October 14, 2003
Olympus Corporation
Riso Kagaku Corporation
The World's Fastest Full-Color Printer - 105 Pages Per Minute
High-speed full-color printing at just « 2.5 per page
The ORPHIS HC5000 New-Generation Printer
Developed jointly by Olympus Corporation and Riso Kagaku Corporation
The ORPHIS HC5000
*This information is announced in Japan.
Olympus Corporation ( President: Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, hereinafter referred to as "Olympus" ) and Riso Kagaku Corporation ( President: Akira Hayama, hereinafter referred to as "Riso Kagaku" ), have jointly developed a high-speed printer based on ink-jet technology. The ORPHIS HC5000 will be launched on Tuesday, December 9, 2003, by Riso Kagaku. With a print speed of 105 pages per minute*1, it is the world's fastest*2 full-color business printer.
*1 For A4 size, long-edge feed, simplex, continuous printing in standard mode.
*2 Based on sheet-feed type full-color print-on-demand printers available as of October 2003.
The ORPHIS HC5000 provides full-color inkjet printing using cyan, magenta, yellow and black ( CMYK ) inks. One line-head unit has been allocated for each color, and the four units are arranged face-down relative to the fed paper. The printer also has a paper turning mechanism, allowing duplex printing with a single feed action.
Running costs are ¥2.5 per page*3. The printer can accommodate paper sizes from post card up to A3 wide ( 340 mm x 550 mm). It is also possible to print full-color envelopes for direct mail use or to print company name on them, by using specially supplied stationery.
*3 The stated cost is an estimate for an A4 page printed at standard resolution with 5% coverage for each color ( CMYK ). The amount does not include the cost of paper.
The ORPHIS HC5000 is the first product based on the "ComuColorTM " concept, a full-color printing solution proposed by Riso Kagaku. ComuColorTM was developed to expand the scope for communication by paper by providing an easier way to create convincing color documents through high-speed, low-cost, print-on-demand capabilities for high-volume printing applications. This new technology overturns the assumption that high-volume color printing always involves high costs and long delivery times. ComuColorTM meets the needs of those who want to present graphs and photographs in color for improved clarity and attractiveness, or who want a fast and economic way to produce large volumes of color printing.
The main users of the ORPHIS HC5000 are likely to be corporate printing departments and sales promotion departments responsible for the production of manuals and sales tools. Another key market will be government agencies and offices which need to print notices, announcements and newsletters for local communities. Educational institutions are also expected to use the ORPHIS HC5000 to print teaching materials, presentation documents and other items. Print shops will be another key market.
The ORPHIS HC5000 is ideal for a wide range of printing uses, from manuals and presentation materials containing numerous color photographs, graphs and illustrations, to newsletters, notices, flyers, leaflets, direct mail and other sales tools. Print shops are expected to welcome the high speed and low running costs of the ORPHIS HC5000, which make it the ideal printer for high-speed, low-cost color printing services.
A product launch presentation for the ORPHIS HC5000 is planned for December 9 ( Tuesday ) and December 10 ( Wednesday ), 2003. The event will be held at the Tokyo International Forum.
Product Name, Price, Launch Date
Product name ORPHIS HC5000
Price ¥ 3,370,000 ( tentative )
Planned launch date Tuesday, December 9, 2003
( initially limited to Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya areas )
Sales target 2,000 units per year
Features of the ORPHIS HC5000
1) High-Speed Duplex Printing
In simplex mode, the ORPHIS HC5000 can print 105 sheets per minute. Its duplex printing speed is also very impressive at 37 sheets per minute ( A4 size, long-edge feed, continuous printing in standard mode ). Even high-volume color printing jobs can be completed quickly.
2) Full-Color Printing with Low Running Costs
At just ¥2.5 per page, running costs are between one-third and one-tenth of costs with standard color printers.
3) Plateless Digital Printing System and Document Sorting
Because no printing plates are required, even material that differs from sheet to sheet can be printed in full color at low cost. The ORPHIS HC5000 supports digital sorting, which enhances printing efficiency by eliminating the need to sort documents after printing. The new printer is also suitable for a variable data printing environment.
4) Support for Wide Range of Paper Types
Paper sizes from postcard up to A3 wide can be used. Specially designed envelopes will be introduced progressively in Cho 3, You 0 and Kaku 2 sizes. The printer is capable of full-color envelope printing for direct mail or business use. Both standard and wood-free paper can be used. Special papers designed to enhance print quality will also be available.
5) Built-in Proprietary RIP ( Adobe(R) and PostScript(R)3TM Included as Standard Features )
The printer incorporates a proprietary raster image processor ( RIP ) as its image creating device. Adobe(R) and PostScript(R)3TM, which are widely used as page description languages for design work, are included as standard features. The ORPHIS HC5000 can be used as an output device for document data created on high-performance graphic software.
6) Extensive Support for Network Printing, Can be Combined with Scanner for Multifunction Capabilities
The ORPHIS HC5000 has proprietary network connection specifications that allow a single master unit to control printing on four slave units. With the clustering function, it is possible to print 210 full-color pages a minute by dividing the job between the master unit and any slave unit. If a designated scanner is added, the ORPHIS HC5000 can be used to copy paper documents.
