Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

[copyman]

I noticed chips are being riveted to new drum units. I'm sure it was because K/M was losing a lot of money especially with being able to use the less expensive "K" drums in place of the color drums with changing the chip.

If anyone comes up with a way to still chip even with the rivet please post.

In the meantime will make sure to keep old cores for rebuilding.

[Synthohol]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

just turn off IU stop and select do not display under unit change.

[allan]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

I noticed chips are being riveted to new drum units. I'm sure it was because K/M was losing a lot of money especially with being able to use the less expensive "K" drums in place of the color drums with changing the chip.

If anyone comes up with a way to still chip even with the rivet please post.

In the meantime will make sure to keep old cores for rebuilding.

What models are those?

[copyman]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

Synthohol, What about when it comes time to replace the drums because of poor quality? it was a big savings if you just bought black drums and put the color chips on them.

allen, I noticed the rivets on a C224 drum I just got but heard it will be all the drums from C220 on moving forward.

Again, if you have any drum cores save them for rebuilding.

[allan]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

Thanks for the heads up.
Did they change the chip shape or is that still the same?
I will glue the chips on there if i have to.
Cuts the cost almost in half!

Do you convert the K DV's?

[Synthohol]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

if you can get 200% out of a drum. OEM drum units are only like 99.00 and you dont have to rebuild them, customers can change them themselves.
the avg dealer cost of a doing service call is like 85.00 or so for an extra 15 bucks plus shipping you dont even have to bother, you can use your time to generate revenue some other place instead of using your time ordering rebuild parts, rebuilding it, the time traveling to the customer, disposing of the waste parts and messy toner not to mention the cost of the chip.
just my take on it.

[allan]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

Using a mock currency called Mula.

An original K drum unit cost M1500 the same original color cost M2500
A chip costs M120
Saving of M850

The C224 developer units is silly expensive and the saving on converting the black tanks would be something like M12000.

Using these machines with no service contract is not advisable.
Would not trust the customer to replace the drums.
They have a hard enough time with the toners.

[copyman]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

I'm with you allen. I don't want my customers changing the drum. Maybe the big companies can save money by letting the end users change consumables but not for my small business. I don't want my customers doing anything.

[Tech Helpdesk]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

I noticed chips are being riveted to new drum units. I'm sure it was because K/M was losing a lot of money especially with being able to use the less expensive "K" drums in place of the color drums with changing the chip.

If anyone comes up with a way to still chip even with the rivet please post.

In the meantime will make sure to keep old cores for rebuilding.

It seems a petty thing that KM have done but its business after all.

Don't worry things are in the pipeline and as soon as I know more I will let you know

[NTS]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

It seems a petty thing that KM have done but its business after all.

Don't worry things are in the pipeline and as soon as I know more I will let you know

I have used a pencil grinder. It heats the rivet and it melts out of the drum casing, I then use 3M double sided tape... works like a charm! Some of me techs break the old chip, wiggle the rivet and it comes out. Then put a small self-tapper in. Also, does the trick.

[Synthohol]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

I'm with you allen. I don't want my customers changing the drum. Maybe the big companies can save money by letting the end users change consumables but not for my small business. I don't want my customers doing anything.

that must be the difference, we have over 100 techs covering 5 or 6 states and one account has over 1500 machines. no time to run around installing customer replaceable units, they are CRUs after all. the second you need a screwdriver for replacing a consumable we will be there with bells on but not for WTB or drums.
i can dig the close relationship by changing their drums for them if your territory is small and you dont have to drive 100+ miles to do a 90 second service call.
in my 18 years doing this i have worked for mom & pop dealers and MFGs. i finally found a company that has the best of both situations and i guess the mindset is totally different.

[copyman]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

Thanks for the tips NTS.


Good points Synthohol.

[allan]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

that must be the difference, we have over 100 techs covering 5 or 6 states and one account has over 1500 machines. no time to run around installing customer replaceable units, they are CRUs after all. the second you need a screwdriver for replacing a consumable we will be there with bells on but not for WTB or drums.
i can dig the close relationship by changing their drums for them if your territory is small and you dont have to drive 100+ miles to do a 90 second service call.
in my 18 years doing this i have worked for mom & pop dealers and MFGs. i finally found a company that has the best of both situations and i guess the mindset is totally different.

Yes you are right about the mind set when it comes to the size of the operation.
We are a small team with loads of machines.
Doing these little things makes sure you stay really busy.

Labour here is regretfully cheap.
The savings will pay for another minion when needed.

To convert C360 dev tanks makes me want to cry. But the savings there are still like M3800 Plus.

M14 = to about 1USD

[DadO]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

Did I get this right. Basicly "someone" buy 3 OEM black dv and stick them where color united goes? And it works?

[allan]

Re: Are the days of chipping Konica Minolta drums, etc coming to an end?

Don't tell anyone.
Not that straight forward but yes.