When choosing a digital copier for your business, you’ll find that each model has certain copier ratings. These numbers can really help you zero in on the right copier.

One set of copier ratings indicate how fast the machine is built to operate. They’re measured in pages per minute (ppm), or sometimes outputs per minute or copies per minute. Whichever term is used, it refers to the number of letter-sized pages the machine can produce in one minute when running at full speed. Copiers with ratings of fewer than 15 ppm are considered consumer products, not business-quality machines.

Commercial copier ratings break down into six segments:

• Segment 1: 11 – 20 ppm, but typically 15 - 20
• Segment 2: 21 – 30 ppm
• Segment 3: 31 – 40 ppm
• Segment 4: 41 – 69 ppm
• Segment 5: 70 – 90 ppm
• Segment 6: 91 outputs per minute or more

Most business should look for copier ratings in segments 2 through 4.  Copier ratings of 70 ppm and higher are suited for centralized copying and production in larger offices: these speeds carry a hefty price tag.

Copiers also carry ratings for their expected monthly volumes. This is usually expressed as a certain number of pages per month. If you already own a copier, you can determine your actual usage by looking at the counter, usually found under the platen glass. If you don’t, examine your copy shop receipts instead.

Once you have a rough volume figure, increase it by at least 15% to determine the monthly volume rating you should be looking for. This will help you account for future growth, as well as compensate for the somewhat inflated copier ratings set by manufacturers. Better to pay for slightly more capacity than you need than risk damaging an expensive and essential piece of office equipment.

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