News
OKI and Ricoh JV to launch new print engine
16 February 2022
OKI are going to try another joint venture to develop a machine, this time with Ricoh.
We had not heard anything from OKI for a while - though they have done well fulfilling the additional needs for signage during the pandemic with their compact C650 which can print on waterproof substrates, among other strengths.
It has been so long since Ricoh brought out a new print engine, we were afraid they had given up on A3.
Well, here it is, and all-in-one: Ricoh and OKI have been working on a new monochrome A3 print engine, which will be out "in the spring" - in Japan at least.
OKI is at pains to point out that this is emphatically Not an OEM venture, but a Joint Venture. In 2014 OKI deveoped a range of MFPs with Toshiba. OKI provided the LED print engine for these, coupled to Toshiba's e-Bridge X controller. This did not turn out to be a marriage made in heaven. We thought they were good machines, with distinctive strengths from each stable. Market success seemed to elude them, and a sense of bitterness prevails to this day.
The machines will have an OKI LED print head, and a Ricoh paper path - though it will be designed for front access, according to the OKI press release. It is not immediately clear what advantages there are in having the bypass on the front for an A3 device.
Nor is it clear to what extent the Ricoh and OKI versions of the machine will differ. It seems unlikely that both Ricoh and OKI would both develop a hardware controller from the motherboard up, but then definitions of "print controller" vary considerably.

DMO in under 2 minutes
DMO is the Benchmark service for digital printing and document imaging.
From machines to software products we analyze, test and evaluate features and functions, usability, security, productivity, print and scan quality, connectivity, flexibility, compatibility, and much more - all in real-world, business scenarios and in the context of this rapidly evolving market.
Totally independent, we provide you with an objective and critical view.
other news (29)
Epson announces they will stop selling laser printers
30 Nov 2022
30 Nov 2022
The new Epson range of fast colour inkjet MFPs
17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022
Konica Minolta refresh colour A4 range with new homeworker machines
27 Oct 2022
27 Oct 2022
Canon launches the new imagePRESS C270
15 Sep 2022
15 Sep 2022
Sharp Announce New Ranges of A3 MFPs
27 Jul 2022
27 Jul 2022
DataMaster Digital Imaging Awards 2022: Kyocera Series 4 TASKalfa Award Presentation
22 Jul 2022
22 Jul 2022
HP Launch Two New Series of A3 MFPs
22 Jul 2022
22 Jul 2022
DataMaster Digital Imaging Awards 2022: HP Scanner wins Easiest-to-Use Scanner Award
21 Jul 2022
21 Jul 2022
It's official, YSOFT has bought EveryonePrint
07 Jul 2022
07 Jul 2022
DataMaster Lab Award for Scanners 2022: the Easiest to Use
22 Jun 2022
22 Jun 2022
DocuWare wins DataMaster's ECM 2022 Award
09 Jun 2022
09 Jun 2022
DataMaster Lab Award for Scanners 2022: Best Overall Productivity is achieved by Canon and Fujitsu machines
24 May 2022
24 May 2022
DataMaster Lab Award for Scanners 2022: Best User Experience
24 May 2022
24 May 2022
DataMaster Lab Award for Scanners 2022: small files, high quality scan output
24 May 2022
24 May 2022
DataMaster Lab Award for MFPs: small, high quality scan output goes to Xerox AltaLink series
12 May 2022
12 May 2022
DataMaster Lab's Line of the Year Award goes to the TASKalfa A3 range by Kyocera
04 May 2022
04 May 2022
Canon launches six new printers for small offices and home offices
28 Apr 2022
28 Apr 2022
Ricoh acquire Fujitsu scanners
26 Apr 2022
26 Apr 2022
HP Inc and Xerox, episode 2022
21 Apr 2022
21 Apr 2022
Sharp launch new SRA3 multifunctions – whole range to be renewed
21 Apr 2022
21 Apr 2022
Epson wins DataMaster Lab's GREEN Award 2022
15 Apr 2022
15 Apr 2022
Kyocera launch four all-new compact A4 monochrome machines
01 Apr 2022
01 Apr 2022
Xerox launch a new ranges of VersaLink A3 copiers
25 Mar 2022
25 Mar 2022
Which scanners make the best pdfs?
09 Mar 2022
09 Mar 2022
Ricoh first to produce plant-based ink for packaging
25 Feb 2022
25 Feb 2022
Sharp launch new range of A3 copiers with lower electrical consumption
22 Feb 2022
22 Feb 2022
Fujitsu launch new range of scanners
17 Feb 2022
17 Feb 2022
Toshiba Corp announce new plan to sell Toshiba TEC
10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022
DataMaster Lab now includes Scanners!
14 Jan 2022
14 Jan 2022