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Basic Color
Basic Color
Basic Color
Module
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INTRODUCTION
COLOUR MARKET
COLOUR THEORY
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RICOHS STRENGTHS
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Introduction
In the early 1980s, the demand for more accurate, clearer and more attractive
information expanded. One of the requirements was the need for colour copiers.
Ricoh has responded to this need with colour copiers since 1985.
Carefully looking to the market needs, Ricoh has introduced colour copiers with
the newest technologies, meeting the needs of the market. Many of the technologies
are still used, not only in Ricoh colour copiers, but as well applied in the colour
copiers of our competitors. Since colour copiers are at the front-edge of the technology improvements, only a few manufacturers produce colour copiers. As a technology driven company, Ricoh has always been in the front line of those.
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The 3000 and 4000 series are targeted to replace the 2000 series. They offer
increased speed (6 vs 3 cpm) and higher image quality (600 vs 400 dpi).
The 6000 series is targeted to replace the 5000 series. This series also offers
increased speed (11 vs 6 cpm) and quality as well as improved paper latitude.
The introduction of the Aficio Color 3000, 4000 and 6000 sets a new standard
in colour copiers. Superb quality (600 dpi), wide paper latitude (biggest printable
area, A3 oversized) in combination with lower prices, will strengthen Ricohs name
as standard when it comes to colour.
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Colour Market
Colour Market Today
Colour is used to enhance and add impact to:
Presentations
Proposals
Reports
Desktop Publishing
Colour Sells !
With so many business people using computers, its natural that they want to produce
documents as they appear on their colour monitors.
Colour in your document improves retention, creates longer-lasting impressions
and improves the chance of getting the customer to take action. Another aspect
is that colour will reduce the chance of making mistakes.
The type of documents printed in colour depends, of course, on the type of company,
but studies have shown that larger companies use colour in their presentations,
whereas smaller companies use colour in their marketing documents.
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Colour Market
Colour Output Products
Roughly speaking a customer can select from 2 technologies:
Inkjet
Laser
Without going into the technology itself, inkjet is attractive because of rapidly
falling prices and technology improvements, whereas laser offers higher speed
and lower cost-per-page.
The decision on which technology to buy depends on the customer's requirements:
Image Quality
(only text, or text and photos)
Speed
(ripping and printing speed)
Productivity
(single page documents, finishing capabilities)
Cost-per-page
(consumables)
Many customers who have an inkjet machine have discovered the limits of this
technology when it comes to a combination of speed and image quality.
Besides this, the consumables are expensive resulting in high cost-per-page.
The laser copier is, in this situation, the best solution. Next to higher speed in
combination with high image quality, the cost-per-page is much lower.
Although the initial price of colour copiers is higher than that of the Inkjet, an early
break-even point on the Total Cost of Ownership (depending on the volume) will
be achieved since the consumables are much cheaper.
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Colour Market
Market Segmentation
Based on the customer requirements, the colour market can be divided into
3 segments.
Production Segment
The major requirements for this segment are high speed and good quality.
Short-run printing and 'print for pay' (like copy shops) are the typical kind of businesses in this area. Unit-wise this market is small, but volume-wise (clicks) it is
the biggest market. The Aficio Color 6000 series is targeted in the lower part
of this segment.
Specialised Business
This segment requires high quality with precise colours. The paper type (thickness)
and format (size) also becomes important. Advertising agencies are a typical
example of companies belonging to this segment. The Aficio Color 6000 series
offer the highest needs of this segment.
General Office
The requirements for this area of the market are flexibility (different users),
and easy operation (non-experienced users). It should support functions common
to black-and-white copiers. Unit-wise this market has the highest potential.
As part of the colour market it shows the biggest growth (unit-wise).
The Aficio Color 2000 series has opened this colour copier market and with
the new Aficio Color 3000 and 4000 series, Ricoh will enforce its position.
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Colour Market
Speed Segmentation
To monitor the copier market (market share), market research companies
have divided the market into segments based on the speed (copies per minute)
of the machines.
In the time that colour copiers were sold in much smaller numbers, all colour copiers
were seen as one group.)
Nowadays, this market has also been split into segments, based on the speed
of machines (in colour).
Category 1
< 5 cpm
Category 2
5 < 8 cpm
Category 3
8 - 12 cpm
Category 4
12+
The following products are for the different segments:
Aficio Color 3000 series
Category 2
Aficio Color 4000 series
Category 2
Aficio Color 6000 series
Category 3
In segment 1, most inkjet-based colour copiers can be found (slow speed!).
With the replacement of the 2000 series, Ricoh does not have a machine in category 1. Also for segment 4, Ricoh does not currently offer a colour copier.
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Colour Theory
How Do We See?
