TWIR "This Week in Ricoh"

Ricoh announced that it has sold one of its Aficio Pro 900 production color systems to a print shop in Des Moines, Iowa. Its IKON office in the area, sold one to Colorfx Inc., which is now using the system to produce variable data direct applications.

Ricoh announced that some of its products received accolades from Business Equipment Research & Testing Labs (BERTL):
- 5 star ratings given to MP C2550, C3300 & C5000 color laser MFPs
- BEST award given to C2550 & C5000

Ricoh announced more details about its new b/w production print systems (906EX, 1106EX, 1135EX) where it now expects end users to perform some of the service, under the “Trained Customer Replacement Units (TCRU). Details:
- Advertised as allowing end users to minimize downtime
- End users receive one hour of on-site training to learn how to replace the TCRU parts
- Consists of 8 different parts including; fuser section, fuser cleaning web, OPC drum, corona wires/grids,
waste toner receptacle, etc.

Details on the finishers offered for the new Ricoh b/w production print models:
- The GB2000 perfect binder can glue bind up to 200 sheets of paper, and can trim 3 edges of book
- booklet size of either 8.5”x11” or 8.5” x 5.5”
- uses tray on top to insert cover material
- top speed of 20 booklets per hour
- unit takes 6.5 minutes to reach melt temperature
- maximum paper weight handling of 163gsm for body, up to 300gsm for cover
- does not support use of coated/glossy stock
- the optional EFI Fiery does not support this option
- The RB5000 ring binder can punch and bind up to 100 sheets of paper
- can only use 8.5” x 11” paper
- when loading ring material, must choose either 50 sheet or 100 sheet ring material
- can not load both 50 & 100 rings at same time
- choice of either white or black ring material
- is not three ring, but instead punches 21 holes, and rings resemble comb binding
- when using 100 sheet bind, top speed of 30 booklets per hour
- when using 50 sheet bind, top speed of 55 booklets per hour
- output drawer can hold up to 11 booklets maximum
- ring material replacement will produce 75 booklets
- maximum paper weight that can be used is 216gsm
- The BK5000 booklet maker can stitch up to 15 sheets of paper
- The BK5010 booklet maker can stitch up to 30 sheets of paper