Particularly for small and medium enterprises and smaller office workgroups, the upfront cost of colour laser printers is often too high. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) prohibits the use of colour inkjets for cost sensitive customers due to frequent and expensive cartridge changes. With its revolutionary new GelSprinter™ technology, Ricoh is meeting this need in a completely different way.
By utilising Liquid Gel™ rather than traditional toner or ink, the new GelSprinter™ range produces affordable waterproof and sunlight resistant prints. Key benefit of the Liquid Gel™ is that it dries instantly when hitting the paper. Due to this technology, high speed printing is ensured even in duplex mode. Speeds are up to 30 pages per minute for both colour and black and white.
Using the special Level Color™mode - the cost per page of colour prints is similar to black and white prints. This feature distinguishes texts from images and graphics. While texts are printed at normal thickness, up to 50% is saved on colours for images and graphics within the same document. As opposed to so-called ‘Draft’ modes currently in the market, the Level Color™mode ensures perfectly crisp and sharp black texts at all times.
With these new models Ricoh underlines its TCO focus. Apart from the Level Color™mode, the lifecycle and design of the cartridges are key for GelSprinter™. It uses four separate cartridges, as well as small reservoirs at the print heads, ensuring a continuous supply of Liquid Gel™. Moreover there are virtually no residues when notification is given that replacement is due. The print heads are separate from the cartridges and designed to last the lifetime of the printer. This has a favourable effect on consumable costs and therefore on the overall cost per page.
Other TCO saving measures include ability to use normal or recycled paper rather than special laser or inkjet paper, low power consumption, first print speed within six seconds, automatic duplex printing and counter function to be used in click charge.
Many of the target users have to install, operate and maintain their printers themselves. For GelSprinter™ user friendliness is key. No maintenance kit is needed as with laser printers and its print heads are self-cleaning. Ricoh’s unique RPCS™ driver provides easy one click printing, while PCL is available for the network ready models Aficio™GX 3050N and Aficio™GX 5050N as well. A unique security feature is the capability to prevent unauthorised copying of documents printed on these GelSprinter™ models.
The Aficio™GX 3000, GX 3050N and GX 5050N are the latest additions to Ricoh's printer range. Ricoh currently manufactures one of the world's most extensive line ups of copiers, printers, scanners, faxes and multifunctional devices, as well as advanced software solutions.
