Ricoh HQ9000 ? Any thoughts?

[kevinphila]

Hi Everybody,

I am new to the group, but have been looking at this forum for a while. I manage a inplant for a non profit here in Philadelphia and have been in the industry since 1993. We are a 3 person shop with a Xerox 6115, Xerox DC252 and a Xerox 4112 (which I love)

We have a AB Dick 9985 (Ryobi 3302M) and an old Hamada 600.

I am the main key operator for the copy machines. I prep files and make plates on our Kimosetter 340, but once I turn the job over to my pressman, he is the only one that can run it and the waste is unbelievable.

I have no control over printing jobs if he is out sick or on vacation. I am very proud of our shop, but this is weakest link in the production. I cant keep giving a customer a box of blank envelopes and say "use labels".

I am looking for a "Plan B". Most of our rush press work is short run stuff. Anywhere from 250-3000 finished pieces. Its mostly text and line art...#10 envelopes, 5.5 Bar envelopes, Lee envelopes,panel cards, 8.5x11sheets.

I have been looking into a digital duplicator, the Ricoh HQ9000. Its been around for a while and it seems like a good fit for our shop. It uses masters and prints at 600x600 dpi.

I know its not going to produce the quality of offset printing, but I was wondering if anyone has experience with this model. I havent heard anything negative about it and I have a demo next week, so I wanted to do some homework.

I know you guys arent going to sugarcoat things, so enlighten me. I am all ears.

Thanks!
Kevin in Philadelphia

 

[overscan]

We've had one for a couple of years. It replaced a Riso GR3770. The Ricoh is a great machine for text and line art on uncoated stocks. It happily feeds envelopes without any kind of specialist feeder. We run anything up to 400gsm with little problem.

 

[artpost]

The HQ 9000 would be fine for envelopes, I have prints shops in Jersey using these now to produce short run jobs and envelopes. With the basic system you can only stack about 100envelopes at a time. There is an optional envelope feeder for this machine, however it is not supported by Ricoh.

You may also want to consider the HQ 7000 as long as you are always going to use the print controller. The HQ7000 is 400x400 dpi and the HQ 9000 is 600x600 dpi.

Since you're a non profit you may also be entitled to additional discounts from either Ricoh or NCPG.

I could provide you with a system for Phili and we'd also be alble to service it on-site for you. Been doin this a long time, here's my site with someback and some interested threads for the industry. print4pay Hotel's "MFP Solutions Blog", my email is [email protected] and here's cool link for the HQ9000 with an optional envelope feeder (not supported by Ricoh). print4pay Hotel's "MFP Solutions Blog": Ricoh HQ Duplicator on Steroids w/Envelope Feeder

Art Post

 

[kevinphila]

Thanks overscan. Can it feed smaller size envelopes, like 5.5 bar or A2 size envelopes and print on the flaps? It almost sounds too good to be true.

 

[kevinphila]

Art we are going to be printing to it using the print controller. I have seem some samples and they look better using the RCPS driver rather than the PS driver. Are there an issues of offsetting if the sheet has heavy coverage? I saw the brochure for the straight shooter , but no support I wouldnt want to take the gamble.

 

[artpost]

All depends on what you mean by heavy coverage (everyone has a different opinion), the new inks that Ricoh uses has cut down on offset. When I train users on the system I'll recommend for heavy coverage that they use a print speed of 80ppm and then use the "skip feed" feature.

Here's the reason, the "skip feed" can be set for 1-10 cycles, what this means is that the image cylinder will cycle however a sheet will not be feed through the unit, thus allowing more time for the ink to asborb and prevent offset. It works, you just have to find the right setting for that print job. Once you find the right setting you can then save it in a preset and name if for that document. There's also a pair of "wings" (that's what I call em) in the exit area (not the paper tray), these can also be adjusted for heavy coverage.

The higher speed that you run the HQ9000, the less ink it applies (paper has less contact time with the poly plate) and the slower you run the system the more it ink applies (paper acutal has more contact time with the poly plate).

Another note, if you dig deep into the PS driver you can actually control the lpi (we found this quite helpful in one application where there were a lot a pictures), not sure if you ccan also control this from the RPCS driver.

Yes, it will also do the A2's

Let me know if you need me.

Art

 

[overscan]

Thanks overscan. Can it feed smaller size envelopes, like 5.5 bar or A2 size envelopes and print on the flaps? It almost sounds too good to be true.

Not familiar with those sizes. We run lots of C6 envelopes. As artpost said, you are limited to about 100 at a time in the stack, but that's never been a big deal for us. I don't see any reason why you couldn't run envelopes flap open.

 

[kevinphila]

Thanks artpost and overscan all of this stuff is good to know. I appreciate your help.

 

[artpost]

please email me if I can help with your purchase of a system [email protected]

You are welcome!

 

[Fredpan123]

Your Printing Woes

Your Printing Woes

Hello Kevin:
I have a 9985 Press and a Kimosetter 410 which I took to my garage when everything slowed down. The Kimosetter was the greatest answer our plate problems wince we decommissioned our Itek Camera Platemaker.

I cannot imagine too much waste on printing offset. I use the Ryobi 9985 almost everyweek and it just keep going and going. It too has a Kompac II dampeners. The one thing I hate is to go to the printroom and have to fight with the machines. I keep it in good shape so when I come in, I print and when done, I leave. That is how simple I configured things in my shop.

Close register work is awesome on this 9985 and with the Kimosetter we are just happy.

At one time I have Xeroxes and Ricoh Color machines but after alll the payment in clicks and leases I return all of them and just outsource all our color work. It works better and faster too.

We are slow now and if you are considering a part time pressman, do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]

Thanks Kevin and have a good day.
_______________________________

Hi Everybody,

I am new to the group, but have been looking at this forum for a while. I manage a inplant for a non profit here in Philadelphia and have been in the industry since 1993. We are a 3 person shop with a Xerox 6115, Xerox DC252 and a Xerox 4112 (which I love)

We have a AB Dick 9985 (Ryobi 3302M) and an old Hamada 600.

I am the main key operator for the copy machines. I prep files and make plates on our Kimosetter 340, but once I turn the job over to my pressman, he is the only one that can run it and the waste is unbelievable.

I have no control over printing jobs if he is out sick or on vacation. I am very proud of our shop, but this is weakest link in the production. I cant keep giving a customer a box of blank envelopes and say "use labels".

I am looking for a "Plan B". Most of our rush press work is short run stuff. Anywhere from 250-3000 finished pieces. Its mostly text and line art...#10 envelopes, 5.5 Bar envelopes, Lee envelopes,panel cards, 8.5x11sheets.

I have been looking into a digital duplicator, the Ricoh HQ9000. Its been around for a while and it seems like a good fit for our shop. It uses masters and prints at 600x600 dpi.

I know its not going to produce the quality of offset printing, but I was wondering if anyone has experience with this model. I havent heard anything negative about it and I have a demo next week, so I wanted to do some homework.

I know you guys arent going to sugarcoat things, so enlighten me. I am all ears.

Thanks!
Kevin in Philadelphia

 

[Fredpan123]

hello kevin: i still rely on our 9985 to print of any Lee, A-2 or A-7 or 5-Bar envelopes on the front or on the backflaps. 9985 is always reliable.