The Ricoh Pro T7210 uses 12 of company’s MH54 series industrial printheads
A 3 x 2m Ricoh flatbed printer aimed at décor and industrial applications is now available to order in the UK, marking the Japanese firm’s entry into this competitive sector.
Initially announced at Viscom Italia in October 2017, the Ricoh Pro T7210 flatbed UV printer offers a bed size as large as any rival’s, with multiple vacuum zones, plus the ability to accommodate substrates or objects up to 110mm thick, enabling printing of doors, windows and architectural panels, as well as multiple smaller items such as golf balls.
To handle the range of substrates encountered in the industrial décor sector, the CMYK + white LED printer also supports primer and clear varnish, the latter for visual effects such as gloss or matt finish, as well as for protection in lieu of conventional lamination on pre-cut items. The primer would typically be needed for substrates such as polycarbonate, glass or certain metals. Primer, coloured and clear inks can all be laid down in a single pass, with white over or under the other colours, though there are productivity trade-offs for doing so and it’s suggested that for optimum quality printing and finishing of some jobs, two or more passes may yield better results. Ricoh rates the printer at 50sqm/hr for “sellable” quality in CMYK mode but there is also a 100sqm/hr mode for maximum throughput.
Ricoh isn’t initially offering any loading or unloading automation options for large or heavy substrates but Ricoh UK wide format specialist Yucel Salih told Digital Printer that the company would work with third-party suppliers if customers needed this capability.
Software offering basic RIP functionality is bundled with the printer, but Ricoh also offers SAi or ColorGate RIP software and recommends the latter for more complex multi-layered work involving the printer, white and clear channels.
Developed in Japan using Ricoh printheads and UV-curing inks, the T7210 is available to order now in the UK. It’s priced at under £200,000 inclusive of the ColorGate RIP, delivery, installation, training and 1 year warranty.
