Looking for Specific Printers (Ricoh, Mimaki, Oce)

[John at Aegis QP]

Hello,

I'm doing a print performance study and would like to submit print jobs to be run on these specific printers. This is a paying print job, I'm not trying to find free work:

Mimaki UCJV300-160
Mimaki JV400-160LX
Océ Colorado 1640
Ricoh latex 4160

If you have one of these or know a shop with one please let me know. I can be reached via email if you prefer ([email protected]).

Sincerely,

John

 

[afilsonCSA]

Hi John,

My name is Allen Filson and I am a Director of Professional Services with Canon Solutions America. I am happy to get you setup to run jobs on an Oce' Colorado 1640.

I will pass your information on to an associate in Southern California. Is email the best way to reach you?

Best Wishes,
Allen

 

[John at Aegis QP]

Thank you for responding Allen. Best to reach me on [email protected]. I'll look forward to hearing from your associate. Regards, John

Everyone else, I'm still looking for the Mimaki and Ricoh printers. Thx, John

 

[[email protected]]

Thank you for responding Allen. Best to reach me on [email protected]. I'll look forward to hearing from your associate. Regards, John

Everyone else, I'm still looking for the Mimaki and Ricoh printers. Thx, John

I've forwarded your post to one of our graphic arts managers and hopefully you'll be hearing from someone soon. If not let me know and I'll get you a response.
Mark Decker
Ricoh USA

 

[John at Aegis QP]

Thanks Mark. I will mention here I've edited the first post: this is a paying print job, I'm not looking for free work. John

 

[Correct Color]

I'll admit to being a little curious here.

At one point or another I've profiled various materials on all of these printers at various locations using various RIP's, and I'm curious if you're giving any consideration to anything other than printer model in your "performance study."

I can tell you that there are many contributing factors to printer performance, and if you're evaluating printers there is absolutely no more critical factor in how they print and the result you get than the profiles that tell them what to print.

Also I'd note, in case you're not aware, that the Mimaki JV400-160LX and the Ricoh Ricoh latex 4160 are the same machine. Any differences you see between them in print quality or anything else are due to factors other than the actual machine itself.



Mike Adams
Correct Color

 

[John at Aegis QP]

I'll admit to being a little curious here.

At one point or another I've profiled various materials on all of these printers at various locations using various RIP's, and I'm curious if you're giving any consideration to anything other than printer model in your "performance study."

I can tell you that there are many contributing factors to printer performance, and if you're evaluating printers there is absolutely no more critical factor in how they print and the result you get than the profiles that tell them what to print.

Also I'd note, in case you're not aware, that the Mimaki JV400-160LX and the Ricoh Ricoh latex 4160 are the same machine. Any differences you see between them in print quality or anything else are due to factors other than the actual machine itself.

Mike Adams
Correct Color

Mike, thank you for taking the time to read about and think about my little experiment. There are two points you raised I should address, namely, the JV-400 and Pro L4160 being the same machine and then how I can control print factors when the work is being done by someone else, when it is these print factors that will determine the outcome:

1) The Machines. You are right the hardware is the same and I don't know at what level the Firmware and Software are different. One thing I do know for sure is that the OEM Ink Sets are different. This is the main reason I want to study both of these printers.

2) The Print Process. You have put your finger right on the weak point of any comparison like this. My plan is to specify the media types and their dedicated media profiles, whether I want the ICC profile on or off, and lastly which of the available print modes to use. I am painfully aware that what actually happens might be another matter. But as far as the print instructions go, can you recommend any additional parameters to control or a different approach?

John

 

[Correct Color]

John,

One thing I do know for sure is that the OEM Ink Sets are different.

Are you absolutely certain? Because that's not my understanding. My understanding is that the Ricoh is simply a rebranded Mimaki and there are no differences at all, including ink.

Also there are very, very few of these machines out there. Very few Mimakis, that is; Ricohs, even less. I'd find it very strange that they'd go to the trouble to get someone to manufacture a different ink, then have to profile in support of it for so few machines.

My experience with them also, frankly, has been that they are capable of printing some very nice images, but that they are s-l-o-w...

In fact, the Mimaki latex I profiled was at a prison. Forty (40!) pass for a good result. I heard Morgan Freeman's voice in my head as it was running. "Prison time is slow time..."

I do have a client I just profiled a UCJV300-160 for, and a couple Colorados as well. I could get in touch with them and see if they'd do your prints for you.



Mike

 

[John at Aegis QP]

Mike,

Thank you for your kind offer to contact the clients you've mentioned above. Let me get back to you in a few days to give a Mimaki contact I made a bit more time to close the loop with his clients for their 300 and 400 printers. I already have Colorado support lined up for this comparison but I have in mind a follow-up study to look at several different Colorados after that. In that case I'll reach out to you for sure. Thank you!

As to your excellent ink question, I have two reasons to believe they are different. A Mimaki tech rep I met at their open house recently went out of his way to explain that the printers were exactly the same but the inks were different. For the reasons you mentioned I was also doubting, however, when I later checked both sets of ink Safety Data Sheets I found him to be correct. When the prints are in hand I can do a final verification, yea or nay. Now if they turn out to really be the same then I would probably contact both manufacturers and recommend that they review their SDS post haste.

John

 

[Cheewy]

John,



Are you absolutely certain? Because that's not my understanding. My understanding is that the Ricoh is simply a rebranded Mimaki and there are no differences at all, including ink.

Also there are very, very few of these machines out there. Very few Mimakis, that is; Ricohs, even less. I'd find it very strange that they'd go to the trouble to get someone to manufacture a different ink, then have to profile in support of it for so few machines.

My experience with them also, frankly, has been that they are capable of printing some very nice images, but that they are s-l-o-w...

In fact, the Mimaki latex I profiled was at a prison. Forty (40!) pass for a good result. I heard Morgan Freeman's voice in my head as it was running. "Prison time is slow time..."

I do have a client I just profiled a UCJV300-160 for, and a couple Colorados as well. I could get in touch with them and see if they'd do your prints for you.



Mike

Hello Mike

I'm a Ricoh Rep in Arg.

I can confirm, they use different inks, but used to be the same.

As you pointed, initially it was basically the same machine with different name, Ricoh provided the headprints, and Mimaki the body and supplies. But a year after Ricoh's launch, they developed thei own ink, now branded RicohAR. (wich demanded a high ammount of field work to replace the mimaki ones)

This month Ricoh is releasing the L5160, wich is now 100% manufactured by them.