Postcards and the C6004

[Stormhammer]

I have a customer that recently switch from a KM machine to a Ricoh C6004. They need to print on 6x4 postcards for mass mails but this machine doesn't seem to like these at all. I think it might be a software issue on their side, but it seems hard to tell. I can set the trays to driver/command and it tries to feed the postcards, but then they immediately jam. This is true of both SEF and LEF. Setting up the tray with a custom size with the correct size of the cards causes a paper mismatch type error, which they can clear by selecting the tray but the postcards are not printed on properly. I'm not sure why the machine will pass the cards through when driver/command is not selected and then jams when it is. I feel like this is perhaps the crux of the issue.

[sturmtrooper]

I have a customer that recently switch from a KM machine to a Ricoh C6004. They need to print on 6x4 postcards for mass mails but this machine doesn't seem to like these at all. I think it might be a software issue on their side, but it seems hard to tell. I can set the trays to driver/command and it tries to feed the postcards, but then they immediately jam. This is true of both SEF and LEF. Setting up the tray with a custom size with the correct size of the cards causes a paper mismatch type error, which they can clear by selecting the tray but the postcards are not printed on properly. I'm not sure why the machine will pass the cards through when driver/command is not selected and then jams when it is. I feel like this is perhaps the crux of the issue.

I would set the machine to match the size and paper type of what they are printing on and then try to copy from the machine to the postcards if they pass reliably doing that I'd say then it's a software issue. If you're willing to help them with the software see what the program things it is printing onto size and paper type wise, that may be the problem.

[Stormhammer]

That's the issue. When the customer sets up the print properties from the software they are setting it to 6x4. The machine then somehow interprets this as a letter sized job. That's the weird thing.

[sturmtrooper]

That's the issue. When the customer sets up the print properties from the software they are setting it to 6x4. The machine then somehow interprets this as a letter sized job. That's the weird thing.

Reinstall printer driver. Make sure copier firmware is latest. If you can try it with another printer see if you get the same results. If it's specific to the machine I'd call Ricoh after that.

[slimslob]

Reinstall printer driver. Make sure copier firmware is latest. If you can try it with another printer see if you get the same results. If it's specific to the machine I'd call Ricoh after that.

Make sure that the driver is the Ricoh PCL6 driver and not the Microsoft Ricoh Class driver. In the Ricoh PCL6 driver you can configure presets for different job types. Work with them as far as setting the paper tray, paper size and type that gives them the desired results then save it as a preset. The preset can be named so that it easily identified. Then when they go to print they do not have to remember all the settings, they just have to pick the correct preset. If they have ore than one type of job that take special print preferences, they create a preset for each one.

[mikadonovan]

The bypass is the only tray you should be feeding postcards through, they are too heavy for the paper trays. Run them SEF.

[slimslob]

The bypass is the only tray you should be feeding postcards through, they are too heavy for the paper trays. Run them SEF.

The 04's are designed to be able to handle up to 300 G/m2 paper from the paper trays.

[Stormhammer]

The bypass is the only tray you should be feeding postcards through, they are too heavy for the paper trays. Run them SEF.

I've already tried to run the postcards through the bypass both LEF and SEF. They jam just the same as they would feeding them from the tray. They jam right before entering the fuser.

[NeoMatrix]

The postcard jambing before the fuser would be caused from unknown page length/size, which obviously is flagging a timing error.

Suggest to the customer to do a multiple postcard layout on the bigger A4/Letters size card and then use the guillotine to cut into postcard size. If they are preprinted post cards, then have the customer inform the print supplier that they wish to size up to larger paper, or not to guillotine the blanks down to size.

If the postcard job is a one off run(once a year) I would suggest to the customer to feed the heavier card stock through the bypass.

[mikadonovan]

I've already tried to run the postcards through the bypass both LEF and SEF. They jam just the same as they would feeding them from the tray. They jam right before entering the fuser.

IF you have programmed the bypass paper size correctly, and the bypass will feed other stuff OK, then you need to consider a different kind of postcard. Not all media is created the same. And run them SEF, as the distance between the rollers may exceed 4".