In order to perceive colour, you need 3 things:
light source
an object
your eye (detector)
A light source shines its light on an object. Part of the light is absorbed by the object,
the other part is reflected into the eye. The light enters your eye and stimulates
colour sensors in the back of your eyes. Three types of sensors differentiate the
various colours. The sensors relay an impulse to the brain. Your brain registers
the image. Because the image is created in the human brain, the same object is
seen differently by each person: each person experiences colours differently.
What is Colour?
Colour is a form of light.
What is light, and where does it come from?
To answer this question, we have to go back to the smallest part we know: the Atom
An atom has a nucleus which is surrounded by electrons in orbit (like the moon and
the earth). The electrons surrounding the nucleus can absorb energy, but always
want to get back to their neutral energy level (get rid of the extra energy).
The energy they absorb comes from other electrons (atoms) surrounding the atom.
They release the extra energy by giving it to another electron. This radiant energy
(known as photon) traveling from one electron to another is what we see as light.
One photon is invisible for the human eye, but normally it is not just one photon,
but trillions. Photons travel with the characteristics of a wave.
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Colour Theory
Wave Characteristics
A wave has 2 characteristics:
Wavelength
Amplitude
The wavelength (the length of one wave) defines the colour. Thinking of the rainbow,
the longer the wavelengths, the more the colour tends to go towards red.
The shorter the wavelength the colours tend to go in the blue/purple.
The amplitude of the wave is a representation of the intensity of the colour.
The higher the amplitude, the more intense the colour. The lower the amplitude,
the weaker the colour.
Visible Spectrum
The human eye is only sensitive for a small fraction of the total spectrum. The visible
spectrum ranges from violet via blue, green, yellow, orange to red (rainbow).
Waves beyond this range (Ultraviolet, Infrared) cannot be seen with the human
eye. Still these waves are used in our daily life. Think about the microwave in
your kitchen, or the remote control of the TV. Both use radio waves beyond the
visible spectrum.
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Colour Theory
RGB Colour Space
If we divide the visible spectrum into 3 parts, we get the 3 primary colours:
Red, Green and Blue.
If we mix these main three colours, we are still able to produce white light. Red,
Green and Blue are called Primary Colours. By combining these primary colours
(RGB), all colours of the rainbow can be created.
Red + Green =
Yellow
Green + Blue =
Cyan
Red + Blue =
Magenta
Red + Green + Blue =
White
No Light =
Black *
The mixture of the primary colours is known as the Additive Colour Theory.
The more colours you add together, the lighter it becomes.
* for this reason black is called no colour
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Colour Theory
CMY / CMYK
In theory, the mixture of cyan, magenta and yellow results in black. In practice,
the result is not pure black, but muddy brown. Toner (or ink) is not able to mix
perfectly, resulting in this muddy brown colour.
To solve this problem, black ink (or toner) is added to the cyan, magenta and yellow
ink. Known as adding a key colour, the letter K represents black, to prevent
confusion with blue (in RGB).
The first analogue colour copiers used only CMY toner to reproduce colour images
on paper. The current digital colour copiers all produce coloured images with CMYK
toner. Some cheaper Inkjet printers on the market still produce CMY colour images.
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Colour Theory
Can You Read the Text (example 1)
Light source:
Object:
Detector:
The white light strikes both the white paper as well as the red text.
The white paper will reflect all light (=white), and the red text reflects only the red text.
The image produced in your eyes/brain is a white sheet with the letter A in red.
Result: Yes, I can read the text.
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Colour Scanning
In the scanner of the colour copier, 2 processes take place
Divide the original into many small areas
Measure from each area the value of Red, Green and Blue
During the first step, you have to think of placing a raster over your original, and
dividing it into many small areas. The size of each area is a measure of resolution
(dpi or dots per inch). The smaller the areas, the higher the resolution. The standard
in the colour copier market is 400 dpi; however the latest Ricoh colour copier family
has a higher resolution of 600 dpi.
The second step in scanning is measuring from each area the value (intensity)
of red, green and blue (from no colour to maximum). The range of this value is
known as Greyscale or Colour Depth. The standard in colour copiers in the market
today is a value between 0 and 255 (256 steps) from, e.g., no red to max red.
256 steps is also known as 8 bit (binary).
The scanning process converts the original into RGB data.
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The first and second techniques are similar, and found in lower-speed copiers
(< 15cpm). The last technique is used in high-speed copiers (like our NC8015
& NC8115).
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4-drum System
In this system, 4 development sections are placed next to each other (one for each
colour). Each development section creates its own colour plane, almost simultaneously on each of the 4 drums. Paper is fed into the copier, and while passing
each unit, the image is transferred from the 4 drums onto the sheet of paper.
