What Is an Automatic Document Feeder?

What is an automatic document feeder?

An automatic document feeder (ADF) is a mechanism found on devices like printers, fax machines, scanners and photocopiers. ADFs are handy when you have multiple sheets of paper to deal with and can be a crucial element of the best document management software. 

An ADF is a standard feature on most multifunction or all-in-one printers. It takes the burden off employees who otherwise would have to monitor a printing job and ensure every page is handled correctly. “Automatic document feeders combine practical mechanics with smart design,” said Matt Bowman, CEO and founder at Thrive Local. 

When it comes to scanning, ADFs are a significant upgrade to the old flatbed scanners that could only read a single document at a time ― a process that could take up to 40 seconds per sheet. With an ultrafast ADF that can scan up to 200 pages per minute, you’ll be liberated from the tedious, time-consuming task of scanning documents.

How does an ADF work?

Mechanically, an ADF operates by guiding a sheet of paper through a series of rollers and into an exit tray. For example, on a scanner, rollers guide a sheet over the scanner flatbed or plate to capture the image and send it to your PC. On a printer, an ADF guides paper to the printing heads to produce a physical document. “Inside these office workhorses, precisely engineered rollers spin at carefully measured rates, firmly grasping each page using specialized contact points — an elegant solution that guarantees consistent paper flow while preventing costly multi-feeds and alignment issues during business operations,” Bowman said. 

This seamless coordination between hardware components is what enables ADFs to handle high-volume tasks with minimal supervision. “An automatic document feeder works by allowing multiple sheets of paper to be scanned or copied without needing to feed each one manually,” said Christopher Migliaccio, founder of Warren and Migliaccio L.L.P. “The feeder grabs each page from a stack, moves it through the scanning mechanism and queues the next. For busy offices like ours, this drastically reduces the time spent standing at a copier or scanner and increases our output without additional staff effort.”

However, some ADFs are more advanced. They can scan both sides of a document or process more documents in a fraction of the time. For example, a reversing automatic document feeder (RADF) feeds a document through a scanner’s platen, flips it and feeds it through the scanner again to get a copy of both sides of any sheet of paper.

A dual-scan document feeder (DSDF) is another, more expensive type of ADF. It costs more because it has multiple scanning surfaces to capture both sides of a document in one pass. Since there’s less movement for the original document, it can complete a scan eight times faster than other technology, like a RADF.

What are the benefits of an ADF?

The benefits of an ADF are far more extensive than you would initially believe. Aside from allowing for faster scanning and printing, the advantages you get from an ADF can trickle into software testing, know-your-customer (KYC) background checks, financial compliance and the digitization of a company’s records.

Here are a few other examples of an ADF’s benefits in various industries:

• Quick, accurate data input: For a developer building new software featuring optical character recognition (OCR) technologies, an ADF is a useful tool to input data quickly and conduct stress tests on the application. With the minor miscalculations found in the scans, developers can make the adjustments they need to update their software to capture the correct information with minimal errors.
• Customer data collection: When you have a high-quality scanner equipped with a high-capacity ADF, a financial institution can quickly collect the customer information it needs to conduct KYC processes and confirm compliance with every customer it serves. A bank could perform the same checks manually, but that method is more a relic from before the 1990s when you would wait hours for confirmations. More importantly, those lengthy wait times often result in a negative customer experience or waste a company’s valuable time and resources.
• Digitizing documents: For a business upgrading its overall infrastructure, digitizing old documents is a typical way to create an accurate record of past company activities and create a computerized filing system. However, because of the time limitations involved, it’s nearly impossible to do if you only have access to a single-sheet document feeder. In these instances, a high-volume, high-speed scanner is needed to quickly create digital copies of physical documents. Some of the more expensive machines have an ADF capacity for as much as 500 sheets, so you can return later and reload your scanner.
• Improved accessibility: Anyone in the workplace can use an ADF thanks to its ease of access. Bowman noted that ADFs allow “staff with mobility restrictions to process materials without physical handling.”
• Advanced Security: ADFs ensure confidential data remains protected. “Organizations managing sensitive information receive particular benefits, as documents stay within secure workflows instead of remaining exposed on flatbed scanners,” Bowman said.

Who can benefit from an ADF?

Individuals and professionals in any sector can benefit from a business copier, printer, scanner or fax machine equipped with an ADF. The cost of having an ADF vs. a single-page, manual feeder is so negligible that it’s almost always worth the upgrade.

“Legal practices, medical centers, banking institutions, public sector departments and academic organizations realize substantial gains when handling case materials, medical files, financing paperwork, official documents or academic records,” Bowman said. “Small enterprises processing invoices and agreements also experience productivity enhancements, especially when connected with electronic document management platforms.”

