Ricoh debuts industrial wide-format printer for wood, countertops, flooring

MALVERN, Pa. - Ricoh USA, Inc. has unveiled a new wide-format flatbed printer designed to bring low-maintenance reliability and ease-of-use to the decorative-printing market.

The new Ricoh Pro T7210 can handle diverse materials of varied thicknesses and was on display at SGIA EXPO, October 10-12 in New Orleans.

"The business model for décor printing is evolving with increased demand for shorter runs and faster delivery times for custom and 'small-batch' wall coverings, flooring, furniture and tile," said John Fulena, Vice President, Commercial & Industrial Printing Business Group, Ricoh USA, Inc. "The T7210 gives printers the ability to do all of that, and it makes doing it easy, and effective. Whether a manufacturer is new to the décor market or an industry veteran looking for a low-maintenance, high-quality flatbed to grow revenues, the T7210 is a great fit."  

Ricoh defines industrial printing as wide format printing and printing as a part of the manufacturing process to produce finished goods e.g. garments, textiles, metals, architectural components.  To effectively address print as a part of the manufacturing process, manufacturers need devices that offer wide media flexibility.

The T7210 supports substrates up to 4.3 inches thick with a print size of 6.9 feet by 10.5 feet. That large print area allows users to print on one four-foot-by-eight-foot board or a variety of pre-cut pieces. For instance, three three-foot-by-six-foot boards can be printed on together at the same time. These features combine to allow users to print directly on a variety of materials that may traditionally be considered too unwieldy to print on directly, saving time, labor and resources.

The T7210's reliability and ease-of-use are key value-adds for printers. It prints at speeds of 50 m2/hour, or 538.2 ft2/hour, during standard operation, further bolstering productivity. Additionally, a media gap adjustment sensor automatically measures substrate thickness and adjusts printheads accordingly. This technology makes switching between different substrate thicknesses easy and helps to produce reliably accurate prints on the first try. Meanwhile, Ricoh's high-viscosity UV ink and its patented piezoelectric printheads help produce eye-catching, unique applications for long stretches between printhead replacement.

Ricoh's T7210's intelligent resource management and streamlined interface make short runs and one-offs simple and cost-effective to produce. This helps to boost return-on-investment for custom jobs, which is a key factor to the interior decoration market, where getting a singular aesthetic "just right" is vital. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ended March 2017, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,028 billion yen (approx. 18.2 billion USD).

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Bill Esler | ConfSenior Editor

Bill wrote for WoodworkingNetwork.com, FDMC and Closets & Organized Storage magazines. 

Bill's background includes more than 10 years in print manufacturing management, followed by more than 30 years in business reporting on industrial manufacturing in the forest products industries, including printing and packaging at American Printer (Features Editor) and Graphic Arts Monthly (Editor in Chief) magazines; and in secondary wood manufacturing for WoodworkingNetwork.com.

Bill was deeply involved with the launches of the Woodworking Network Leadership Forum, and the 40 Under 40 Awards programs. He currently reports on technology and business trends and develops conference programs.

In addition to his work as a journalist, Bill supports efforts to expand and improve educational opportunities in the manufacturing sectors, including 10 years on the Print & Graphics Scholarship Foundation; six years with the U.S. WoodLinks; and currently on the Woodwork Career Alliance Education Committee. He is also supports the Greater West Town Training Partnership Woodworking Program, which has trained more than 950 adults for industrial wood manufacturing careers. 

Bill volunteers for Foinse Research Station, a biological field station staddling the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland, one of more than 200 members of the Organization of Biological Field Stations.