Sunday, May 19, 2013

10 Things Might Not Know About Digital Duplicators

Every so often it seems I'm back on the duplicator band wagon for awhile.  For years I was only able to sell the Ricoh Priports, let me stop here for a moment. 

What does Priport mean or what possessed Ricoh to choose the name Priport?  If I had to choose a name for a hi speed duplicator I would have chosen something like DocuPress, Image Print or DupliPress many years ago.

In the last few months I've been able to learn more about the Riso Duplicators, and while my heart is still with the Ricoh Priport there are some awesome features with some of the Riso Duplicators. 

  • The first true digital duplicator was developed and introduced by Riso Kagaku Corporation in August 1986.
  • Digital Duplicators can print up to 10,800 11x17 pages per hour.
  • When printing 2 up on 11x17 media, you can run 21,600 images per hour.
  • Digital Duplicators do not use any heat when printing and image, thus the reliability of the duplicator is better than most Production Print Systems.
  • Digital Duplicators are now capable of printing two sides in one pass (letter size only).
  • If you get a tear in your plate/master you can place a piece of tape on the tear and continue with the print job (as long as the tear is not in the image area).
  • Digital Duplicators (some models) can run two colors in a single pass.
  • Digital Duplicators can't print on to Gloss stock.
  • When figuring cost per page, Digital Duplicators yields are based on an 11x17 image. Because the Digital Duplicator will wrap an 11x17 plate/master around the image cylinder.
  • Digital Duplicators can be used to create raised print with a post print process. Thermography
Digital Duplicators are also ideal for printing envelopes, NCR and thick stock.  Since there is no heat used in the process of printing and image there are virtually no consumables except for plates/master and ink.  You can expect duplicators to run hundreds of thousands of prints without any service calls.

There are three players left in the Digital Duplicator Industry now, Ricoh, Riso and Duplo.  Years ago I would have bet the ranch that one of these manufacturers would have developed a four color single pass duplicator. Who wouldn't have been interested in a producing full color prints at 10,800 pages and hour, especially for a cost of about penny.  Of course that was my thinking.

With the continued advancement of liquid ink technology it seems that Digital Duplicators may become extinct in the next few years. 

Related Threads:
Can SeriPrinters Revitalize Digital Duplicators?
Duplexing Duplicators, Rise of the “Green” RICOH DX 4640PD Duplicator.
Ricoh HQ Duplicator on Steroids w/Envelope Feeder
Selling Copiers "Ask Art" Digital Duplicators Not Dead Yet!
8 Duplicating Duplicator Tips for Ricoh

-=Good Selling=-


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Why do you say digital duplicators will become extinct in the next few years due to liquid ink technology? Please explain. Thank you