New Style Ricoh Service Manuals

[rthonpm]

Just looking to get people's opinions on the new format of Ricoh's service manuals. I've been doing the self paced training on the new B2C machines and the manuals are TERRIBLE. No detailed descriptions and for some God- only-knows-why reason everything is put into an appendix instead of the actual sections we all know and love. For example, the Troubleshooting section just tells you to look at the Appendix for Troubleshooting, there is nothing else in the section! WHY???
If this is the kind of nonsense we're going to have to get used to then working on all of these over-engineered machines is going to get a lot harder...

[stephend]

Today we spent over 2 hours - 2 people on two computers to find a connector for a MPC4000 and in vain. Does not exist...but Ricoh paying me so I think I must work with what they provide . The old style was better but to many missing parts and TB' to add them on.

[kentala]

3D manuals

I agree,

These new 3d manuals are ridiculous.Why make such a simple thing in the past such a chore?

[techshare]

New Style Ricoh Service Manuals

I agree. There are no easier way to search for anything anymore.

[Kopyrtek]

I dont like the new manuals.Why does Ricoh persist in changing things that work to ones that dont?Only have to look at the MP 4000 to see that they want to change the things that work to ones that create hell for us!
I know i am beating a dead horse on the 4000 but i had to throw my 2 cents in.

[10871087]

The new manuals look cool but are a pain in the ass to actually use. They are almost as stupid as the Toshiba Web Ribbon CD's.

Gimme' an "Old School" parts breakdown and get out of my way.

[unisys12]

I don't know guys... I guess I'll be the different one here, but I tend to like them. I agree, I don't like the appendix crap but other than that...

As for the 3D Parts Catalog... the more I use it, the more I like it.

I'll give an example of how one of the features of the new parts catalog could have helped me yesterday.

I was looking for the part number for the by-pass pu, feed & sep rollers for an old savin 3224. I looked in all through the parts catalog and couldn't find a thing. There was a section on the by-pass tray, but that was it. At no point in the manual does it show the by-pass feed area or parts. I downloaded a new copy, still same thing. So I finally started looking at the series after the 3224 and found what I was looking for.
Now! With the 3D Parts catalog, all I would have to do is; if the tires were not listed under the normally concieved title (such as bypass feed section, we've all seen this before), all I would have to do is highlight the area of the by pass it would show me every part in that given area. I mean... how great is that?! It's like being able to point at a selected area and someone listing to you every part in that area, as well as show you a picture of those parts.

Also, the wiring diagrams that are part of the 3D Parts catalog are really great! I mean, they actually show the part number of the harness your looking at on the diagram. How hard is it to find a perticular harness in the old parts catalog? Almost a useless task! Much before off robbing another machine for what you need.

I don't know... like it.

[Cipher]

I agree with rthonpm, it generally takes alot longer to find things now.

They have done us no favours removing the detailed descriptions from the service manuals.
And I for one like to click on a PDF bookmark and have it take you directly to what it says it will... not this 'see appendices' crap.

And don't even get me started on those crudy 3D parts catalogs, bring back the old service manuals and parts catalogs any day.

All in all it's a real step backward imho and does make things far more difficult than it's needs to be

[Shadow1]

I certainly prefer the old school IPB parts catalog, but the 3D is mostly usable, and at least has a little bit of "cool factor"

The old style you can see all the parts in relation to each other, in the 3D, you have to say "looks like it" i.e. looking for a specific gear in the drive train is nearly impossible. On the other hand, if you can find an oddball part and select it, it will show you if you're in the right spot in the machine.

Leaving out Detailed Descriptions and moving entire sections to an appendix is just plain stoooopid.

Loop: See Redundant

Redundant: See Loop

Did they actually pay somebody to redesign the manuals? Why not just move the entire manual to Appendix A? I could deal with that, so long as Appendix B is the detailed descriptions section.

[E Winter]

I don't like the new manuals - aspecially the parts guides.

It would be nice and "cool" if these PG would offer true 3D Models with the possibility to rotate and zoom and free movement through the machine. But these screenshots from the CAD content aren't really an improvement. At least I can't tell that I'm working faster with these.

I'm shure that these PG are just cheaper to create...