Düsseldorf, Germany — The ROLAND 500, MAN Roland’s package-ready three-quarter size press, is stepping up its versatility and productivity at drupa with the introduction of several makeready enhancements and new coating options. MAN Roland is demonstrating a six-color 500 with in-line coating as part of the Commercial Printing Factory in PrintCity. The machine is showing off its new QuickStart option, and is debuting Power Plate Loading (PPL) on its coating unit. QuickStart is an optional addition to the 500’s PECOM press operating and automation system. The module enables the press to get its ink fountains up to spec and up to speed without need for full sheet flow. Rather, the operator can select a controlled number of sheets from his console for color checking. The result is a considerable reduction in start-up waste and in wasted time when getting the 500 up to color. Equally dramatic makeready savings will be available to printers who opt for Power Plate Loading on the 500’s coating unit. The innovation condenses one of the most time-consuming makeready tasks to a two-minute procedure. With PPL, the press operator simply positions a coating plate into the unit and pushes the appropriate buttons. Coating forms of different thicknesses can be tensioned by pushbutton control without any manual presetting. The result: in-line coater makereadies are fully automated for the first time. MAN Roland is also premiering a new in-line double coater for the ROLAND 500 in conjunction with drupa at its facility in Geisenheim. The advancement, which is available with PPL, lets the press accommodate the complete range of coating options including UV, aqueous, hybrid and double hits — all in a single pass. A custom combination of IR, hot-air and UV drying technology can be incorporated into the in-line system to further speed the workflow. In a separate development, all new ROLAND 500s are now equipped with an increased diagonal register range on their transferters — the contact-free skeleton transfer components between the impression cylinders on MAN Roland presses. Accessible via remote control, the new +/- 0.4mm range will help speed makereadies, reduce start-up waste and enhance process stability. All printing and coating units will be equipped with the enhancement. Other ROLAND 500 advancements that are being introduced at drupa include a foil substrate option, a video-based sheet flow monitor called InlineObserver, and optional colormetric capabilities with ColorPilot. Available in configurations ranging from two to eight printing units, with or without single or double in-line coating, the ROLAND 500 can produce at the rate of 18,000 sheets per hour. Additional details can be obtained at www.manroland.com or at 1.800.268.4673.