The Pro VC700000 has been introduced as the new flagship of the Pro VC range and advances on technology in its 120m/min 60000 sibling. A 70000 is to be delivered to an undisclosed “early adopter” in Europe by October, while general release is earmarked for the end of the calendar year.
A headline advancement for Ricoh is the increased drying capacity worked into its new engine platform, which allows the 70000 to print on offset-coated paper at higher speeds and with greater ink coverage than was previously possible.
Head of continuous feed market Tim Taylor said: “Our latest development addresses a very simple, two-headed need among our clients: more ink and higher speeds.
“When developing digital inkjet machines like the 70000 they need something extra about them that can make them more viable than standard offset printing – this time, it is that drying capacity which allows it in turn to print at speeds up to 150m/min.
“It needs a certain volume to be a viable alternative, which we feel we have achieved here alongside widening our application range. The Pro VC70000 sets a new benchmark in the market.”
Taylor said price had yet to be finalised, but indicated the 70000 would sit in the “high-end inkjet market” in terms of quality and productivity, and that price would be set accordingly. He said the machine has no direct competitor because of its advanced capabilities but referred to the Canon Océ ProStream as addressing similar needs.
The new press joins the Pro VC60000, Pro VC40000, Pro V20000 and InfoPrint 5000 in Ricoh’s inkjet range and is capable of nearly 130,000 A4 impressions per hour. Its piezo drop-on-demand printheads are capable of printing in resolutions up to 1,200dpi on uncoated, offset-coated, inkjet-treated and inkjet-coated papers.
The machine’s drying module consists of 10 heat rollers that are 80% smaller than in its predecessors’, where the paper is put under tension and wrapped around the rollers to eliminate cockling effects. After this, seven fluid-chilled cooling rollers bring the paper down to safer temperatures.
It is coming to market with specially designed new inkjet inks from Ricoh for enhanced media versatility and compatibility with gloss-coated stocks. The manufacturer said these hybrid solvent and water-based pigment inks can contribute to up to 40% savings in paper costs.
While the Ricoh Pro VC70000 will initially only be available in a single, standard configuration, Taylor said that augmentation options were being explored, including the possibility of an additional undercoating system for high-quality jobs.
