Printers That Can Scan & Enlarge the Scan

Printers that scan, scanners that copy, or copiers that email and fax are all examples. These desktop peripherals, once dubbed “hydras” for their multi-headed performance, now bear the designation “MFP” for multifunction printer. Unlike large floor-standing copiers that also function as networked printers, MFPs are better suited to the output needs of small offices or workgroups than to high-volume document flows, performing the same tasks as their larger brethren but on a smaller scale.

MFP Features
Some MFPs resemble two devices stacked on top of each other, fitting a printer’s output tray around the inputs that hold paper to make copies and scans. These devices frequently employ bulky casework that does not necessitate a lot of counter or desktop space but is rather tall when compared to the relatively compact enclosures of modern dedicated printers and scanners. However, instead of using three USB ports for the devices whose functionality it provides, you can dedicate one to an MFP.

Replacing Multiple Devices
An MFP can be a good choice for a small number of users if you need to accommodate a modest copying and scanning volume on the same device that serves as your printer. Because it can perform light duty for more than one person, it can help you save money on the hardware, space, and consumables required to support all of the devices it replaces. The same consumables – typically inkjet-based, though some MFPs use laser mechanisms – support all forms of output from the device, implying that a single set of supplies can meet multiple needs.

Functional Pros & Cons
MFPs may combine the feature sets of multiple peripherals into one piece of equipment, but that doesn’t make their performance equally outstanding at all the tasks they undertake. With most of these devices, you’ll find one mode at which they do their best work — typically printing — and others that provide acceptable but not high-end performance. For example, if you run a graphic-arts business, the hardware in an MFP typically won’t produce scans that stand up to the needs of commercial printing, and if you need to copy long documents, an MFP won’t be a perfect substitute for a dedicated copier. Additionally, you may be limited in the number of concurrent processes an MFP can perform, as many of them only do one thing at a time.

Other Considerations
MFPs, as opposed to dedicated scanners, may be more limited in the range over which they can enlarge or reduce a scan. If the document you want to digitise already exists in digital form on your computer system, you may be able to enlarge its contents more successfully using other methods, such as opening the file in a programme that can scale the type of material you use. For example, image enlargement in a bitmap-editing programme produces better results than printing a photo, scanning it, and enlarging the scan.