Why Are My Copies Wrinkled?

Calendar Thursday, November 7th, 2013

wrinkled printer paperDo you have copied pages that consistently come out on the machine wrinkled? While this is a frustrating issue, there are some simple fixes for it. Check out the condition of the paper and the paper tray, and make any necessary adjustments before you call a copier technician. However, if you suspect that a worn feed and exit roller or an old fuser assembly is causing the issue, you will have to call for professional help.

Reasons for Wrinkled Copies

Moist paper: When moisture gets into the paper supply, the copies can come out wrinkled. Any time copier paper becomes moist, get rid of it and load a fresh, dry batch into the copier. It is best practice to store copier paper in a cool, dry location to keep it in optimal condition.

Worn feed and exit rollers: Every copy machine has interior rollers that pull the paper out of the paper tray and into the machine. Typically these rollers are made out of rubber. Similar to car tires, they wear out over time. Rollers that are simply dirty or that are worn can cause paper jam. Ultimately you will have to call a copier technician to come out and fix the issue. However, you may be able to clean the rollers, keeping them functioning well enough to make copies until the technician arrives.

One popular temporary roller fix it to flip the rubber feed rollers inside out. Take paper tray 1 out and carefully take the rubber tire off of each of the roller wheels. Flip the tires inside out and place them back on the wheels. It is important to go slowly so that the rubber tires don’t get damaged.

Worn paper trays: Worn paper trays can cause jams or result in wrinkled paper when the paper feeds at an angle. If the trays in your machine are in good condition, make sure that they are all positioned properly. Sometimes paper tray 1 is aligned, but a less frequently used tray is not, which can still cause issues with routine copying jobs. However, if paper trays are worn, they need to be replaced.

Old fuser assembly: Typically a fuser assembly has a lifespan of 60,000 to 100,000 pages. After this amount of copying, they are likely to fail more easily. If you suspect that this is the issue that is causing the wrinkled copier pages, call a technician.

Are you in need of a reputable copier company in Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle? Look no further than Amarillo copier company UCI. We pride ourselves on being able to cater to small businesses and large companies alike for all of their copy machine needs. For more information, give us a call at (806) 372-7722.