Anyone from a healthcare provider to a banker can benefit from the fast scanning, faxing, copying and printing an ADF delivers. As automation, OCR and artificial intelligence technologies advance, an ADF-equipped device could be the key that unlocks a new level of business insights by allowing you to quickly digitize any organization’s records.

Anatolii Kasianov, CTO at My Passion, said that even teams who work remotely can use an ADF. He said his remote team deals with licensing documents and agreements, and the ADF makes the process more efficient. “The main advantage is saving time and eliminating monotonous work,” he said. “In addition, the tool reduces the probability of losing pages or disturbing their order, which is important when it comes to reports, contracts, printing books, etc.”

How much do new automatic document feeders cost?

You may pay anywhere from $100 to tens of thousands for various new devices with ADFs. However, most companies should generally expect to pay between $350 and $2,000 for a robust ADF-equipped device. But for printers with high-volume scanners, you can expect to find printers close to $10,000.

“[Pricing] really depends on speed, capacity and additional features like duplex scanning and integration with document management systems,” Migliaccio said. “For small businesses, investing in a higher-end ADF can actually save money in labor and time over the long run.”

ADF device costs vary according to numerous factors, including the following: 

• Capacity and speed: The price of a device with an ADF will vary according to how many sheets it can hold and how many sheets it can process in a minute.
• Purpose: Devices with more niche use cases tend to attract a premium price. For example, you’ll pay top dollar for a high-volume scanning device for larger offices, medical practices and libraries. Companies that need ultrafine scanning for photography, artwork or graphic design should also expect to pay more.
• Features: Manufacturers charge more for advanced features like the ability to handle various sizes and types of paper. Specific scanning technologies (and whether they must integrate with a business’s internal software) and the ability to detect double feeds will also command a higher price.
• Maintenance and support: Although not an upfront cost, check reviews for general manufacturer reliability and the likely costs of servicing the feeder during its lifetime.

Bowman noted that how much an ADF costs depends on a company’s size and their needs. “Small businesses can obtain suitable options in the $250 to $600 range with 35-sheet capacities and standard jam prevention,” he said. “Professional settings needing greater dependability typically allocate $700 to $1,200 for models with 50+ sheet capacities and two-sided scanning functions.”

Larger corporations can expect to pay more than small- to medium-sized businesses. “Corporate implementations requiring superior document detection, barcode identification and connection with document management infrastructure may necessitate $1,500 to $3,500 — expenses quickly offset through operational efficiencies and minimized document handling errors,” Bowman said.

The best automatic document feeders available

Many reputable and well-established electronics equipment manufacturers make ADF devices and there are certain features businesses should look into before buying.

“For procurement decisions, buyers should evaluate sheet capacity, paper thickness compatibility, two-sided scanning capabilities and paper jam prevention features,” Bowman said. “Connectivity options (USB, networked, wireless) and integration with existing software environments remain equally important for smooth implementation.”

A handful of the best-value and most-capable scanners with automatic document feeders include the following:

Ricoh fi-8170 document scanner (around $1,000)

• Speed: 70 pages per minute (ppm)/140 images per minute (ipm)
• Special features: Three-color RGB LED, 2D and 1D barcode support and an automatic separation control for paper feed
• Document handling: Long page scanning up to 240 inches with thick document scanning (e.g., passports, plastic cards)

Ricoh fi-8270 document and image scanner (over $1,600)

• Speed: 70 ppm/140 ipm
• Special features: Color LCD, ultrasonic multi-feed detection and supports both USB 3.2 with ethernet wired network connections
• Document handling: Long page scanning up to 240 inches; thick document scanning

Ricoh ScanSnap overhead simplex scanner SV600 (around $650)

• Speed: Can scan an A3 landscape size area in less than three seconds
• Scanning technology: One-button overhead scanning and CCD optic with LED illumination
• Special features: Book curve image-flattening with an erase finger from image function

Canon DR-M160II document scanner (over $890)

• Speed: 60 ppm/120 ipm
• Special features: Single-pass duplex scanning and up to 60 sheet ADF
• Document handling: Scans both sides of a sheet in one pass and is suitable for paper-based documents

Epson DS-6500 document scanner (around $1,000)

• Speed: 25 ppm/50 ipm
• Special features: 100-sheet ADF and a four-line CCD sensor (RGB and black) for vivid colors and sharp text
• Document handling: Scans documents up to 8.5 x 40 inches and has a flatbed for hard-bound books or other odd-sized items

Avision AD240U simplex scanner (over $390)

• Speed: 40 ppm/80 ipm
• Special features: Handles forms up to 242 x 356 mm, advanced straight paper path and image processing
• Document handling: Can manage mixed batches of documents of varying sizes and weights

Amanda Hoffman and Mark Fairlie contributed to the reporting and writing in this article.