Copier Question

One of the leading causes of broken copier glass is from people sitting on them to copy their arses.  Is there some reason why copier manufacturers haven’t switched to using stronger Plexiglas or something instead of real glass?

Just curious…

1. Just a guess, but I would say that glass is harder to scratch than other reasonable priced options. Paper clips and staples would probably take a toll on a copier in an office.

   Posted by Patrick on January 13, 2008 at 1509 hrs




2. Don’t forget that the index of refraction (how much light bends passing through a material) is different for plexiglass.  This would change the focal length of the optical system and require a complete redesign of the copier chassis.

   Posted by on January 13, 2008 at 1522 hrs




3. If they wanted to they could just put a thicker piece of glass in there.

   It probably comes down to cost. 

   Thicker glass would be more expensive.

   There are some things that I don’t think manufacturers really want to make better. 

   I know we could make shoes that the soles lasted way longer (i mean rubber on a car tire lasts 10’s of thousands of miles, but your shoes wear out in a year or two? 

   I know that there is a company here in Milwaukee that has a coating that could have made CD’s virtually unscratchable.  But they tried to market it to CD manufacturers but they had no interest in making CD’s better. (then they’d sell less CD’s)

   Posted by on January 13, 2008 at 1549 hrs




4. I assume you know this from personal experience...?

   Posted by Jean-Luc Picard on January 13, 2008 at 1657 hrs




5. I think the reason they don’t is to *discourage* that sort of...behavior.

   

   Posted by Amy P. on January 13, 2008 at 1805 hrs




6. I think it’s precisely so the copier companies can collect and relay stories like that.  Hours of amusement enjoying the customers’ embarrassment ...

   Posted by on January 13, 2008 at 2039 hrs




7. The glass is supposed to break.  It’s called Shear Glass.  It keeps the rest of the copier from being damaged.

   Posted by Deibert on January 13, 2008 at 2053 hrs




8. Copying your arse is so 80’s.  Two words. Digital Photography

   Posted by on January 13, 2008 at 2322 hrs




9. If the glass is too thick, then the SSN’s might not be readable. 

   Oh, and xxpilot… remember the early days of CD’s, when the disks were encased in a plastic housing that you had to slide into the drive?  That was the days prior to a hard protective coating.  Since those days, a coating was created, and applied to all CD’s, thereby removing the need for the plastic “shuttle”.  You’re quite the conspiracy theorist!

   Posted by on January 14, 2008 at 1125 hrs