22 Apr Why RISO FORCEJET technology is unlike any other inkjet printer
Inkjet technology is a versatile, economical alternative to more traditional methods of printing. When print volumes increase, an inkjet solution
is a far more cost-effective solution than laser, toner-based or offset printing, providing performance and quality at a fraction of the cost per page. Among inkjet printing solutions, the innovators at RISO stand alone.
The result of seventeen years of continuous advancement in the field, RISO ComColor® full-color inkjet printers are the seventh generation of RISO’s cut-sheet inkjet technology, combining outstanding print speed, high-volume capabilities, and low operating cost. Unlike other inkjet printer configurations, which shuttle the printer heads back and forth over the paper, resulting in a slower printing process and a greater cost per print, RISO FORCEJET technology feeds the paper horizontally beneath a series of 24 in-line Piezo drop-on-demand print heads arranged in parallel.
Piezo print heads use vibration to create ink droplets (unlike thermal inkjet printers, which heat the ink inside the print cartridge to form ink droplets). As the paper moves beneath them, the fixed print heads lay down in parallel the individual colors that make up the four-color print. An eight-step control process ensures excellent results with fine tonal gradations. This innovation of moving the paper across the print head – not the other way around (like when Nicolaus Copernicus discovered the earth revolves around the sun, instead of the opposite)– results in a more efficient, streamlined paper path through the machine, reduces the number of rollers and moving parts (cutting down on internal wear and service calls) and makes possible the higher printing speeds found in all RISO ComColor inkjet printers: speeds of up to 160 pages per minute, in full color.
To accommodate the ultra-high-speed duplex printing capabilities of the ComColor, RISO has developed specially formulated, oil-based inks that are fast-drying, fade-resistant, water-resistant and do not smudge, preventing set-off and paper curl and resulting in a cool, flat, and dry output.
A specially designed paper-feeding mechanism provides reliable, consistent feed for high-speed printing with minimal print offset. The shorter, straighter paper path of this patented configuration allows for the rapid full-color printing of a range of paper sizes at a single pass, and its unique configuration also broadens the range of paper stocks and sizes that can be reliably printed at high speeds, including envelopes and lightweight paper. Fewer rollers in the paper path also reduce curl, virtually eliminating mis-feeds and paper jams in professional folding and insertion equipment.
Heating elements in other inkjet printers’ designs must constantly draw power to maintain temperature. RISO printers, by contrast, operate with a much lower power draw in this respect, resulting in a far lower operational cost. Because FORCEJET technology does not require heating elements to deliver ink, the printer does not need to literally “warm up” before it can start printing, as other printers do. Printing can begin in as little as five seconds from its standby power saving mode. Generating no heat means that there is no need for compensatory venting or cooling in your work environment, making the RISO even greener. Lastly, RISO Inkjet printers plug into a standard 110-volt outlet, so if you have enough power for a hairdryer, you have enough for a RISO printer!