DIGITAL COPIERS & PRINTERS -- The Urge to Converge

Advances in digital capabilities also seem headed toward making the "copier" label a relic of a bygone era. These devices are becoming printers on the network with scanning units for hard copy and an increasing array of finishing options.

Standardization of front-end software and controllers is another growing trend among the manufacturers offering multiple classes of hardware—from copier/printers to high-volume production systems with support for black-and-white and color output. This gives the corporate or institutional user the option of implementing a common interface across its output capabilities.