Duplex printing

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Duplex printing is a feature of computer printers and MFPs (multifunction printers) that allows the automatic printing of a sheet of paper on both sides. Print devices without this capability can only print on a single side of paper, sometimes called simplex printing.

Consumer and low to medium volume office printers use a duplexing unit that reverses a piece of paper after the first side has been printed. Often, on MFPs, this is combined with a Reversing Automatic Document Feeder (RADF) to allow for duplex scanning also. Higher volume printers may in essence have two print engines in a single device, and are able to print both sides of the paper in a single pass.

Duplex print devices, depending on options, software and printer settings, can print single-sided page to single-sided page (1:1) or double-sided page to double-sided page (2:2). Many can also combine single-sided pages into a double-sided page format (1:2). Double-sided booklet formats (2:2 with a center fold) are also available, depending on optional outputs from the printer.

Simplex printers can still print duplex jobs; however, the user has to manually turn the print job over and re-initialize the printing of the document.

In commercial printing eg: books, magazines, newspapers, etc., the term applied to imparting an image to both sides of the substrate at the same time is 'perfecting' and is commonly achieved - especially in lithography - by passing the substrate between two transfer blanket cylinders, creating the effect of impression cylinders without the need for any.