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Risograph

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Risograph is a high-speed digital printing system manufactured by the Riso Kagaku Corporation and designed mainly for high-volume photocopying and printing. Increasingly, Risograph machines have been commonly referred to as a RISO Printer-Duplicator, due to their common usage as a network printer as well as a stand-alone duplicator. When printing or copying multiple quantities (generally more than 20) of the same original, it is typically far less expensive per page than a conventional photocopier, laser printer, or inkjet printer.

How a Risograph works

The underlying technology is very similar to a mimeograph. It brings together several processes which were previously carried out manually, for example using the Riso Print Gocco system or the Gestetner system.

The original is scanned through the machine and a master is created, by means of tiny heat spots on a thermal plate burning voids (corresponding to image areas) in a master sheet. This master is then wrapped around a drum and ink is forced through the voids in the master. The paper runs flat through the machine while the drum rotates at high speed to create each image on the paper.

This simple technology is highly reliable compared to a standard photocopier and can achieve both very high speeds (typically 130 pages per minute) and very low costs. A good lifespan for a risograph might involve making 100,000 masters and 5,000,000 copies.

The key master-making thermal head component is manufactured by Toshiba. Similar machines to Risographs are manufactured by Ricoh, Gestetner, Rex Rotary and Nashuatec. All these other brands are now owned by Ricoh.

Because the process involves real ink - like offset printing - and does not require heat to fix the image on the paper - like a photocopier or laser printer - the output from a risograph can be treated like any printed material. This means that sheets which have been through a risograph may happily go through a laser printer afterwards and vice-versa.

For schools, clubs, colleges, political campaigns and other short run print jobs, the Risograph bridges the gap between a standard photocopier (which is easier up to about 50 copies) and using a commercial printer (easier over about 10,000 copies).

Risographs have typically had interchangeable colour inks and drums allowing for printing in different colours or using spot colour in one print job. The Riso MZ series models have two ink drums allowing two colours to be printed in one pass. The latest Riso model, the HC 5500, uses a high speed ink-jet technology to achieve full (4) colour at 120 pages per minute.

List of Risograph models

This is a partial list of models, specifications and consumables.

Model Production dates Type of machine Masters part code Inks codes
TR 1510 A4 small run machine S-2500 S-952(Bk)
CR 1610(110v) 1630(220v) / 1610 EP ?–2004 A4 small run machine, 300x300dpi S-2500 S-2487(Bk), S-2494(Red), S-2490(Blue), S-730(Gn)
CR 1630 / 1630 EP ? B4 small run machine
CZ 180 Current Small run machine, mono with interchangeable drum, up to B4 size
FR series - FR2950 A4 to A3 digital duplicators S-2760(A4), S-3379(A3), S-2667(B4) Black - use RP Soy Ink Black S-3919
GR 3750 Mono digital duplicator, 400dpi, A4 to A3 size paper, Print Sizes up to 11x17 at 600 x 600, Paper Weights of 14-110 LBS S-2659(A3), S-549LA(A4), S-549(B4) S-2314(Bk)
GR 3770 Mono digital duplicator, 600 dpi, A4 to A3 size paper, Print Sizes up to 11x17 at 600 x 600, Paper Weights of 14-110 LBS S-2659(A3), S-549LA(A4), S-549(B4) S-2314(Bk)
HC 5000 Current Full colour digital printer with PC interface - up to A3 size paper
HC 5500 Current Full colour digital printer with PC interface - up to A3 size paper
KS 800 Current Black only machine - no interchangeable drum - A4 or B4 paper
MZ 770 Current Two colour digital duplicator - A4 to A3 size paper 600 dpi
RA series A4 to A3 digital duplicators S-568LA(A4), S-568(B4) S-569(Bk)
RC series Mono digital duplicator - A4 to A3 size paper S-825(A3) S-569(Bk)
RG series S-028(B4)
RN 2000 Mono digital duplicator - A4 to B4 size paper S-3192(A4), S-3191(B4) S-4205(Bk Soy)
RP Series RP3500UI Mono digital duplicator - A4 to A3 size paper For RP3790/RP3700 S-3384(A3), For other RPs S-3379(A3) RP Black Soy Ink(not RP3790/RP3700) S-3919
RZ 200 Current Mono digital duplicator - A4 size paper 300 dpi S-4250(A4) S-4253(Bk)
RZ 300 Current Mono digital duplicator - A4 size paper 600 dpi S-4250(A4) S-4253(Bk)
RZ 370 Current Mono digital duplicator - A4 to A3 size paper 600 dpi S-4250(A4), S-4363(A3) S-4253(Bk)
RZ 390UI ? Mono digital duplicator - 4" x 6" postcards to 11" x 17" ? ?
RZ 570 Current Mono digital duplicator with PC interface - A4 to A3 size paper 600 dpi S-4250(A4), S-4363(A3) S-4253(Bk)
RZ 970 Current Mono digital printer with PC / network interface - up to A3 size paper 600 dpi S-4250(A4), S-4363(A3) S-4253(Bk)
V 800 Two colour digital duplicator - A4 to A3 size paper S-3484(A3) S-3959E(Bk)
MZ790 2009 digital duplicator Two Colors - One pass 600e x 600 dpi 150ppm Ledger Size
RZ990 2009 digital duplicator 600 x 600 dpi 180ppm Ledger Size
CZ180 & EZ220 2009 digital duplicator 300x300dpi 130ppm Legal Size
EZ390 2009 digital duplicator 300x600 scan 600e dpi print 130ppm Ledger Size
EZ590 2009 digital duplicator 300x600 scan 600e dpi print 130ppm Ledger Size
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