In this article you will find answers to the following questions: "Risograph - what is it?", "How does it work?". In addition, we will tell you what are its advantages over other similar equipment. Consider also the types of this equipment, the operating principle and the main manufacturers of such devices.
So, risograph - what is it? This is an apparatus that is able to replicate various documents like leaflets, business cards and other similar products. It is immediately worth noting that you do not need to confuse xerox and risograph. And if the first one is an ordinary copy machine, then such sophisticated equipment as a risograph can easily replicate a huge number of copies, and a copier cannot simply cope with such volumes.
In addition, the use of such devices can significantly save on printing and abandon expensive offset equipment. This is only true if your single print run does not exceed 5,000 copies.
Benefits of risograph
Risograph - what is it for modern printing? This device can easily transfer the image to paper of almost any density, with the exception of some types of solid-state cardboard.
Screen printing allows you to get a colorful and natural picture, and at the same time easy to read text, even the smallest one. And all this - in a relatively short time and at a relatively low price.
Types of equipment
The risographs differ from each other in a set of technical characteristics and in the method of scanning replicated products. In total, two main types of this kind of equipment can be distinguished.
Types of risographs:
- Drum Here, the original layout scrolls through the technical unit. Data in the process is read and then transferred to the desired paper. It is quite difficult to work with such a device due to its pickiness, because it requires perfectly flat paper.
- Tablet . In this case, screen printing occurs through glass, where the original layout is attached (by analogy with a photocopy), and a moving unit for reading data passes below.
There are a couple of industrial species, but they are mostly stationary and very large, so we will not consider them.
Next, we will try to answer the question: “Rhizography - what is it?”. That is, we will analyze the principle of operation of the equipment and what ultimately comes out.
The principle of the risograph
In appearance, this equipment is very similar to a massive copier, but in its essence a risograph is something in between a typographic offset machine and a copier. The device reads the data from the original layout and then makes a printed form on a special backup (film for risograph). And then from this film the image is transferred to the desired medium.
In general, the principle of operation of the device is quite simple. We place the original layout in a special compartment, then on the control panel select the necessary criteria (density, color, number of copies, etc.), and after a few seconds the first copy will be ready. Paper, like in a photocopy machine, is fed using a convenient tray, and finished copies are put in another compartment at the back of the device.
Master layout
The original layout is the usual source from which to make copies. Everything can be depicted on it - from an ordinary text to a picturesque landscape. The digital unit recognizes the source and converts it into a stream signal of the electrical type, which then goes to the site where the backup is made, that is, the master film. The latter in its appearance resembles a thin paper tape, where a polymer coating is applied on both sides . The film itself is wound into a roll and during use is used as a consumable. On a polymer coating, the risograph makes piercings that correspond exactly to the duplicated image.
After that, the processed segment of the film is cut off (in accordance with the size of the original layout) and fixed on a special drum made on a mesh structure. Then the paint is applied to the grid and smeared on the master film. That is, in the end, we get on the sheet of paper the image that was burned out on polymers in the understudy.
In order to make the required number of copies, the drum begins to move, and the sheets from the tray, passing through the pressure roller, tightly contact the master film and exit on the other side with the finished image. And so on, until you get the right number of copies (or the paint does not finish).
To scan another original layout, you need to remove the film you no longer need from the drum and start the duplication process again. In addition, to change the color palette of the layout, you will need to replace the cylinder (a separate drum is provided for each color).
The rest of the replication procedure takes place automatically. The operator only needs to glance at the control path and adjust the flow from time to time (increase / decrease color saturation, move the image to another edge, etc.).
Key Features
So, risograph - what is it? This device is capable of replicating booklets, leaflets and other printing products at a speed of 120 prints per minute. All possible problems that cannot be called critical, such as a stuck sheet or other minor failures, can be easily fixed manually. The device has a convenient cover under which all the main parts responsible for the supply of material are visible.
The device easily copes with paper of almost any density with a minimum limit of 60 g / m 2 . For example, the risograph Riso proved to be excellent when working with thick sheets with a density of 220 g / m 2 . Also, the device has a built-in ability to select the appropriate landscape: vertical, horizontal, text and photo. In addition, some models have scaling functionality with a resolution of 400 dpi.
Impression Quality
Separately, it is worth noting that the quality of the image on the copy will be slightly worse than the original. If you look closely, the images will consist of very small cloves, which are made with holes from the master film.
For the same reason, the color of the print may be uneven, and if the paper does not differ in quality, then the pattern is likely to have a fleecy structure. The only thing that brightens up the flaws of such equipment as a risograph is the price per print run (the cost of one print is ridiculously small) and the speed of printing.
Layouts
Consider in more detail the original layouts, because their quality directly affects the output. It is best to choose an image applied only on one side of the sheet, because during the manufacturing process of the master film, the image may be translucent from the back of the layout, which means that prints are doomed to mediocre quality in advance.
Do not deal with too dark originals, on which there are a lot of colors. Quite often it happens that due to the abundance of colors, which means an additional load on the drum, copies begin to adhere to the cylinder, and the result will be a blurry and poor quality pattern. A vivid example of such an incorrect layout is white text on a black background and too large color photographs.
It will also be useful to note that all layouts should have margins, each of which should be at least 10 mm. This is due to the fact that printing to the edges on the risograph is impossible, because the sheets will stick to the cylinder, and the prints will slip, and this is fraught with marriage for the entire circulation.
Risograph manufacturers
Recently, craftsmen from the Middle Kingdom began to supply the copy market with their equipment. Quality, of course, leaves much to be desired, so we strongly do not recommend dealing with it, unless you purchase such a device for small office needs. Choosing a risograph (the price varies depending on the capabilities of the model) is best from a famous brand.
World manufacturers of risographs:
- Duplo (from 150 000 rubles);
- Riso (from 100 000 rubles);
- Ricoh (from 60 000 rubles).
By choosing any model from one of these companies, you can be sure of both the reliability of the equipment itself and the quality of the copies.
Application
The optimal use of this kind of equipment is the creation of the same type of large-scale copies. The printer is clearly not suitable for these purposes - too long, and professional offset technology - too expensive.
Most often, a risograph is used to replicate such products where the clarity of the picture is not critical. The best option is a copy with one or two small drawings and text.
The risograph will be useful for:
- business cards;
- Brochures
- leaflets;
- labels;
- blanks for documents and folders.