The most mature UV inkjet ink solution printhead on the market is the Ricoh G5 printhead. The first choice of industrial-grade UV printer print heads produced by major machine manufacturers is the Ricoh GEN5 print head. In this issue, the editor will analyze why UV inkjet ink has a special liking for the Ricoh GEN5 print head!
Characteristics of UV ink
Ricoh G5 printhead supports the use of UV ink, which has the characteristics of drying immediately after spraying, does not contain volatile organic solvents, and has the advantages of low viscosity and no irritating odor. UV ink is suitable for printing on a variety of materials such as metal, glass, ceramics, PC, PVC, ABS, etc. The cured ink layer has high hardness, good adhesion, scrub resistance, solvent resistance, and excellent gloss. However, UV ink contains chemical substances such as resin, monomer, photoinitiator, etc. It is an oily ink with a certain corrosiveness. The Ricoh GEN5 printhead material is made of all-steel material, which has very good corrosion resistance, ensuring that UV ink will not easily become blocked during use.
Ricoh G5 Printhead Specifications
The performance parameters of the Ricoh G5 printhead include a nozzle spacing of 1/150″ (0.1693mm)/row, supported ink is UV ink, weight is 155g, supported colors are 2 colors, the operating temperature must be above 60°C, and it has a built-in heater and temperature control function to ensure the proper temperature of the ink. In addition, the Ricoh GEN5 printhead has a long life of up to 30 billion times of ink discharge, and the droplet size is variable, from 7pl to 35pl. This variable droplet technology is very important for achieving high-quality printing.
| Printhead | G5 |
| Method | Piston pusher with metallic diaphragm plate |
| Print Width | 54.1 mm (2.1’’) |
| Nozzle Numbers | 1,280 (4*320) |
| Nozzle Spacing (4 color printing) | 1/150″(0.1693 mm) |
| Nozzle Spacing (row-to-row distance) | 0.55 mm |
| Nozzle Spacing (upper and lower swath distance) | 11.81mm |
| Compatible Ink | UV, Solvent, Aqueous, Others. |
| Total Printhead Dimensions | 89(W) × 69(D) × 24.51(H) mm (3.5" × 2.7" × 1.0") excluding cables & connectors |
| Weight | 155g |
| Max. Number of Color Inks | 2 colors |
| Operating Temperature Range | Up to 60℃ |
| Temperature Control | Integrated heater and thermistor |
| Jetting Frequency | Binary mode : 30kHz / Grey-scale mode : 20kHz |
| Drop Volume | Binary mode: 7pl / Grey-scale mode : 7-35pl *depending on the ink |
| Viscosity Range | 10-12 mPa•s |
| Surface Tension | 28-35mN/m |
| Grey-Scale | 4 levels |
| Total Length | 248 mm (standard) including cables |
| Ink Port | Yes |
| Number of Ink Ports | 2 × dual ports |
| Alignment Pin Direction | Front (standard) |
Printing Speed and Effect of Ricoh G5
The Ricoh G5 printhead also performs significantly in terms of printing speed and effect. The machine equipped with 12 printheads can achieve a printing speed of 60 square meters/hour ( 6pass) , the new printing software supports two-way intelligent back-and-forth printing, and prints 10 to 30 square meters per hour. Specific speed depends on printhead configuration. In terms of printing effects, The Ricoh printhead uses small ink droplets 7PL, can achieve delicate and lifelike UV printing effects, and image restoration reaches more than 95%, showing its excellent printing quality and efficiency.
Grayscale Printing Technology
In addition, the Ricoh GEN5 printhead also uses grayscale printing technology, which adjusts the size of the ink droplets to adapt to the changes in the image's color depth, thereby saving up to 30%-50% of ink. This environmentally friendly UV-curing ink improves printing efficiency and reduces the amount of ink used, which is in line with future development trends.
Conclusion
In summary, the combination of Ricoh G5 printhead and UV inkjet ink is very ideal. It is not only suitable for high-quality printing of various materials but also has the advantages of environmental protection and energy saving. It is an important direction for the current and future development of printing technology.
