Ricoh has launched a gel-based colour printing system which it says will shake-up the inkjet market. The new GelSprinter range is aimed at small businesses, offering them a fast, high quality and economic alternative to inkjet printers.
GelSprinter consumables are pigment-based and have a viscosity similar to red wine. The gel pigment sits on top of the paper, rather than soaking into the fibres, creating a fast-drying and waterproof finish which does not smudge, blur or bleed.
GelSprinter devices come with four separate cartridges which employ a vacuum system to ensure cartridges are empty before they need to be replaced. GelSprinter devices also use a dual tank system which allows printing to continue for up to 50 pages once the printer indicates the cartridge is empty, thereby reducing wastage of consumables. The cost of running the device is also reduced through the use of a ‘level colour mode’, a feature which is particularly useful for proof-reading pages containing both graphics and text without incurring the expenditure of producing full-colour prints.
The GelSprinter range initially consists of three desktop A4 devices. The Aficio GX3000, GX3050N and GX5050N can each produce 29, 29 and 30 pages per minute respectively in both colour and black & white modes. They can also operate at 75 per cent rated output speed in duplex mode. A network option is available for the Aficio GX3000, whilst the Aficio GX3050N and GX5050N come with a network connection as standard.
To persuade new and existing resellers to add the GelSprinter range to their portfolios, Ricoh is backing them with a two-year, manufacturer’s on-site service warranty within mainland UK – something Paul Cheetham, director of dealer sales with Ricoh UK & Ireland, says will differentiate gel from its inkjet counterparts. The Aficio GX3000 costs €194, the GX3050N around €270; and the GX5050N around €378.
Ltd
