ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. - Advanced automation and processless plate technology are two unique features that Screen (USA) will emphasize when it demonstrates the four-color TruePress 344 digital offset press at On Demand Expo. The TruePress 344 is a new generation of direct imaging (DI) press, incorporating innovative technologies in chemistry-free plates and high-speed laser imaging. It expands the range of tools that printers with vastly different capabilities have at their disposal to print premium-quality, short-run jobs in full color. Offset color printing The TruePress 344 has a maximum sheet size of 13.4 x 18.5 inches and a maximum imaging area of 13 x 18.1 inches. The press utilizes high-speed 830 nm multi-array laser diode (MALD) imaging technology to expose processless plates. With a top printing speed of 7,000 sheets per hour, it makes short work of everything from simple business cards and envelopes to four-color postcards, flyers, brochures and posters. The black plate is easily replaced to accommodate variable text needs, while ensuring accurate registration and fit. The TruePress 344 employs the conventional offset process, complete with traditional dampening system, wet offset inks and paper stock. Plates can be imaged at 2,400 dpi resolution using screen rulings up to 175 lpi. In addition, the Spekta 2 screening method enables printers to enjoy the benefits of AM/FM hybrid screening in their digital printing solution. Wide appeal The TruePress 344 is designed so one operator can manage the entire operation from workflow to printing. The low cost of printing on a wide range of substrates increases the profit margin per job. The TruePress 344 brings offset quality to instant print shops and allows instant printers to expand beyond toner-based digital technologies. For smaller print companies currently offering one-color and two-color printing, it provides an affordable entry into four-color work. On-demand printers needn't sacrifice print quality or substrate flexibility. In-plants benefit from low maintenance, ease of use and limited training requirements. Adding the TruePress 344 can enable large-format commercial printers to fulfill the gamut of work available from their customers, even 100- to 5,000-sheet runs, cost-effectively. Full automation In just over five minutes, the press is ready to start the next job. To activate a job changeover, the operator simply selects the new job at the central control console. The rest of the procedure is automated. New plate material is positioned on the cylinders while the blanket cylinders are being cleaned. All four plates are imaged simultaneously. Within a few revolutions of the press, the dampening solution removes the unexposed emulsion from the plate and the press is ready to print. The operator can recall and select preset data for the next job while the press has started imaging the plates for the current job. Enhanced quality control An automated print quality control system - TrueFit Advance - provides real-time analysis and feedback of the ink-water balance during printing. TrueFit Advance measures ink densities and dampening solution levels on every sixth sheet as it comes out of the TruePress. Current density readings are compared to target levels. Adjustments for deviations from the original calibration occur immediately. The press maintains a consistent ink-water balance throughout the print run. Optimum print quality is reached within 30 to 50 sheets, reducing materials waste. Inline dryer option Ever-shorter deadlines increase the demands on the production process. The need to print on the reverse side of the sheet or pass the print job immediately into the finishing department means that sheets must be dry soon after printing. Screen offers an optional inline infrared dryer capable of accelerating the drying time. Front-End workflow independence Trueflow Rite TP, the entry-level workflow management system developed for the TruePress 344, connects directly to the press. Trueflow Rite TP contains features that have been developed to prepare files and related information to create output files to guarantee the best performance from the press. The press accepts 1-bit TIFFs as input data, and also works with any RIP system that outputs 1-bit TIFFs. Screen (USA) will demonstrate the TruePress 344 in booth #3200 at On Demand Expo, May 16-18 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.