Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

[Polarbear]

We have sold many SPC430dn colour printers, since they were released, and soon after started getting toner supply problems. These would vary from single colours being missing, to SC codes related to toner supply. In some instances the machine tries to carry on working with up to 2 colours missing, without any error message or code!

We discovered that the nylon toner supply coils that Ricoh uses in these machines, cannot take the load when having to supply toner. They then seize and start winding up on themselves up to the point that the toner motor cannot turn the coil anymore.

We approached a local engineering company who made metal replacement coils for us. We now fit these to all our new and existing machines, and have been doing so for the past year, with great results. None of the modded machines have ever called back with these symptoms.

Has anyone else had experience with this?

[Ollie1981]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

I've had a couple with bound up nylon coils, I carry a hopper assembly for both the printer (SPC430) and MFD (MPC400) on the van now, although I've not come across this problem on the MFD yet.

This problem never affected the earlier SPC410 or 420 as far as I'm aware although the toner supply system was redesigned for this machine.

[BLADE]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

yeh, a solid coil flexing through a 'S bend' was a problem waiting to happen, it shoulda been an open coil design

[Polarbear]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

We opted for a metal coil as Ricoh said that the percentage global failure is too little to do a warranty exchange on the units. At ZAR500 per coil unit, and knowing that there is a 90% chance of it failing AGAIN shortly, we went the metal route, and have not been disappointed!

I have also been told, by our technology department, that there is a difference in the supply unit design between the SPC430 and the MPC300/400. I have not had a MPC fail yet. I hope they don't because it wil be MUCH more labour to get those units out!

It is true that the coil unit on the SPC420 is different, and we have not had any failures on those units to date. It seems that the gear that drives the coil is at an angle on the 420 and not flush with the frame as on the 430.

Ricoh at this stage does not have an answer, and their RTB is a laugh, as for the PDCUs not being installed correctly and the gap of the drive gear on the motor - it is all a heap of horse dung! Not to mention the cables on the motor being inverted! I have not seen 1 example of any of these things causing the failure!

[Old Guard]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

I have visited a lot of machines with this error. NOTE :-The toner pipes are identical for all the colours on the SPC 430/431 but on the MFD (MPC 300/400) it has a specific pipe for each colour because the angle of the supply changes.

[Leroyf]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

I had the same problem with an SPC430. had to replace the cyan toner supply twice before the problem went away. I agree, bad design. If anyone can supply us with the metal augers, that would be great.

[NHBC]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

I had the same problem with an SPC430. had to replace the cyan toner supply twice before the problem went away. I agree, bad design. If anyone can supply us with the metal augers, that would be great.

+1 - would love to have some steel augers for this unit. I was told by one person that Ricoh intentionally designed it with that weak nylon coil so it will only function with their patented OEM toner - putting aftermarket/compatible toners in this thing is a recipe for disaster. He even said it will ruin the PCU's, but I am not sure about that - just seems to jam up the hopper supply assy.

Can we source those metal ones somehow?

[Polarbear]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

+1 - would love to have some steel augers for this unit. I was told by one person that Ricoh intentionally designed it with that weak nylon coil so it will only function with their patented OEM toner - putting aftermarket/compatible toners in this thing is a recipe for disaster. He even said it will ruin the PCU's, but I am not sure about that - just seems to jam up the hopper supply assy.Can we source those metal ones somehow?

I took one of my nylon ones to an engineering shop and after about 2 or 3 samples were test fitted it worked. It is 1mm spring steel and it seems the secret is to make the spring just shorter than the end of the shute where that toner comes out else it could get caught in the end (which is plastic), dig in and also snap off!

[Lagonda]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

Yes, have seen this problem quite often. The nylon augers work well until the customer exceeds the designed B&W to colour ratio and a high percentage of toner on the page will kill it very quickly. The solution is to slap the salesman around the head and tell him to do his job properly by reading the spec sheet then selling the customer a machine that will cope with their requirements.

[Polarbear]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

Yes, have seen this problem quite often. The nylon augers work well until the customer exceeds the designed B&W to colour ratio and a high percentage of toner on the page will kill it very quickly. The solution is to slap the salesman around the head and tell him to do his job properly by reading the spec sheet then selling the customer a machine that will cope with their requirements.

That would explain why only some of our customers have this problem while others don't.

[Lagonda]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

The devil is in the detail...
I just dragged out the Tech Product Document and it says average prints per month of 3.5k at 5% image coverage and 50% colour ratio. It also says "This machine can be used for ratios up to 100% with a calculated reduction in the reliability targets including machine life due to higher colour usage" which is their get out clause. If its been sold to a graphics design company its not going too last long!

[Polarbear]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

The devil is in the detail...I just dragged out the Tech Product Document and it says average prints per month of 3.5k at 5% image coverage and 50% colour ratio. It also says "This machine can be used for ratios up to 100% with a calculated reduction in the reliability targets including machine life due to higher colour usage" which is their get out clause. If its been sold to a graphics design company its not going too last long!

I have first hand experience with that. Only remedy was to pull out the 430 and install a 420! Those machines were tanks!

[Oze]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

We opted for a metal coil as Ricoh said that the percentage global failure is too little to do a warranty exchange on the units.

It's happening in Australia as well...if that's not "global failure" of a part then I'm buggered if I know what they expect?
After the first few machines went down we pegged that it was the toner pipe as well.

[Polarbear]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

It's happening in Australia as well...if that's not "global failure" of a part then I'm buggered if I know what they expect?
After the first few machines went down we pegged that it was the toner pipe as well.

And the worst is that replacing the coil assembly does not solve it! This is almost the same situation (in terms of lack of support) as with the AF1224c those years ago!

[patterson70]

Re: Ricoh SPC430DN Toner supply issues - solved!

Could anyone verify that the problem was resolved with the new 431 model?