Consumables ( Sold Separately )
< Ink >
Product Name Unit Price ( planed )
RISO HC Ink Cyan 1,000 ml / unit 33,500 yen
RISO HC Ink Magenta 1,000 ml / unit 33,500 yen
RISO HC Ink Yellow 1,000 ml / unit 33,500 yen
RISO HC Ink Black 1,000 ml / unit 33,500 yen
( Tax is excluded from price )
< Paper >
Product Name Unit Price ( planed )
RISO HC Paper mat IJ A3 500 sheets x 3 / packet 18,000 yen
RISO HC Paper mat IJ B4 500 sheets x 3 / packet 13,500 yen
RISO HC Paper mat IJ A4 500 sheets x 4 / packet 12,000 yen
RISO HC Paper IJ A3 500 sheets x 3 / packet 5,940 yen
RISO HC Paper IJ B4 500 sheets x 5 / packet 7,425 yen
RISO HC Paper IJ A4 500 sheets x 5 / packet 4,950 yen
RISO HC Paper IJ B5 500 sheets x 5 / packet 3,725 yen
( Tax is excluded from price )
The Development of the ORPHIS HC5000
Research by the Japan Business Machine and Information System Industries Association ( JBMIA ) shows that domestic shipments of color copiers increased by 62% in volume terms in the year ended March 2003. This trend reflects growth in the demand for color documents. While it is now relatively easy to produce full-color printed documents, there is a need in the business sector for economical, high-speed, on-demand printing systems for high-volume tasks. The ORPHIS HC5000 is an advanced full-color printer designed to meet this need. The key to the speed and economy of the ORPHIS HC5000 is its line head inkjet print engine.
The ORPHIS HC5000 was jointly developed by Olympus and Riso Kagaku. Olympus handled the development of the inkjet heads, while Riso Kagaku was responsible for the inks and peripheral technologies. Technology created by Olympus through its involvement in such areas as high-speed, wide-format color inkjet printers for industrial use was combined with expertise accumulated by Riso Kagaku through the development, manufacture and sale of its Risograph series of digital printer-duplicators. The result is a business-use sheet-feed printer capable of printing on paper sizes up to A3 wide, and the world's first high-speed full-color sheet-feed printer with an inkjet line head system.
The ORPHIS HC5000 will be marketed by Riso Kagaku. Its flagship Risograph series systems are used extensively in over 150 countries. Riso Kagaku will handle sales, technical support and the supply of consumables primarily through its network of 18 sales offices and 41 branches in Japan and 16 overseas subsidiaries. That network represents an important resource of marketing skills and product knowledge and will be a major force for future sales of the new printer.
On September 12, 2003, Olympus and Riso Kagaku established ORTEK Corporation ( head office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, President: Seiichi Nomiyama ) in preparation for the launch of the ORPHIS HC5000. The mission of the new company is to create new business opportunities relating to inkjet technology, starting with the launch of the ORPHIS HC5000.
Principal Specifications of the ORPHIS HC5000
Item Specification
Printing method Line head type, inkjet
Resolution High-resolution: 900dpi equivalent
normal resolution: 600dpi equivalent
( with character smoothing )
Print head Piezo, physical resolution 300dpi, 8 gray-scale maximum
Ink Oil base pigment ink, 1,000 ml for each color ( CMYK )
Print speed Simplex: 105 ppm, Duplex: 37 ppm
( A4 size, long-edge feed, continuous printing in standard mode )
Paper sizes Front tray A3 maximum, B5 minimum
Tray A3 wide ( 340 mm x 550 mm ) maximum
Postcard size ( 90 mm x 140 mm ) minimum
Effective printing area 316 mm x 460 mm maximum
( Maximum border 1 mm on all sides, with A3 size or smaller )
Tray capacity Front trays: Upper tray 1,000 sheets, lower tray 500 sheets/
Tray: 1,000 sheets, trays selectable
Paper stacker capacity 1,000 sheets
RIP CPU Celeron 1.2 GHZ
Memory capacity 128 Mitsubishi
Hard disk 20 GB
PDL Adobe(R) PostScript(R)3TM
Printer fonts 2 Japanese ( Ryumin Light-KL, Medium Gothic BBB ), Western: 139
Interface Ethernet: 100 Base-TX / 10 Base-T
Protocols TCP/IP, AppleTalk
OS Windows(R)Me, 2000, XP, Mac(R)OS9, Mac(R)OSX
Power source AC100V, 50/60Hz, 12A or higher
Power consumption 700W maximum, 300W or less on standby, 70W or less in sleep mode
Dimensions Ready for use: 1,780 mm(W) x 695 mm(D) x 1,135 mm (H)
Packed: 1,180 mm (W) x 695 mm(D) x 1,135 mm(H)
Weight Approx. 256kg ( including stand )
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Note: The company names and product names specified in this release are the trademarks or registered trademarks of each company.
Note: Specifications are subject to change without notice.
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