Ricoh C900

[CMCRhonda]

Hi Jerod -

Please see my post in the other C900 forum. However, to answer your specific questions, I would say look at your local Ikon service team. Are they good? Are your local techs knowledgeable? It will make the most difference.

We have Ikon for our personalization department (have had them for years) and get awesome service - we're in the boonies, but we normally have a tech here in 4 hours, and they keep enough parts on hand we don't often have down time.

Our relationship with Ikon played huge into purchasing the C900 - we were going to upgrade from our Konika CPP 500 to another Konika, but of course the changeover with Ikon meant we didn't get our new Konika - so they came back with the C900 as an option. We looked at other options in our price category, but sticking with our known tech support vendor was more important in the long run.

Of course, the C900 techs are different techs from our other units, but they are getting up to speed in our area (thankfully, we're not the only install in their territory) so it's going pretty well.

I am still working on speed issues with some VDP jobs (we're primarily a mail house and have many postcard print/personalize jobs) but I haven't had any issues with RIP stability. I use the Impose feature through CWS as well, and I really love that. My graphics department scoffs at me (they do it the "right way") but for quick and dirty print, it's a life saver.

Rhonda

[eseals]

Anyone using optimized PDF with GMC Printnet? Static color not caching.......

[dgraves@wendlingprinting.net]

Just got one on my floor. It is replacing 1-2 Minolta 6500's. One is currently for sale on this forum.
My first impression is that it is built a lot better than the KM's. Speed obviously. The print detail is as good or slightly better. Seems that it has more detail. I haven't noticed any of the fuser oil issues. Mine looks pretty clean. Much better than the Xerox 7000/8000. The color is very good. I haven't noticed any banding etc.
Will post more after I run it through it's paces.

Price is awesome.

[AEL_Print]

Hi I'm new on here and I was looking for discussions on the Ricoh C900 because I have an issue no one seems to be talking about, or at least I haven't gone through all the pages to find. Anyway, we run a certain job on the C900 where the specifications are 12x18 80#text gloss coated. We are having a serious problem with toner spotting. We get a lot of spots in the solid specifically from the black cartridge. We can go into the Program and run the toner sheets that minimize the spots for a while. We're suspecting that the toners for this machine just absolutely suck. I've had stories from technicians not to shake it, and others say to shake the hell out of it. Our main tech really has no answer for us on what we can do. And how does temperature and humidity effect the toner? In the meantime we are sending out substandard quality and no one has any ******* answers. It's really starting to piss us off, and we don't know where to turn except to the world wide internet community. Please Obi-won Kenobi, you're our only hope.
AEL_Print

[Craig]

Temp and Humidity have HUGE effects on digital equipment. You should have received specifications to the optimum range for each, if not you need that information and you need to make sure you are within those specs.

[tppsg]

AEL_Print, my guess is that the fuser is not doing a good job. Have you tested printing on other coated stocks such as chromolux? I have not used the C900 before, but not all types of coated stocks will work with digital machines in my experience.

[digitalprintguy]

I've seen it - great quality if you don't need to fold, stitch, mail, perf, score or handle the finished piece at all. Plus, as an added bonus, if you run your thumbnail over a screen, you can add to the printing! My thumb left a dark, crayon-like mark across about a 50% blue screen on 80# coated text.

Not ready for prime time baby!

[hembuckle]

I have a DC 5000 AND KM 6500e - they are miles apart for quality and reliablity... the KM is known in my business as the "coffee table".... not good.

[lfelton]

Originally Posted by hembuckle

I have a DC 5000 AND KM 6500e - they are miles apart for quality and reliablity... the KM is known in my business as the "coffee table".... not good.

That's a shame, I wonder why your experience is so different to ours? We have two 6501s and they usually run all day every day non stop (we did about 150K SRA3 impressions last week). We get great quality most of the time and I'm pretty happy with the reliability. They're nowhere near perfect, but the service is prompt and competent from KM. Very good bang for your buck, but then the monthly click charge probably makes them happy. For KM's sake, I hope the c8500 isn't serviced by resellers, that seems to be an achilles heel.

BTW, I assume we can mention the c8500 now that Uber has blabbed??

[hembuckle]

We did by from a reseller, KM direct have recently told us that they cannot believe what we get from our machine. Why are reseller servicers such a problem? Thanks for the response and feedback.