DÜSSELDORF, Germany, May 5, 2004 – Xerox Corporation is again setting the standard for productivity in professional print operations with the Xerox FreeFlow Scanner 665, a 65-ppm high-speed scanner that automatically produces professional-quality images previously achievable only with manual image editing. “The only reason to edit the images this scanner produces is to introduce special effects,” said Mike Kucharski, vice president, workflow business team, Xerox Production Systems Group. “Even on the most complex documents, a single press of the green button initiates the Xerox FreeFlow Scanner 665 and the automated enhancements that deliver professional-quality images.” The new scanner virtually eliminates all pre-press activities related to image quality. Other production scan methods require print operators to preview each page for halftones and line art, and to explicitly define those areas before scanning for appropriate image processing. With the automatic image quality enhancements on the FreeFlow Scanner 665, operators simply load the pages to be scanned into the document handler and press the scan button, dramatically decreasing the time involved in prepress operations. The FreeFlow Scanner 665’s breakthrough technology is achieved with the same high-speed, Xerox-developed digital image-processing chip used in digital production integrated scanners. However, while these integrated scanners use two chips, the FreeFlow Scanner 665 employs five, providing the power needed for the scanner’s auto segmentation feature to first inspect and then validate and correct the scanned image content, at production speed. The validation step – an industry first – ensures superior recognition of different image types, such as halftones, continuous tones and text. Targeted at commercial and quick-print businesses, corporate reprographic centers and other professional printing operations, the FreeFlow Scanner 665 scans documents at 600 x 600 dots-per-inch optical resolution. Where higher image resolution is required, the scanner has the ability to output 1200 x 1200 dpi. It complies with most industry standards for easy integration into open digital workflow systems. The FreeFlow Scanner 665 is a stand-alone product that gives print professionals the flexibility to locate the scanning operation away from the production shop floor. For high productivity, the FreeFlow Scanner 665’s automatic duplex document handler holds as many as 100 sheets ranging in size from 5.5” x 8.27” to 11.7” x 17” for automatic feeding. Larger page quantities are easily accommodated through a software interface. A wide range of media can be fed reliably, in weights ranging from 13 lbs. to 32 lbs. Documents as large as 12” x 18” can be scanned on the glass. The FreeFlow Scanner 665 will be available worldwide in June through the Xerox direct sales force, Xerox dealers and concessionaires. U.S. pricing is $25,000.