Multi-function printer (MFP)
An MFP (multi-function printer), all-in-one (AIO), or multi-function device (MFD) is an office machine that combines the functionality of multiple devices into one, allowing for a smaller footprint in a home or small business setting (the SOHO market segment), or centralized document management/distribution/production in a large-office setting. A typical MFP can function as one or more of the following devices: email, fax, photocopier, printer, and scanner.
Types of Multi-function printer
MFP manufacturers have traditionally classified MFPs into different categories. The segments roughly divided the MFPs based on their page-per-minute (ppm) speed and duty-cycle/robustness. However, many manufacturers[quantify] are beginning to avoid product segmentation because speed and basic functionality alone do not always differentiate the many features that the devices include. Two color MFPs with comparable speeds may end up in the same segment, despite potentially very different feature sets and, as a result, very different prices. From a marketing standpoint, the manufacturer of the more expensive MFP would want to differentiate their product as much as possible in order to justify the price difference, so the segment definition is avoided.
All-in-one Printer
An All-in-one is a small desktop computer designed for use at home or in the office.
These devices are designed for home use and may include bundled software for photo organization, simple OCR, and other functions of interest to a home user. An all-in-one printer will always include the basic functions of print and scan, with most also including copy and fax capabilities.
Previously, these devices were usually not networked and were connected via USB or Parallel. Even low-cost all-in-one devices support ethernet and/or Wi-Fi connections as of 2013.
SOHO MFP
A large desktop or small freestanding unit intended for use in a Small Office/Home Office. The form factor of the MFP (desktop or freestanding) is frequently determined by the options added, such as extra paper trays.
A SOHO MFP will typically have only basic Print, Copy, Scan, and Fax functionality, but at the higher end of the scale, may include simple document storage and retrieval, basic authentication functions, and so on, making the higher end of the "SOHO" scale difficult to distinguish from the lower end of the "Office" MFP scale.
Office MFP
A medium-sized free-standing unit intended for use as a central office system.
These are typically the most feature-rich type of MFP. They include the basic Print, Copy, and Scan functions, as well as optional Fax functionality, networked document storage with security, authentication using common network user credentials, the ability to run custom software (often a manufacturer will supply a Software development kit), advanced network scan destinations such as FTP, WebDAV, Email, SMB and NFS stores, data transmission encryption, and so on.
Production printing MFP
A large free-standing unit intended for use as a central printing device or reprographic department device.
While far larger and more expensive than Office MFPs, these devices typically lack all of the advanced network functionality of their smaller counterparts. Instead, they focus on high-speed, high-quality output as well as highly advanced finishing functionality such as book creation with cover insertion (including hot-glue binding) and so on. Production printing is frequently subdivided[by whom?] into "light" production printing and "heavy" production printing, with speed being the distinguishing factor. According to most manufacturers' standards, a 100ppm device falls into the light production printing category.
Before integrating an MFP into a home or office environment, it is beneficial to consider its features and functions. Although an MFP can have almost all of the features and functions listed below, a typical AIO or SOHO MFP is unlikely to have many of them.