printer once a certain threshold number of prints has been met. At that point, the printer prompts the user to perform preventative maintenance to ensure the printer remains operational.
Printer maintenance kits offer a number of advantages, including:
- Cost-effective – The kit allows you to ship, store, and replace multiple components on the same system at the same time. That minimizes downtime and increases efficiency.
- Easy to use – Printer maintenance kits are designed so that the end-user can quickly and easily replace the necessary components. They’re also easy to store nearby and keep on-site, so you can replace these important printing components when it’s needed.
- Extended longevity – Printer maintenance kits extend the longevity of your printing system. These are generally considered a long-lifespan component, meaning that you’ve probably already used your printer for a few years. Printer maintenance kits will replace the core printing components, the fuser and transfer roller, with new components capable of hundreds of thousands of prints and years of reliable performance.
Closing Thoughts
Printer maintenance kits are a cost-effective tool that makes preventative maintenance accessible for everyone. Once you hit a certain threshold of pages printed, your printer will prompt you to install the maintenance kit. For Xerox printers these kits generally consist of a fuser assembly, transfer roller, and may include feed rollers as well.
The components contained in the printing maintenance kit are critical for the functionality of your printer, so it’s important you replace them when prompted. It’s always a good idea to keep a printer maintenance kit for your printing system on-site, so that you can replace components when needed without having to wait for shipping.
If you’re looking for preventative maintenance solutions for your Xerox printing system, contact our team at X-Digital today. We’d love to help you find a maintenance solution that’s right for your needs. We also offer self-service maintenance training, as well as a full suite of new and refurbished Xerox printing systems. To learn more, contact X-Digital today!
Sources:
- “Understanding Toner, Drum Cartridge, and Maintenance Kit Life Expectancy” https://www.support.xerox.com/en-us/article/en/2118836.html
- “How Laser Printers Work” https://computer.howstuffworks.com/laser-printer3.htm
- “14 TLC maintenance tips to keep your printer in tip top shape” https://www.xerox.com/en-us/office/insights/printer-maintenance
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