New Ricoh Artificial Intelligence Tool Helps Drive Accuracy and Efficiency

Ricoh USA unveiled the RICOH Pro Scanner Option, which leverages advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to close feedback loops so production printers are continually improving. Now that vision systems have evolved to the point that they can approach human performance in identifying details to differentiate individual faces and objects, these technologies have incredible value for production print, helping to  improve accuracy, decrease manual touchpoints, and increase efficiencies — on an ongoing basis.

RICOH Pro Scanner Option, available for RICOH Pro VC60000 and RICOH Pro VC70000 continuous-feed inkjet platforms, leverages integrated 600 dpi CIS scanners and a control unit for near-real time visibility. This view directly into the production process allows for live capture and display of printed images as they move through the press, including the option to replay captured pages and zoom in on them for close examination.  

The Pro Scanner Option's SmartStart capabilities can also help automate a variety of labor- and time-consuming tasks, such as printhead cleaning. Operators can schedule printer-preparation tasks — recurring or one-off, attended or unattended — to run when they fit into their workflow, with the option to receive progress notifications every step of the way including prior to starting a shift. From there, the solution carefully measures the results of the task, noting how those results and its methods differed from last time, gradually, intelligently and automatically improving over time. Today, when on-site staff may be unavailable, such a tool is incredibly helpful for productivity and business continuity.

"Today's advancements in vision systems play a huge role in digital transformation and workflow optimization, and Ricoh's innovative technologies continue to be at the heart of that," says Mike Herold, director, global marketing, Ricoh. "So much of what we do at Ricoh is learn from experiences and our customers, and implement that knowledge into our R&D program. Our Pro Scanner Option accelerates and automates that process directly inside of users' printers, so customers can deliver the ongoing improvement they need for steady business growth. And with the addition of AI and ML, the feedback loop is continuous, helping to drive even stronger customer relationships, thanks to a more accurate and efficient process."

The Pro Scanner Option can analyze print samples, enabling print devices to self-assess and make decisions without operator intervention, uncovering new efficiencies and improvements. The offering simplifies complexity for operators with automated prepress checks, including jet-out detection, verification of ink density, and front-to-back, and page-to-page registration review. Optional features leverage intelligent pattern recognition capabilities to automatically check the result on the page against the file submitted, identifying and flagging issues for simple, immediate correction — or even correcting them on its own, automatically. The Pro Scanner Option helps take tasks off operators' plates while still driving the business forward, freeing up workers to focus on core tasks, innovation, and ways to strengthen customer relationships.