Energy Conservation and Global Warming

- Energy-Saving Technology(QSU) -

Concept & Target

Energy-Saving Technology(QSU)

		Indirect Energy-Saving through Reduced Paper Consumption

Developing Energy-Saving Products Evolution of Energy-Saving Technology QSU QSU (Quick Start-Up) is Ricoh's original energy-saving technology developed to achieve effective energy conservation for copiers. It enables quick recovery from energy-saving mode, allowing users to make copies whenever they need to. According to a customer survey, the longer it takes to recover from energy-saving mode, the less energy-saving mode is used. Ricoh has poured its efforts into developing QSU technology in a way that satisfies both user-friendliness and energy conservation so that our customers will use the energy-saving mode more often. In 2001, we launched the imagio Neo 350 series, the first multifunctional monochrome copiers equipped with QSU, and received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Prize, the highest of the Energy-Saving Awards. Following that, we introduced HYBRID QSU, an integration of traditional QSU technology and capacitors (electric storage devices), to high-speed digital multifunctional copiers and have reinforced the lineup of QSU-equipped products ranging from low-speed monochrome copiers to high-speed copiers.*1 In fiscal 2006, Ricoh developed Color QSU technology, which adopts the IH*2 fusing system and achieved a reduction in recovery time from energy-saving mode for color copiers, which had been a difficult challenge. *1  Capacitors are incorporated only in the 100V machines marketed in Japan. *2 IH stands for "Induction Heating," a technology that heats metal instantly with the magnetic force generated by an electric current passing through a coil. This technology is also widely adopted in electric rice-cookers and stoves.

QSU Technology

The fusing roller that fixes the toner on the paper was thinned as much as possible to shorten the temperature rise time. The temperature of the roller is effectively controlled by using twin heaters. Low-temperature fixing toner is also adopted.

HYBRID QSU Technology

This technology incorporates capacitors (electric storage devices) into QSU technology to store electricity during standby so that it can be used for restarting and printing. This technology is incorporated into high-speed copiers.

Color QSU Technology

This technology adopts IH (Induction Heating) using a magnetic field to heat the fusing belt directly and quickly. This enables color copiers to both be user-friendly and highly energy efficient.

The imagio MP C1500 Receives an Energy-Saving Award(Ricoh/Japan)

On January 31, 2007, the imagio MP C1500 series received the Energy Conservation Center Chairman's Prize in the 17th Energy-Saving Awards that were held by the Energy Conservation Center, Japan. We were awarded the prize for developing low-cost business-oriented color copiers, for reducing the maximum electrical power consumption with our Gel Jet technology, and for achieving a fast 5-second recovery time from sleep mode. Previous to this, the imagio MP C1500 (model name outside Japan: Aficio MP C1500) also won the Silver Award in the EPIF 2006 Eco-Awards at the ECO Products International Fair 2006 held in Singapore in October 2006, which shows that this model was highly evaluated as an energy-saving machine both in Japan and abroad.

imagio MP C1500

Launch of Products with Color QSU Technology  (Ricoh/Japan)

*1	Average electric power consumed by repeatedly making 30 consecutive copies once every hour before shifting to energy-saving mode eight times a day.
*2	Calculation based on the assumption of eight working hours per day for 240 days per year.
*3	Calculation based on 1kWh = ¥23.
*4	Calculation based on CO2 conversion coefficient = 0.378 kg/kWh (based on the Guidelines for accounting and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from industrial commercial sectors (2003) by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment).

	Concept & Target Indirect Energy-Saving through Reduced Paper Consumption

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