Printing

[entyp66]

Hi

 

just looking for a bit of advice/experiences here. We currently have a lot of 'localised' printers throughout the school. As a result, we have a large stock of different toner cartridges/ink cartridges to fit the various printers. Maintenance of all these printers is a nightmare and takes up quite a lot of time. As such, we are looking to implement a system whereby all localised printers are replaced with one or two centralised printers. So, pupils will print to the central printer (probably located in the library), the print job will be held in a queue and then the pupils will release their print job from the printer during break/lunch times.

 

We ahave been looking at the Papercut software which apparently integrates with AD. We would like the pupils to be able to realese their print jobs using ID cards if possible but also have the ability to release them using their AD username and password if the card was lost or unavailable for some reasaon.

 

Does anyone have any experience of using such a printing model in school. If so, I would be very interested to hear what you think.

 

Thanks

[Steve21]

Yep that's what we're running albeit on a larger scale. Papercut + MFD + Cards link to AD accounts, but can still logon on screen if you don't have cards etc.

 

Works well, only downside with 1/2 printers would be what if they break? With 8-9 MFDs here and the amount they print there's always 1-2 that's out of toner/being repaired etc, not so much an issue with lots but just a note

 

Steve

[entyp66]

Thanks Steve. That's exactly what we want to do. I take your point about only having 1/2 printers.....

[MYK-IT]

We've recently introduced a similar solution; combination of MFDs and PaperCut within a managed solution supplied by Arena Group - Welcome

 

Very pleased with Arena Group; totally professional (and reassuring) every step of the way from start to finish; always listening and taking into account our needs and requirements (and not simply wanting to supply a generic solution) and the project and deployment was done at our pace meeting our requirements. On-site meetings were never a problem, as well as full staff awareness sessions.

 

(Michael Wallington was our Arena Account Manager)

[timbo343]

We've recently introduced a similar solution; combination of MFDs and PaperCut within a managed solution supplied by Arena Group - Welcome

 

Very pleased with Arena Group; totally professional (and reassuring) every step of the way from start to finish; always listening and taking into account our needs and requirements (and not simply wanting to supply a generic solution) and the project and deployment was done at our pace meeting our requirements. On-site meetings were never a problem, as well as full staff awareness sessions.

 

(Michael Wallington was our Arena Account Manager)

 

Exactly the same here, we had this setup in easter but with a different account manager. We are using toshiba MFDs and kyocera printers. Papercut is really easy to manage and only contact arena if... well something drastic goes wrong.

 

We are looking to expand our fleet in September with a few more MFDs and colour desktop printers around in rooms.

 

I must admit, it has greatly reduced the number of prints that we were used to see from students but i think staff and seen it as a new toy and print everything in colour.

Edited June 2, 2015 by timbo343

[Passat1983ICTech]

hi there ware look to get DMS to do this for us mfds ware look at 10 in the school her there is a few more company around the northwest arena I can recommend to

[aleach2]

Yep that's what we're running albeit on a larger scale. Papercut + MFD + Cards link to AD accounts, but can still logon on screen if you don't have cards etc.

 

We are just about to roll this out also (Summer holidays). We were fortunate that our LA has a framework which we can jump on the back of without having to go though a tendering process. It might be worth speaking to your LA to see if they provide a framework for schools.

 

How large is your school? We are looking at having 16/17 MFDs with a few printers. We are also moving from PaperCut NG to MF. PaperCut is great. I wouldn't suggest only having a couple of printers/MFDs for the reasons already mentioned. With MFDs you can also setup centralised scanning which is a great bonus.

 

Ad.

[Steve21]

Not sure if that size comment was to me or OP, but we're 800~ students currently, so roughly 1 printer to 100 users. But then our school is fairly new build so one nice simple building, no outbuildings etc

 

Aye full scanning to email etc, use same cards as printing for catering, really is lovely with papercut compared to pcounter haha

 

Steve

[MatthewL]

If anyone wants to have a look at PaperCut before they go down that route take a look at the demo site here. This is the NG version but the only difference is the MF version has a tab called devices for the MFD's and allows config of them other than that you get what you see.

 

It is a very powerful piece of software and you can do alot with it if you have the time to put into it.

[Jamman960]

We went from local inkjets with stock being managed by individual teachers to centralised stock then to large lasers and finally replaced our various mfds(all different brands) with the same model Toshiba's in 5 locations along with papercutmf and card readers for pull printing. I almost miss having to repair inkjets lol

[timbo343]

@entyp66 it might be worth ringing round / emailing local schools in the area to see if they use papercut. Looking at your location you are over the other side / over the hill to me but i know a few schools around your area who have papercut MF who you might be able to visit.

 

I emailed a load of schools in a 40 mile radius to find out about MFDs and their software solution, to be honest im glad i did now.

[rob_coles]

We went from about 100 local printers to 16

 

we're using sharpe devices and papercut.

 

We don't use print release for students as they tend to be close to a unit. We use print release for staff ( stops the excuse that they print sensitive stuff)

 

The rules in papercut are fab.

[howartp]

@entyp66 it might be worth ringing round / emailing local schools in the area to see if they use papercut. Looking at your location you are over the other side / over the hill to me but i know a few schools around your area who have papercut MF who you might be able to visit.

 

I emailed a load of schools in a 40 mile radius to find out about MFDs and their software solution, to be honest im glad i did now.

 

@entyp66, you're 20 minutes from me in Cross Hills.

 

I've just installed Papercut ready for replacing our MFDs in July, but we did the 85 printers > 13 MFDs process 4.5 years ago; you're welcome to pop over and chat if you want.

 

Currently we do staff release with students printing direct, but the new regime from September will be everyone pull, with the exception of the LRC which will have two load-balanced MFDs that just spit out when you print at break/lunch.

 

Peter