Ricoh announced its first series of intelligent multifunction printers (MFPs) built with innovative technologies to meet the constantly changing needs of digital workplaces – today and in the future. The new†RICOH IM C Series†is part of Ricoh’s new†Dynamic Workplace Intelligence†approach to deliver continual improvements and ensure technical capabilities evolve in parallel with customer requirements. This new approach forever changes how customers interact with and receive value from Ricoh devices, enabling them to work smarter. This is possible thanks to the company’s technology innovation, including the new†RICOH Always Current Technology†and†RICOH Cloud Workflow Solutions†powered by the Ricoh Smart Integration platform, among others.
“Ricoh’s commitment to empowering digital workplaces and building the tools to make it a reality are two of the reasons why Ricoh took home the ‘gold’ for our Winter 2019 Pick award for Outstanding 45ppm Color Copier MFP and a Winter 2019 Outstanding Achievement in Innovation award for Ricoh Intelligent Scanning. Much of Ricoh’s value-add to both direct customers and dealers is based on tailored, scalable solutions that grow with each business to meet its unique needs,” said†George Mikolay, Keypoint Intelligence’s Associate Director of Copiers/Production. “Dynamic Workplace Intelligence, and specifically RICOH Always Current Technology, takes that approach to the next level, giving decision makers granular, day-to-day control and management over the technology and enabling them to work with employees to constantly improve their organization’s workflow. This will help keep businesses more competitive in a faster-paced world than ever before.”
RICOH Always Current Technology
RICOH Always Current Technology makes regular updates to firmware and other applications available on demand, and as needed. Customers will be able to download and install new features, applications, and upgrades directly to their device as they become available, giving users greater flexibility and allowing them to work with more agility. This empowers digital workplaces to scale their capabilities based on evolving needs, while also keeping security features and software up to date. Additionally, it enables the purchase of premium upgrades the moment they hit the market, eliminating the need to wait for new models to become available. In other words, Ricoh’s new intelligent MFPs continue to evolve as customers’ businesses grow. For example, future RICOH Always Current Technology premium upgrades will include tools to enhance accessibility and streamline ease-of-use such as natural-speech voice control.
RICOH Cloud Workflow Solutions
Cloud Workflow Solutions is Ricoh’s collection of cloud-based technologies that delivers streamlined simplicity in affordable, scalable, subscription-based offerings. These solutions help eliminate manual steps, so businesses can maintain their focus on core activities in their business. The portfolio consists of cloud connectors, which are predefined workflows to streamline processes; cloud workflows, which deliver specifically tailored, advanced features such as multi-destination scanning; and cloud services, which are sophisticated workflows and applications with a variety of uses, such as extracting content from documents, integrating with cloud-based line of business applications and creating multiple data routes to support the most complex requirements.†
Security and Uptime
A key aspect of empowering digital workplaces is making information in all its forms reliably secured and accessible. Ricoh makes information security a design priority, and in addition to†IEEE 2600†security certification, these new intelligent MFPs will also be equipped with†RICOH Intelligent Support, a collection of tools, apps, and services that help businesses stay productive with continuous support, ultimately delivering better results by driving higher device uptime. Aspects include the ability to allow Ricoh service experts to remote into a device’s Smart Operation Panel for fast troubleshooting, automatic firmware updates to head off known issues before they affect a device, and proactive, detailed email notifications to service technicians when a problem occurs to help provide a faster, better-targeted response.
Ricoh’s intelligent MFPs leverage onboard encryption, and those equipped with hard drives come standard with DataOverWriteSecurity System (DOSS) to help protect information passed through Ricoh’s intelligent devices.
Ease-of-use and Customization†
To further aid streamlining and ease of use, features and settings can be standardized across an organization or within cloud-hosted user profiles. These profiles can allow individual users or departments to access tailored experiences that prioritize and support unique needs, such as Accounts Payable departments’ invoicing and documentation requirements that may require multiple, specific scanning destinations and approvals. The same unique collection of apps, workflows, and settings can be rolled over from one device to another when a piece of hardware reaches its end of life, so customers can expect continual capability growth, without the need for retraining when implementing new hardware.
“Our new Dynamic Workplace Intelligence approach combines a variety of new technology innovations which will enable customers to move along in their digital journey,” said†Steven Burger, Head of Engineering and Technology Marketing, Ricoh†USA, Inc. “They will now be able to automatically add features throughout their MFPs’ lifecycle similar to the way a Tesla car is constantly adding features and functions, and we’ll deliver this through a subscription-based business model like iTunes or Spotify. Already known for our superior service, we’re also using AI and big data to revolutionize how our service team – including Ricoh Family Group dealers – are able to manage and support our customers. All of this combined is another example of Ricoh’s continued investment in R&D, with focus on understanding our customer and dealer needs, and our commitment to enhancing the customer experience.”
Newly improved Smart Operation Panel†
Today, Ricoh is also debuting a new and improved†Smart Operation Panel, equipped with an upgraded processor that provides faster transitions between applications and a smooth, responsive touch screen. The new, customizable panel delivers a streamlined, familiar look, building on the foundation of the classic gray tiles long-time users will recognize. The interface can be tailored to better adapt to and serve unique workplaces, workflows, and needs.
Intelligent MFP Devices
Ricoh’s Dynamic Workplace Intelligence is realized in six new intelligent MFPs, the†RICOH IM C2000,†IM C2500,†IM C3000,†IM C3500,†IM C4500, and†IM C6000, which print at 20, 25, 30, 35, 45 and 60 pages per minute (ppm), respectively. They deliver printing, scanning, copying, finishing and faxing support for output sizes up to 11″ x 17″, and standard mobile printing support. The IM C4500 was recently honored with Buyers Lab’s Winter 2019 Pick award for Outstanding 45-ppm Color Copier MFP and the IM C3000, IM C3500, IM C4500, and IM C6000 also were recognized with Buyers Lab’s Winter 2019 Outstanding Achievement in Innovation award for Ricoh Intelligent Scanning.
Each device is ENERGY STAR†certified with an EPEAT Gold rating and equipped with a Smart Operation Panel that provides step-by-step video guides for simple maintenance, such as toner or staple replacement. The Default Auto Off timer setting lowers power consumption, running costs and carbon footprint during periods of inactivity. Ricoh’s commitment to fostering a more sustainable society is also exemplified with its Take-Back Programs for consumables and equipment – helping to ensure responsible end-of-life process management.
The IM C2000 and IM C2500 also have a 100-sheet automatic reversing document feeder (ARDF) for fast copying, scanning and faxing to help get information where it needs to be, when it needs to be there.
Meanwhile, the IM C3000, IM C3500, IM C4500, and IM C6000 boast a variety of additional features to meet modern business needs. Their standard single-pass document feeder (SPDF) significantly streamlines information sharing, empowering digital workplaces to more seamlessly collaborate. This SPDF goes above and beyond usual hardware in its class with optional double-feed detection capabilities to help prevent missed pages or jams while still delivering the fastest scanning speeds on the market at 240 images per minute (ipm). The included small document scanner aids workplaces where digitization is a frequent ask, such as accounting departments and education administrative offices. Checks, receipts, note cards, and other small documents can be difficult to load correctly into a standard-sized scanner, but this specialized tray removes the guesswork for well-aligned, complete scans on the first try. Additionally, these MFPs can each be equipped with an intuitive, efficient internal multi-folding unit, which allows businesses to bring production of folding brochures and other external-facing materials in house.