The advantage of this system is that it allows higher speed (>15 cpm); however
maintenance costs are higher as well (4 drums instead of 1). Ricohs NC8015
and 8115 used this technique.
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Ricohs Strengths
Unique Advantages (for Ricoh Colour Copiers)
If Ricoh colour copiers are compared to the competition, 2 major advantages are
always very well perceived by the customers:
User Friendly
Flat Paper Path
Most of Ricohs colour copiers are equipped with a full-colour LCD touch panel.
In these LCD touch panels, the functions and features for a basic copy job are
displayed. More complex functions are placed under drop-down buttons.
This feature is perceived as very user-friendly.
The technology of a Flat Paper Path inside Ricoh colour copiers creates another
big advantage. Since paper does not have to bend, restrictions to paper are less
(compared to the competition). E.g., sticker labels will peel off when bent, causing
jams. Advantages of this flat paper path are:
less paper misfeeds (shorter and flat paper path)
more standard paper sizes (A6 - A3+, Aficio Color 6000 up to A3++)
thicker paper (up to 256 g/m2 for the Aficio Color 6000)
more different types of materials (thick paper, OHP transparencies, labels)
(much) higher productivity with thick paper / OHP transparencies
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Ricohs Strengths
Extension Kit
The Extension application kit consists of:
Sample materials: stickers, labels, and many others
Examples to show how samples can be used
Mount-it Software: application to correctly position a design on sample materials
Calculation model to determine the price of a job
The Extension application kit can be used in many different ways:
To sell colour copiers
To give salesman new ideas (markets)
To sell the kit itself
To sell the different print materials (others than papers)
It is an application which can only be used on Ricoh colour copiers (flat paper
path required). It will convert the salesman from box mover to solution provider.
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Basic Colour
Module
Glossary
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4-Drum System
In the 4-drum system, 4 development sections are placed next to each other (one for each colour).
Each development section creates its own colour plane, almost simultaneously on each of the 4 drums.
Paper is fed into the copier, and while passing each unit, the image is transferred from the 4 drums onto
the sheet of paper.
Amplitude
The amplitude of the wave is a representation of the intensity of the colour. The higher the amplitude,
the more intense the colour. The lower the amplitude, the weaker (darker, closer to black) the colour.
Complementary Colours
Complementary colours are colours which do not contain any similar colour. Complementary colours are
Red & Cyan, Green & Magenta and Blue & Yellow.
Cpm
Copies per Minute. This is the indication of the speed used for a copier.
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Extension Solution
An application kit for salespeople containing all kinds of materials (stickers, labels, etc.) to copy/print on.
This application takes full advantage of the flat paper path of Ricoh colour copiers (flat paper path required).
Inkjet
Inkjet is a(nother) way to reproduce an image on paper (next to laser). Generally speaking, inkjet offers lower
quality and lower speed compared to laser, but the initial price is (much) lower.
Laser
Laser is a way to reproduce an image on paper. Compared to other forms, laser is the best solution where speed
and high quality are required. Important to know is the low running costs (compared to the other techniques).
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Wavelength
The wavelength (the length of one wave) defines the actual colour. Thinking of the rainbow, the longer the wavelengths, the more the colour tends to go towards red. The shorter the wavelength the colours tend to go in the
blue/purple.
Additional Items
Absorption
If a light source shines on an object, the object will absorb certain colours and reflect others. The surface will
absorb its complementary colour, while reflecting the other colours. E.g., if you shine with white light on a yellow
surface, it will absorb its complementary colour (blue) while reflecting the others (red and green).
CMY CMYK
In theory, the mixture of cyan, magenta and yellow results in black. In practice, the result is not pure black,
but muddy brown. Toner (or ink) is not able to mix perfectly, resulting in this muddy brown colour. To solve
this problem, black ink (or toner) is added to the cyan, magenta and yellow ink. Different methods can be used
for the calculation (UCR & GCR).
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K-colour
This is the K in CMYK. Known as adding a key colour, the letter K represents black, to prevent confusion
with blue (in RGB).
Production Segment
One out of the three segments in the colour market. The major requirements for this segment are high speed and
good quality. Short-run printing and 'print for pay' (like copy shops) are the typical kinds of businesses in this area.
Unit-wise this market is small, but volume-wise (clicks) it is the biggest market.
Reflection
If a light source shines on an object, the object will absorb certain colours and reflect others. The surface
will absorb its complementary colour, while reflecting the other colours. E.g., if you shine with white light on
a yellow surface, it will absorb its complementary colour (blue) while reflecting the others (red and green).
Segmentation
To monitor the copier market (market share) and compare individual machines, market research companies
have divided the market into segments based on the speed (copies per minute) of the machines.
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