All document feeders are not created equal. Part II

The Reversing Automatic Document Feeder or RADF uses a single imaging sensor to copy your documents. Fine if all your documents are single sided but because of the single imaging sensor, the feeder needs to perform additional steps to copy a two sided document:

  • scan the front of the document
  • reverse direction to flip the document
  • scan the back of the document
  • reverse direction and flip the document again

The final switchback insures the document exits the feeder the same way you put it in.

This RADF design has been around for some time. It will cost less when you buy or lease a copier but you will definitely spend more time waiting for scans to finish. The need to reverse a documents direction through the feeder makes the RADF mechanically complex and more likely to develop problems in the future.

Another option

Check out the post on the DADF or Duplex Automatic Document Feeder here. The DADF will cost a little more when you purchase or lease a copier but gains in efficiency and time saved are well worth the additional cost.