Ricoh’s new A3 colour multifunctions are smart, mobile-ready and customisable

Ricoh’s nine new A3 multifunction printers (MFP) come with Workstyle Innovation Technology that includes smart apps, customisable interfaces, touch control panels, multiple options for interacting with and printing from mobile devices, human detection sensors, and banner print capabilities.

Design criteria behind the new range included improved workflows for high output environments, multipurpose printing, and productivity.

“Our new range is designed to directly meet the needs of modern customers to enable new processes for capturing and sharing documents and producing high quality printed products in the office,” says Esti Kilian, GM of Marketing Services at Ricoh SA.

Models in the range produce pages at 30 to 60 per minute and focus on reliability, quality output, and productivity. They use Intel controllers to better print and scan complex documents and process jobs quicker.

The Smart Operation Panels are touch and swipe controlled, just like smartphones, so they are easier and more intuitive. The layout of apps and options on the panel can also be tailored to specific environments, to provide rapid, one-touch access to commonly used functions.

“Users can also add new apps to the panel from the Ricoh Application Site,” says Kilian. “They can also tailor the panel to brands or specific look and feel requirements, promote internal notices, events, or new initiatives, and even contain a full Web browser so you can surf the Web generally, intranets, and portals.”

Users can drive the MFPs from their smartphones and tablets using near-field communications (NFC), Bluetooth, and via the Internet, which means access from any location. The usual workflow options for a device of this stature also apply, such as scan and save direct to mail, flash drives, and internal folders.

“The features of this range underpin our customer centricity by focusing on the top issues companies face today, being productivity, flexibility, agility, efficiency, and mobility,” says Kilian. “They’re easier to use with the touch and Web-capable panel that’s essentially an Android tablet, so people don’t easily notice any technology barriers to getting their work done.”

“And the world of print is changing,” she adds. “Jobs that a few years ago you would outsource to a commercial print supplier, with specialised equipment, can now be done in the office, removing those barriers to productivity that made companies less responsive and less flexible in the past.”

The range delivers high performance combined with low environmental impact. Innovations like staple-free finishing, half a second recovery from sleep mode, and the lowest TEC values on the market result in lower energy consumption, which cuts energy costs and overall total cost of ownership (TCO).

The human detection sensor means the machines jump into action when they see a user approaching. “People get instant availability and spend less time waiting for the device to warm up,” says Kilian.