71. A department is upgrading its printers and wants to save money on consumables. Which of the following printer features would allow the department to cut costs?

Answer: B

Explanation:

Duplex printing allows the department to cut costs on consumables.

Implementing duplex printing enables the department to print on both sides of the paper, significantly reducing paper usage and, consequently, costs associated with purchasing paper.

A) Collate

Collating refers to the arrangement of printed pages in a specific order, which does not directly impact the consumption of paper or other consumables. While it may improve organization, it does not contribute to cost savings in the same way duplex printing does.

B) Duplex

Duplex printing is the feature that allows printers to print on both sides of a sheet of paper. This effectively halves the amount of paper used for printing, leading to substantial cost savings over time on consumable supplies, making it the most effective choice for reducing costs.

C) Secure print

Secure print is a feature that protects sensitive documents by requiring user authentication before printing. While it enhances security, it does not affect the amount of consumables used and therefore does not contribute to cost savings.

D) Scanner

A scanner is used for digitizing documents and does not relate to the printing process itself. Although useful for document management, it does not reduce costs associated with printing consumables.

Conclusion

Duplex printing is the most effective feature for reducing costs on consumables, as it directly minimizes paper usage. Other options, such as collating, secure print, and scanning, do not contribute to cost savings in consumables, making them less relevant in the context of this question. Thus, duplex printing stands out as the best choice for achieving the department's financial goals.