Hi Art,
I agree. Ricoh needs an entry level 4 D/min system. I have always thought Ricoh should take thier gel sprinter technology and develop a plotter around it, instead they rely on Epson to fill this void. They seem ready to concede the 4 d market to Oce, Kip and the plotter cometitors. I wonder if it is the aftermarket that drives the decision. With a 4 D-Size per minute you are generating less clicks and less aftermarket revenue. Perhaps they want use limited dollars to develope higher end systems that will generate bigger aftermarket revenue. In my experience though there are a lot more customers for a 4 d system than a 14 d system. I would bet that the aggregate aftermarket for the 4 d is bigger than the 14 d, but maybe I am wrong. In addition many of the 4 d customer grow and need a higher end system down the road.