The drum is one of the main parts that are replaced in a digital press, and the first question when you work out running cost is: how long will it last me?
The answer is two numbers: the one Ricoh gives, and the one you will see in your own print shop. The gap between them depends on your work and on a few things that are in your hands.
Drum life by model
These figures are the rated life according to Ricoh, counted in A4 pages. We have converted them to 33 × 48.7 cm sheets, because that is the size print shops actually run:
| Model | In A4 pages | In 33 × 48.7 cm sheets |
|---|---|---|
| Ricoh Pro C9100 and C9200 | about 900,000 | about 360,000 |
| Ricoh Pro C7100X and C7100S | about 900,000 | about 360,000 |
| Ricoh Pro C5100S and C751 | about 600,000 | about 240,000 |
For the other models (C5200S, C7200X, 8100S), send us your machine model and we will give you the figure and the correct part number. All drums are in the drum section of the parts catalogue.
Why count in sheets and not in A4?
Every brochure states life in A4 pages. But a 33 × 48.7 cm sheet has about two and a half times the area of an A4, so the drum turns more on it. That is why 900,000 A4 pages equal only about 360,000 of those sheets.
If you cost your work on the A4 figure while printing the larger sheet, you will be surprised to find the drum finished in less than half the time you expected.
Work it out on your own volume
Divide the drum life in sheets by the number of sheets you print a month:
- A C7100X printing 20,000 sheets a month: 360,000 ÷ 20,000 = about 18 months.
- A C5100S printing 15,000 sheets a month: 240,000 ÷ 15,000 = about 16 months.
That is for one side. If your work is double-sided, each sheet counts twice. And a colour machine has a drum for each colour, so the calculation repeats for the number of drums.
These figures are a starting point for planning, not a guarantee. Real life can be longer or shorter.
What shortens drum life?
1. Cleaning parts changed late
The cleaning unit cleans the drum after every turn with a blade, a lubricant bar and a brush. These parts have a shorter life than the drum: on the C5100S and C751, for example, the drum cleaning blade lasts about 300,000 A4 pages, half the life of the drum itself.
If the blade is finished and you keep running on it, excess toner stays on the drum surface and damages it. Delaying a small part costs you the drum.
2. The drum charge unit
The charge roller also has a shorter life than the drum (about 300,000 A4 pages on the C5100S and C751). When it weakens it gives the same symptoms as a damaged drum, so people replace the drum while it is still sound.
3. The type of paper
Real life is affected by the type of paper. Paper that sheds a lot of dust, or has a rough surface, wears the drum surface and the cleaning unit faster than clean, smooth paper.
4. Toner coverage
Ricoh’s figures are calculated at 5% coverage, that is, a page of text. Posters and dark solids have far higher coverage, and load the drum and the cleaning unit more.
5. Operating conditions
Heat, humidity and dust in the room all have an effect. A machine in a clean, air-conditioned room keeps its parts longer.
How do you know the drum is finished?
- Lengthwise lines down the sheet.
- Fading or uneven printing in one colour.
- Dots or defects repeating at fixed distances on the sheet.
- A light grey background on white paper.
But take care: the same symptoms can come from the charge roller or the cleaning unit. Before you buy a drum, read how to tell where a print defect comes from, or send us a photo of the print.
How do you make it last longer?
- Change the cleaning parts on time by the machine’s counter, even if the print still looks good.
- Work with the maintenance kit: Ricoh groups the drum-unit parts that wear out together into one kit, and changing them together is safer than changing them one by one.
- Store paper properly: in a dry place and in its wrapper until you use it.
- Keep the room clean and air-conditioned.
- Do not leave the drum in the light: its surface is light-sensitive, so if you take it out of the machine, cover it.
Work out the drum cost per sheet
If you know the price of the drum and its life in sheets, you can work out each sheet’s share of its cost and add it to the toner cost. Ask us and we will do the full calculation with you: toner, spare parts, power and paper, on your own numbers.
And if you are not sure of the drum number for your machine, send a photo of the old drum’s label on WhatsApp and we will match it for you.
