Canon® PC 850/F100

Reference Info
The Canon® PC850 personal copier, introduced in May of 1994, is Canon’s top of the line personal copier with features more commonly found on the high-end copiers sold through dealers. The front loading paper cassette holds 250 sheets and can accommodate various paper sizes up to tabloid-size (11"X17"). It also enlarges and reduces from 49% to 204%. The 50-sheet bypass tray accommodates additional material from colored paper to transparencies. The copier also features Canon’s RAPID Fusing System which delivers copies instantly with no warm-up time. Copies are delivered at 16 pages per minute for letter-size and 11 pages per minute for tabloid-size.

The PC850 copier is targeted for small businesses and home/office environments. Canon’s primary marketing efforts concentrate on the convenience and productivity of enhanced features at an affordable price. Although the PC850 actually sells for under $1,500, the OEM replacement cartridge comes with a hefty price tag ranging from $299 to $385, opening the door for remanufacturers to offer compatible cartridges for considerably less and still make a substantial profit.

The cartridge is similar to previous Canon PC copier imaging systems and is relatively easy to remanufacture. OEM cartridges ship with a black paper installed between the drum shutter and the drum. It is probable that this paper is present to prevent damage to the drum during shipping as a result of the long drum shutter.

The PC850 cartridge has an OEM-yield rating of 10,000 pages. The drum and wiper blade will most likely be single cycle components depending on how the cartridge is used. Additional testing will be required to verify component life for the PCR, mag roller and doctor blade.

Given the ease of remanufacturing and the profit potential of selling compatible cartridges, the recharger has an attractive new business opportunity with the Canon PC850 copier.