SPECIAL “Round-table talk” The future of MFP starts here, the “RICOH MP 305⁺”

STEP.1

It is slightly frustrating (The person in charge of product planning worried)

In the background surrounding the birth of the RICOH MP 305⁺, there were wishes of people engaged in creating products at Ricoh over the years. Kazuhiro Yamada, who took charge of product planning, is one of them. He joined Ricoh in 2001, and while roaming about sections, such as domestic sales, business strategy, product planning, and a foreign posting, he has continued wondering if Ricoh products are appreciated by the customer? What differs from products of other companies?" Don't they believe that "Copying, scanning, and facsimile functions will suffice for the time being? All MFPs are the same? It is disappointing if that is true."
A chance to achieve such wishes of Yamada, to create products that are appreciated by customers and excite them are here at last. The project for developing RICOH MP 305⁺ started. That was April 2012.

Let's overturn the old concept (The designer fortified his resolve)

The challenging spirit was revived (the project manager had noticed)

Stick to slim and compact (Members' heat moves a project).

Several months after the project started, the basic concept of the RICOH MP 305⁺ was completed. "MFPs you feel intrinsically close to you." It should not only be something comfortable placed at your deskside, but something you'd really like to have nearby. For that purpose, you have to make it thoroughly compact. This was also supported by the survey implemented by a member of planning that targets global customers.
As a result, the 350 mm width was derived. Yamada declares "This line cannot be conceded." The size of all conventional MFPs (A4 monochrome machine) was always at least 400 mm. I was sure that the customers would surely welcome a product (*) smaller than that, which can also handle A3. In response, many designers, including those from outside the company, prepared tens of design proposals with the concept term "refined design," posted them on the wall, and repeated in arguments among the project members.
The days wrapped in heat to create a better product continued, discussing such things as "that's too much leading-edge," or “this at a minimum is necessary to overturn the status quo," and "whether it matches an office."

*A product that can also handle A3: Ricoh thoroughly investigated A3 model customers, on their use status: it turned out that there is a considerable number of customers where the frequency of A3 output is low. The plan of the "MFP is to handle A4 for the most part, and to handle A3 only when required" was born there.

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STEP.2

I can put the result of element development out into the world (The person in charge of noise reduction technology was glad for the chance)

"This is a challenging theme." When told about the purpose of this plan at the beginning, Masahiro Ishida, in charge of noise reduction technology, felt so. "I have never heard of any A4 size MFP that can output A3. We can create it with our hands. Ishida was in the 7th year (in 2012) after joining the company, and has since been engaged in product design and in element development, etc. Especially, because noise reduction was a theme he has struggled with for several years, his heart beat fast when he got the chance to produce a product based on what he had learned. For the 3 years since then, every time he faced difficulties during development, he continued to encourage himself and the other members, emphasizing his original intention that “we can create it with our hands.”

Put what was laid behind up on top (The machine model leader made a bold decision)

Collocation of the imaging system and drive system cannot be changed. The only way is to move the electrical unit, which was arranged at the back side thus far, in the upper position. Shima thought that this radical layout alteration revealed the prospect of compact design to cross-feed A4. Moreover, I expected the size requirement to be met by down-sizing the drive system.

I have never seen such a design (The staff in charge of the main-body structural design was stunned.)

Too narrow to leave no way out (The person in charge of air current design got impatient)

Make it quieter, quieter, and quieter! (The wall of 60dB(A) standing on their feet)

While the structural design team continued trial and error in a 0.1mm unit, the noise reduction technology team was promoting the match in a unit of 0.1dB(A) . The targeted value was 57dB(A). This was the goal the noise reduction technology team set for themselves. "Because a conventional deskside machine emits around 63dB(A), we shall reduce noise overwhelmingly. Otherwise, there is no sense in continuing."

Noise falls by one-half every -3dB(A). Numeration shows reduction of about 75% by -6dB(A), about 88% by -9dB(A). They made full use of many new noise reduction technologies, such as making gaps between sheath covers into maze shape (labyrinth structure) to reduce noise leakage, besides making a refreshing change (internally-toothed gear (*)) of the drive gear mesh system, which is the main source of noise. Although this much could suppress by half the conventional figure, they could not move ahead from there. Ishida expressed "the wall of 60dB(A)." The primary factor was in paper transportation noise.

* Internally-toothed gear: A gear with tooth provided inside the circumference. The noise of biting teeth decreases compared with the externally-toothed gear.

The new world spread out beyond the wall (no more problems with space to install).

In doing this, they were able to go lower than 60dB(A), and further achieved the goal of 57dB(A) by reducing transport noise and fan noise. Eventually, they achieved overwhelming noise reduction at 56.4dB(A), and of 52.7dB(A) in silent mode. In this way, an MFP, which can be used without constraint in quiet and calm places, for example, a library, was born.
* Helmholtz muffler: A sound-muffling technology generating resonance phenomena called "Helmholtz resonance"

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STEP.3

A new competition rule is born (The overseas marketing leader changed the view)

Jun Ueno, who was assigned at the Ricoh Europe branch as the person in charge of overseas marketing in February 2014 saw the members of product planning and marketing when they visited from Japan. Their purpose was to investigate the overseas MFP market. The members went around to visit the customer's offices and dealers etc. to conduct thorough hearings. That had to be harnessed in development of RICOH MP 305⁺ later. Then, in December 2014, Ueno came back to Japan and became the overseas marketing leader of RICOH MP 305⁺.

Ueno reveals that "when I first learned the outline of the product, I was perplexed for a moment because it differed too much from a conventional MFP." However, while taking the opportunity to touch a real machine after that, he came to consider that the "difference" itself was a "strong point." "The fact that there are no MFPs like RICOH MP 305⁺ in other companies it means that we can appeal to customers with a different competition rule. It may be interesting." Ueno was suddenly highly motivated.

This will let our customers turn to us. (The person in charge of overseas marketing fell in love at first sight).

“Wow! I have never seen such an MFP." It was love at first sight. In addition, because the Smart Operation Panel is mounted on the overseas machines, I can propose solutions, which goes beyond merely supplying MFPs. Yamada felt that it will become a powerful item to promote products + services. It was just the product she was waiting for; she likes to challenge new things. “This can let our customers turn around to us and I will surely let them turn around."

I will change the office from centering on the desk (Start global deployment)

You can confirm the operation image of RICOH MP 305⁺