Right Tool Right Job
To enable us to start to understand the differences of the impact different technologies have on the environment we have undertaken a comprehensive research with the leading manufacturer of impact and non-impact technologies to help ensure that we promote not just the correct device for the job – but also the most efficient and environmentally friendly.
Is the Right Technology Right for the Environment?
The following summary compares a 50 page a minute laser printer against a 2000 line a minute line printer for energy and operational efficiency. *
The following metrics are assumed:
- Average Monthly Duty Cycle 50,000 pages
- Page Density Line 60%
- Price per KWh electricity 9.5 pence
- Average print speed Laser 42.5 pages per minute
- Print Speed Line printer 2000 lines per minute
- Lines per page 60 lpp
- Operation life of 5 years
- Actual Print time per month Line 18 hours
- Actual Print time per month Laser 19.61 hours
The following are actual statistics from the devices:
- Idle Power Consumption Laser 35 watts
- Operating Power Consumption Laser 1,500 watts
- Idle Power Consumption Line 26 watts
- Operating Power Consumption Line 385 watts
* Figures supplied courtesy of Printronix
By taking these metrics and doing some fairly simple but involved calculation the following “rule of thumb” can be acquired.
“Total operational cost saving over the period for running a Line printer versus an equivalent Laser printer run at 112% in power usage alone.”
“This is an operational saving of slighty over ¼ (Quarter) of a Tonne per printer in carbon through electricity use alone.”
Note - This does not even take into consideration the additional costs of consumables in this period.
Note – In a lot of cases the power consumption of the printer when “it is not being used” will form the majority of the total power consumption.
Summary:
These rugged impact devices work effectively in the often harsh and unforgiving environments of the back office. Note we calculated the running costs over 5 years. In our experience you may get to a point where you would have to replace the non impact printer while the impact printer remained perfectly operational in these environments.
“It is our considered opinion that, for once, using the right tool for the job is also the best for the environment and the operating costs of the customer.”
