Ricoh MPC2051 Quality Issues

**raffprint** · 06-20-2012

I installed this machine at the end of February this year in my printshop. The manager at my Vendor suggested this machine based off of the type of jobs I was running on my old Panasonic DPC265. I have not been able to produce any good quality solids with this Ricoh since I've had it. I notified the manager about this and he's been dragging his feet. Now he is saying the manufacturer warranty is up on it and it's a service issue and that creates a problem on his end. I didn't get a maintenance contract on it as I have repaired my own copiers in the past and I'm pretty knowledgeable when it comes to repairing about anything. Even without the maintenance contract I don't see how this is an issue with the vendor. The manager told me the copier may need to be tweaked to get it to print good solids but has not sent anyone over to do this. A friend of mine sells the Savin brand of this machine and told me this is the low end model and it shouldn't have been sold to me at a printshop environment because I run a lot of coated cover and coated text along with heavy index thru it. I have told the manager to take this copier out of here and replace it with something that will handle my needs. He is the one that suggested this model after he looked at what I needed to print on it and I feel he didn't do his job by selecting the right model for me. He claims I am putting too many copies on the copier and that's why it doesn't print quality solids. My question to all of you is, can this machine handle the type of paper I'm running thru it and should it be able to print solids without them looking washed out and kinda speckled looking? Also what is the monthly volume that this machine can handle? I'm about ready to talk to an attorney about the vendor not doing anything about it but wanted to post on here first to find some answers. Thank you!!

**Shadow1** · 06-20-2012

This is a light duty machine intended for a small office environment - They do just fine there, but it should NEVER have been placed in a print shop. I'm surprised it feeds and fuses on coated paper at all, at any quality... how bad is pick-off on runs over 10 sheets or with heavy coverage?

**Eric1968** · 06-20-2012

Don't expect printing press quality with this machine. If you're running heavy stock, coated paper, etc then this is not the right machine for you. This machine performs very well in an office environment. If you're printing full size color with this one, you won't be satisfied because this machine can not handle this. Oki color printers are much better for these kind of jobs.

**gaudin** · 06-20-2012

Hi,

i try to anwser your questions as good as i can.
monthly volume: 3000-4000pages/month recommed. Max 10.000 pages/month
washed image:
If you get sporadic a "ghost" ( offset from page 1 on page 2) you can try to adjust the fusing temperature. (sp 1-104-1/2/3/4), paper bulk on thick 1/2 and install the additional cleaning unit (for fusing unit).

If you only get the offset effect while printing with a pcl driver adjust: sp 1-112-02 from -12 to 0.

If you have a general problem with the image quality...please post a sample.

gz

**turbojetboy** · 06-21-2012

May I suggest that next time you consider a machine suitable for this type of work, such as a Pro C901 or 751. So you had no idea you where buying a base model office MFD? Did the salesman force you into this machine?

**raffprint** · 06-21-2012

First, thank you for the replies. I have been on this site in the past to troubleshoot some issues I've had with different copiers and you guys are very knowledgeable on here.
I have dealt with my original vendor for 17 years and they were bought out by this company I'm dealing with now. The only reason I stayed with them is because a friend of mine from the original vendor went to work with them as a technician. I did not deal with any salesman on this deal, just the manager of the company. I showed him the work I was doing on my old color copier, which included glossy booklets with heavy coverage, and told him I needed something comparable to this one to run what I've been running on my old one. This is the copier the manager recommended and obviously it's the wrong one. They actually wanted me to be an independent sales rep for them in my area to sell copiers for them too. After all of this, that will not happen. I'm finding out now how shady they are and will not be doing business with them anymore. After arguing with the manager about this issue, he told me to pick out a copier to replace it. He also said he needs to get the buyout figure on this one which I told him I am not paying any buyout fees for a machine that shouldn't have been installed in my shop in the first place. He's suppose to be in today to discuss this further. They sell Ricoh and Canon copiers. Another friend of mine that sells the Savin models for another company told me the MPC3001 would be a better machine to replace this one with. I told the manager I'm dealing with about this and he said it's the same machine as the 2051 just faster. From what I have read about the 3001, it's not the same machine. Would this be a good machine for my needs? I'd really like to get the Konica 360 Bizhub from my friend that sells the Savin and Konica machines but not sure how to work this since I have a new lease on this Ricoh. This whole situation is quite a mess right now, plus I'm a 1 man shop and a single father raising 2 little girls by myself. Talk about a stressful life. lol
I have been able to run coated paper thru the 2051, but after about 50 copies of 11x17 running in duplex mode, I start getting magenta streaks on the backside of the sheets. I do get some picking on it too once in a while. The bypass feeder is horrible with heavy card stock. A lot of misfeeds. BTW, I was averaging about 14,500 copies a month on my Panasonic color copier before I got this Ricoh. That's based on the 4 years I had it and total copies on it when i got the Ricoh.

**TonerMunkeh** · 06-21-2012

Any machine below the Pro C651 is an office colour MFP, not a production colour machine. You can't expect a machine of this size to do the work of an MFP ten times the price. Sure, it'll do it for a while but without a service contract you'll get a nasty shock when it rolls around to the first set of drums and developers. Just my two cents.

**raffprint** · 06-21-2012

Just had a heated argument with the manager that sold me this copier. He said he would replace it with a Lanier LD360 that just came off lease with less copies on it than I have put on this Ricoh in 4 months, which is 120,000.. How does this Lanier compare to the Ricoh I have? Will it handle coated text and coated cover? He said it retails for $22K new and will sell it to me for $10K, well it would be a replacement but I would have to absorb the difference in price from the Ricoh and my payment would go up about $30 on my lease. BTW, I showed him the replies you guys had on the Ricoh and he asked me if you guys had your Ricoh certification numbers. LOL He can't stand it that I'm standing my ground on this issue when he bullies other people around and gets his way with them.

**FMC** · 06-21-2012

Lanier is Ricoh and that machine is black and white only. It may handle the volume as its a 60+ cpm machine but as said before your better going for a print room specific machine.