Ricoh has announced a new production printer, the Pro C9500, which is an improved version of its existing C9200 laser printer, albeit with the same 2400 x 4800 dpi VCSEL print engine and PXP toner, and the same basic specifications. (Editor’s note – Over two dozen of the C9200 digital presses have already been installed in India by Ricoh’s Indian distributor Monotech Systems.)
That said, Ricoh has been through many of the subsystems and made a number of improvements across the board. Eef de Ridder, vice president of Ricoh Europe’s Graphic Communications Group, told me – “Ricoh has invested considerably in the development of the new Pro C9500 color sheetfed system, which has been designed and engineered to answer a number of challenges that clients have shared with us, and so is a great example of what we call co-innovation. There have been four principal areas of focus – Automation, Enhanced Image Quality, Media Handling, and Ease of Use.”
The C9500 is designed to handle a monthly duty cycle of 1 million sheets. As with the C9200, the new C9500 can produce up to 135 A4 ppm. However, the standard model runs at just 115 A4 ppm – you need a license upgrade to unlock the faster speed, which can be done at any time, even after the printer has been installed.
Ricoh has improved the fuser system, with a pad instead of a roller to better handle thin or synthetic media. De Ridder notes, “The new press also still uses AC Transfer to support printing on textured media, and the smoother roller is still there to help erase tram marks when switching between different media sizes.”
De Ridder adds, “We have also made improvements when printing in mixed media, and developments in enabling clients to set up jobs quicker using fewer sheets, reducing costs and improving productivity.”
Ricoh has also made changes to the Paper Transfer system to help with image magnification fluctuation when duplex printing with different toner coverage on the front and back of a page. These improvements will also eliminate shock jitter and paper edge marks.
The C9500 can handle lighter media weights than the C9200, down to 40gsm, which should expand the range of applications it can handle, including jobs such as printing pharmaceutical leaflets. De Ridder adds, “We are also introducing new feed options to support printing on long sheet banners up to 960mm although we can still print up to 1260 mm through the bypass tray.”
There is a new gloss control system that allows operators to make prints glossier depending on their clients’ requirements. Ricoh has also improved the optional Auto Colour Diagnosis unit, with an increase in the detection targets for finding dots and streaks but now also gaining added functionality around misregistration and color fluctuation so that operators now have more choice in dealing with faults, including purging and reprinting, inserting a sheet and adjusting the detection level.
The new model gains a new base controller, the Ricoh Graphic Communication Operating System, that’s aimed at commercial printers. It’s compatible with external diagnostic systems and maintenance programs. De Ridder says that this has an intuitive user interface, “As examples, it gives operators the opportunity to easily access the home screen from anywhere via a remote browser utility, offers users greater capabilities for customization and greatly improved media management operability.”
He adds, “Operators will also be able to visualize upcoming maintenance tasks and schedule this in advance, taking into account printing schedules, visible in a diary format which each operator will be able to view. Further, we have introduced a number of wizards to facilitate simple operations to set up jobs and achieve the best possible print output. Also, several videos can be accessed to support users with paper jam clearance and maintenance tasks.”
There are new finishing options in the shape of the GBC StreamPunch Plus for inline creasing and perforating and the Plockmatic Crease Trimmer unit for top and bottom trimming and creasing.
De Ridder concluded, “Ultimately, we regard the Pro C9500 as a genuine transformation of capabilities in terms of its productivity, operability, and image quality, and that it will guide Print Service Providers in general, and Commercial Printers in particular, towards new opportunities that will help them future proof their business.”
The C9500 is already available in Japan and North America and will ship in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa from September. (Editor’s note – It is expected that the new production printer will be made available in the Indian market in the last quarter of 2023.)
You can find further details from ricoh.com.
