In March 2022, Ricoh launched three newly developed large droplet Ricoh G6 industrial-grade inkjet printheads, modeled RICOH MH5422, RICOH MH5442 and RICOH MH5422 Type A, and went on sale that month.

The new printhead Ricoh G6 leverages Ricoh's high-precision technology to deliver high image quality and productivity. They offer broad ink compatibility and increase durability by enhancing the wear resistance of the nozzle surface. Ricoh has also improved system compatibility by applying separate cables and high-precision surface alignment capabilities.

An enhancement to the Ricoh MH5320/5340 product range, the Ricoh G6 printhead enables users to select the inkjet printhead that best suits their needs. Customers with existing RICOH MH5420/5440 (released in 2012) and RICOH MH5421/5441 (released in 2017) can easily upgrade their printers to this printhead while maintaining existing print quality and the same drop volume.

Main features of the newly developed Ricoh G6 Printhead

1. High-quality printing and high productivity

In addition to 1,280 nozzles, a 150 npi × 4-row nozzle layout, and a standard drop volume of 7pl, the new printhead enables high-image quality printing by increasing the accuracy and uniformity of droplet ejection speed and direction. Ricoh has also improved stability at high emission frequencies, with emission frequencies up to 50 kHz providing greater productivity.

2. Enhanced ink compatibility

Supports all types of inks: UV, water-based and solvent-based. Especially when using water-based inks, the print head life is more than doubled compared to the previous generation product RICOH MH 5421/5441 (released in 2017).

3. Enhance the wear resistance of the nozzle surface

The strength of the ink-repellent film has been improved compared to previous printheads. This reduces deterioration of the nozzle plate caused by repeated wiping, providing stable image quality even after long-term use.

4. Improved system compatibility

Ricoh G6 printhead alignment is available in two configurations: alignment-compatible models or high-precision surface alignment-compatible models for easy alignment system integration and field service replacement. Additionally, a separate cable construction with universal connectors increases the flexibility of attaching and detaching the printhead.

Background

There is an increasing demand for easy-to-use inkjet printheads that are compatible with a variety of inks. Digital printing continues to expand into wider areas, accelerating resource conservation, labor saving, local production and local consumption. In the industrial printing market, the number of customers involved in digital printing is growing and is expanding to include signage graphics, textiles and building materials decoration and decoration.