Speed and volume. The Konica 4290 and Harris/3M 6242 have speeds of 42 cpm and the Ricoh has a speed of 40 cpm. However, the Richo's Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) had the fastest copying speed: 22 cpm, and the Konica had the slowest ADF copying speed: 19 cpm. This is a noticeable difference during demonstrations. All three copiers had a minimum volume of 30,000 copies per month with the Harris/3M having the highest volume of 50,000 per month.
Special features. All three copiers had enlargement/reduction features with pre-set ratios. The Konica has the simplest display panel whereas the Ricoh offers more options for reduction/enlargement. The Harris/3M display had picture displays to show reduction but not enlargement. The Ricoh and Harris/3M had the book copy feature which allows user to copy two facing book pages without repositioning the book. The Ricoh is the only model that offers photo mode which is a feature that automatically adjusts for photography reproduction. All three copiers have 20-bin sorters but the Harris/3M's 20-bin sorter is an option at additional cost. The large capacity cassette (LCC) is an option included in the Konica's and Ricoh's final cost, but the Harris/3M did not include the LCC in the final cost. The Ricoh and Konica offer paper bin choices for 8-1/2" x 11" (letter), 8-1/2" x 14" (legal), 11" x 17" (computer) while the Harris/3M requires changing out the trays to accommodate 11" x 17" paper.
Cost. When considering the cost of a copier, the customer needs to look at the cost per copy. Knowing the cost per copy can help determine if the consumer is getting the better deal. The price value of a machine can look good, but when you consider all the hidden costs, the long-term maintenance can be expensive. The following formula can produce the cost per copy:
Machine CostThe machine cost is the actual purchase price. Supply costs are paper and machine supplies (specifically, toner, cartridges, silicon oil, cartridge bags, etc). The terms of the maintenance contract should be noted for inclusion of parts, labor and drum. Also, there is usually an additional charge or overage charge per copy after the maximum monthly volume is reached.
Supplies Cost
+ Maintenance Contract ---------------------- = Total Machine Cost Total Machine Cost/Number of Copies = Cost Per Copy
Office evaluation. Each machine was available for one week of demonstration in the office. The staff offered a variety of opinions on each machine's operation. The Konica received a lot of complaints because of the ADF's slow copy time and inability to load paper tray with transparencies. Transparencies had to be single-sheet feed. The Ricoh and Harris/3M received equal approval on ADF speed the Harris/3M had the fastest copy per minute. The Ricoh is the only machine that provided bins for all paper sizes.
COPIERS: FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
KONICA HARRIS RICOH
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Price $9,495 $12,000 $9,231
Copy Speed (cpm) 42 42 40
Monthly Volume 50,000 40,000 40,000
Yearly Maint. Contract $3,936 $1,700 $2,656
-Overage Charge Per Copy Yes Yes No
-Labor, Parts and Drum Yes Yes Yes
included
Service Good Unknown Excellent
Staff Approval Poor Good Good
References Poor Unknown Excellent
The Ricoh efficiently handled simple and complex copying jobs. It had paper bins for all sizes of paper and had quick automated paper selection. Its picture display panel was easy to understand and it had many more useable options than the other two copiers. The references for Ricoh used a monthly volume of 16,000 - 50,000 per month and were very informative papers.
The Harris/3M is as quick as the Ricoh but did not offer the option of the 11" x 17" tray. The display panels were easy to understand but were located in three different places on the machine. The prices of the Konica and Ricoh were comparable with the Harris/3M being the most expensive. The Konica and Ricoh are manufactured by their corporations, whereas the Harris/3M is manufactured by Sharp.