Table Of Contents

• What Is Office Equipment
• Types Of Office Machines And Equipment
• Meaning Of Typewriter, Types Of Typewriter, Advantages & Disadvantages Of Typewriter
• Meaning Of Duplicating Machine, Types Of Duplicating Machine, Advantages And Disadvantages Of Photocopier & Perforator
• Advantages Of Using Office Machine
• Factors To Be Considered When Choosing Office Machines For An Office

Meaning Of Office Equipment

Office equipment can therefore be defined as those items or furniture and Machine such as staplers, typewriter and steel cabinet which are used to facilitate work in the office.

The followings are some of the office equipment found in an ideal office: Stapler, typewriter, photocopier, calculator, perforator, steel cabinet, duplicating machine, various kinds of computer etc.

Types Of Office Machines And Equipment

There are various types of office equipment found in an ideal office. Some of them are:

1. Typewriter

2. Duplicating machine (Spirit and Stencil Duplicator)

3. Photocopier

4. Adding machine

5. Filing cabinet

6. Calculator

7. Stapling machine

8. Counting machine

9. Add listing machine

10. Laminating machine

11. Letter Opening Machine

12. Office pins

13. Tape recorder

14. Computers

15. Scissors

16. Cheque writing and signing machine

17. Binding machine

18. Time stamping machine etc.

1. The Typewriter

What Is Typewriter?

The typewriter may be defined as an office machine with the machanism and parts which contains alphabets, signs and some mathematics as signs which is used to produce typed document.

The person who uses typewriter to produce typed materials is called “Typist”, While the person who writes in shorthand and transcribe with his typewriter is called “Shorthand typist”.

Types Of Typewriter

There are three main types of typewriter:

a. Standard typewriter
b. Portable typewriter
c. Manual typewriter
d. Electric typewriter.

a. Standard typewriter: This is mostly used in many offices. For any machine to be regarded as standard, It must have the following four basic elements:

– Tabular mechanism

– Carriage length must measure 30cm to 35cm or 11 to 13 inches

– Choice of line spacing must be in the following graduation; (1, 1 quater, 2, 2 quater to 3)

– It must possess four ribbon position (top, center, bottom and stencil).

b. Portable typewriter: A portable typewriter can produce a minimum of one copy and maximum of about 6 copies at a time with the use of carbons.

c. Manual typewriter: A manuel typewriter is one in which the involvements of the machines is not caused by electric rather by typists power and energy. A typewriter can be either standard or portable.

Advantages Of Manual Typewriter:

– It is familiar to almost all the typist.

– It is cheaper to obtain than electric typewriter.

– Cost of maintenance is minimal when compared with that of electric typewriter.

– Power failure can not disrupt the work of the typist.

Disadvantages Of Manual Typewriter:

– Typist are easily fatigued with manuel typewriter than with electric.

– It is not faster to type with, when compared with the electric typewriter.

d. Electric typewriter: This is the type of typewriter in which the movement of the type bar and the carriage is done automatically by electricity. A slight touch is enough to set the type bars in motion.

Advantages Of Electric Typewriter:

– Over portable and standard.

– It produces a very decent and uniform work.

– It makes the typists work easier because he or she types faster with electric machine thereby reducing fatigue.

– With the use of memory storage, so many copies can be automatically produced.

– Letter can be stored and be produced any time.

Disadvantages Of Electric Typewriter:

– Power failure may disrupt the work of the typist.

– It is costly to maintain.

– Not all the typewriter repairers can work on it when it breaks down.

– It is expensive to acquire.

2. Duplicating Machine

When many copies of document are required, duplicating machine is prepared to a typewriter. Duplicating machines has capacities of producing as much as five thousand copies from one master.

This is th major advantage of duplicating machine over typewriter.

Types Of Duplicating Machine

– The stencil (ink) duplicator

– Spirit duplicator

a. Stencil duplicator: Is one of the commonest type of duplicating equipment. Most typist are familiar with it.

The following processing are involved when producing document on stencil duplicator:

– Typing
– Writing by hand
– Thermal heal copier
– Electric stencil cutting machine.

b. Spirit duplicator: This is another type of duplicating machine which use to show the impression instead of ink. It is the cause of stencil duplicator.

3. Photocopier Or Office Copier

Office copier are the machines used in producing facsimile. Facsimile is the exact of the original document such as letters, re-print, signatures, account and indeed all source of document be it written or typed. The followings are some of the makes, models and brands used in Nigeria:

– Rant xerox copiers
– Richo
– Sharp
– Conica
– Mita, etc.

Advantages Of Photocopier:

a. The production process does not require any master in form of rewriting, typing, cutting of stence or filmiling. All the machine does, is to photocopy and reproduce the exact copy.

b. It produces documents faster than all the other type of duplicating equipment except the offset printing machine.

c. Copies of document are done instantly when they are needed.
Disadvantages Of Photocopiers:

The main disadvantages is that virgin document cannot be produced instantly, unless it goes through the process of producing masters either stencils, spirit, film spirit or hand written. In other words, it cannot create an original note document.

4. Perforator

A perforator is one of the indispensable office equipment used to make holes on paper and file covers. These holes are necessary because it facilitate filing of document.

Advantages Of Perforator:

a. It present filed document in a tidy form, than when they are perforated with stick or any other object.

b. It is easier and quicker for perfer with perforator than with any other form of perforator.

5. Filing Cabinets

Filling cabinet is a type of metal furniture built in form of a cupboard with drawers and shelves for the purpose of storing files.

6. Computers

This is an electronic machine which convert data fed into it, it processes and stores such data with the aid of an ordered sequential instructions, otherwise known as programme in order to get desired information.

Advantages Of Using Office Machine

1. Office machines saves times.

2. The user of office machine make for quality works.

3. Fraud can be prevented by the use of office machine. Eg: The use of cheque writing and signing machine to draw doe.

4. Use of machine reduces fatigue.

5. The level of accuracy achieved with the use of machine is higher than that which is achieved when the machine are not used.

Factors To Be Considered When Choosing Office Machines For An Office

1. Purpose or Use

2. Cost

3. Durability

4. Availability of service spare parts.

5. Available of technician or engineers to undertake repair in case of breakdown.

Materials Required Foor Care Of Office Equipment

– A short brush
– A long brush
– Duster
– Machine oil
– Methylated spirit
– Clean rag
– Water
– Detergent
– Sponge

With these materials, office equipment can be cared for in the following ways:

1. Dust the machine or equipment every morning.

2. With the long brush, remove the dirts from the working parts of the machines, especially the right area your hand cannot reach.

3. Remove dirty oil on the surface of the machine with a clean rag. This applies to those machine like typewriter which are normally lubricated.

4. Make sure your equipment is oiled properly for those equipment that needs oiling such as typewriter, duplicating machine etc.

5. Clean the delicate parts of the machine with spirit to prevent rusting and stiffening.

6. Keep your equipment e.g “Computer” in an airy room. Air condition is highly recommended in such a room or fan focused on the equipment.

7. Put your equipment on a balanced table to avoid falling on the ground.

Types Of A Typewriter

They are as follows:
– Space bar
– Carriage
– Keyboard
– Carriage return lever
– Type based
– Platen
– Platen knob

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