Ricoh announces launch of new Industrial Inkjet Printhead for high resolution label, packaging and wide format graphic printing

News provided by

Jun 01, 2016, 09:59 ET

MALVERN, Pa., June 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricoh today announced the launch of the MH5220, a new Industrial Inkjet Printhead designed for a wide range of printing applications such as labels, packaging and wide format graphics. The MH5220 will be on display at Drupa 2016 in Dusseldorf, Germany (May 31 – June 10), alongside Ricoh's full range of Industrial printheads. The new MH5220 will be commercially available this summer.

In the Industrial printing market for labels, packaging and wide format graphics, there is an increasing demand to meet a wide variety of customer needs such as smaller lot sizes, shorter delivery times and finer image quality. This requires the rapid digitization of industrial printing in order to deliver greater flexibility and productivity. Ricoh's new MH5220 printhead offers high resolution printing to support its industrial partners and customers to meet these market needs.

Key capabilities of the new RICOH MH5220 printhead:

With 1,280 nozzles configured in 4 x 320 nozzles, this head achieves high-resolution without granular appearance of dots, and is also capable of printing 1,200 dpi resolution with multiple printheads in a staggered configuration.
Multi-drop capability* allows the creation of a range of drop sizes from 2.5 to 9pl
Robust stainless steel construction, resulting in excellent durability and extended service life.
Built-in heater, capable of jetting high-viscosity inks.
Compatible with UV durable ink for label printing

* Multi-drop technology: Drops are ejected in rapid succession, then merge in flight before reaching the media surface.

Specifications of the new RICOH MH5220 printhead:

Method	Piston pusher with metallic diaphragm plate
Print width	54.1mm (2.1")
Number of nozzles	1,280 (4 x 320 channels), staggered
Nozzle spacing	1/150" (0.1693mm) ／
Nozzle spacing (Row to row distance)	A : 0.93mm B : 9.31mm
Compatible ink	UV
Total printhead dimensions	89mm(W), 64.2mm(D), 24.7mm(H) 3.5" x 2.5" x 1" (No cable)
Weight	148g
Max. number of colour inks	2 colours
Operating temperature range	Up to 60℃
Temperature control	Integrated heater and thermistor
Life	100 billion actuations per nozzle
Jetting frequency	30kHz
Drop volume	2.5pl (single drop）、2.5～ 9pl (multi drop）
Viscosity range	10～12mPa・s
Surface tension	28～35mN/m
Gray scale	4 levels
Ink port	Yes
Alignment pin direction	Front (standard)
Separately sold parts	MH5220 dedicated cable

Note: Results obtained from continuous jetting test using standard Ricoh test ink. Specifications are subject to change due to the manufacturer's continuous development program.

Ricoh has a long and rich heritage in the world of inkjet technology dating back over 30 years, which enables it to support a wide variety of inkjet printing systems. Ricoh also support partners in diverse industrial and specialty markets from Wide Format Graphics to 3D printing and from Textile to Digital Enhancements and many more.

| About Ricoh |

Ricoh is a global technology company that has been transforming the way people work for more than 80 years. Under its corporate tagline – imagine. change. – Ricoh continues to empower companies and individuals with services and technologies that inspire innovation, enhance sustainability and boost business growth. These include document management systems, IT services, production print solutions, visual communications systems, digital cameras, and industrial systems.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2016, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,209 billion yen (approx. 19.6 billion USD).

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com