Ricoh Gen4 vs. Gen5 vs. Gen6 Printheads: Compatible Printers & Replacement Guide

Ricoh printheads (MH2420, MH5420, MH5320, GH2220) run inside a wide range of branded UV industrial printers — most buyers don't realize their "Agfa" or "Docan" machine is actually running a Ricoh-manufactured head under the hood. All three generations are still in active service, so confirming which one your machine uses is the first step before ordering.

Ricoh printhead generations at a glance

Gen4 (MH2420): the legacy workhorse

The Gen4 MH2420 is a grayscale head supporting variable drop volumes from 7pl (binary) up to 35pl, with 384 nozzles and a jetting frequency up to 30kHz. It's still the correct replacement for older industrial UV machines built around this generation — don't assume newer means compatible, since Gen5 and Gen6 use a different carriage footprint and driver board.

Gen5 (MH5420): the current standard

The MH5420 is the head most shops are ordering today. It's a 1,280-nozzle, 4-color UV/solvent head found in Agfa Jeti Mira and Jeti Titan, CET Color Q5, Handtop HT-series, Akai Novajet, and Docan UV printers. It ships in multiple cable lengths (commonly 248mm and 500mm) — the cable length must match your specific machine, so confirm this before ordering since it isn't interchangeable.

Gen6 (MH5320): what's actually new

Gen6 is the newest generation, found in Hollanders Colorbooster and other newer industrial flatbeds. Both Gen5 and Gen6 are 1,280-nozzle, 600dpi heads, but Gen6 runs a 5pl droplet at up to 50kHz — roughly double the jetting frequency ceiling of Gen5 — and is rated for around twice the service life. If you're specifying a new machine or a major refit, Gen6 compatibility is worth checking for, but you cannot retrofit a Gen6 head into a Gen5-designed carriage.

GH2220: the compact option

The GH2220 is a smaller, 384-nozzle UV head used in more compact machines — Oric, WER, Winjet, Yuxunda, Xante X32, and the Ricoh DTG Ri1000x/Ri2000. It's a different form factor from the MH-series entirely, not a smaller version of the Gen4/5/6 line.

Confirming compatibility before you order

Because Ricoh heads are used under so many different printer brand names, the printer nameplate alone won't tell you which generation you need — the safest path is checking your existing head's part number directly, or contacting us with your printer model. Once installed, none of these heads can be returned, so getting the generation and cable length right up front matters more here than on most parts.

Related reading

For the maintenance side of keeping any of these heads running longer between replacements, see our dampers, capping stations & wiper blades guide and OEM vs. generic parts breakdown — both apply directly to industrial UV machines running Ricoh heads.

FAQ

Can a Gen6 head replace a failed Gen5 head? Not as a direct swap — Gen6 uses different drive electronics. Some machines support a Gen6 upgrade path, but this depends on the printer manufacturer, not just the head.

Why does my Gen5 head need a specific cable length? The cable length is matched to the carriage design of your specific printer model. A wrong-length cable either won't reach the connector or will strain the carriage during travel.

Is the GH2220 a budget version of the MH-series? No — it's a different head architecture built for a different class of compact machines, not a lower-spec version of Gen4/5/6.