McCormick Place, Chicago — A six-color ROLAND 500 is testing its competitive powers against real world printing parameters at Graph Expo. The industry’s fastest multicolor press is producing a project designed to delineate the productivity of the press by benchmarking the costs involved in the job rather than the time it takes to do it. The concept is to let the 500 tell its success story in terms of dollars and cents. MAN Roland will use metrics from its exclusive Press Operating Profitability (POP) analysis to set some baseline parameters. it will also incorporate actual bids from printers across the country to set average production numbers. “The idea is to see how the ROLAND 500 can beat real production quotations by the time our presentation ends,” says Eric Belcher, COO of MAN Roland Inc.’s Sheetfed Division. MAN Roland commissioned an independent research group and worked with the NAPL to create POP. It’s based on live performance data collected on the world’s most popular presses. The program cross references those factors with input about a facility — the number of shifts run, coverage requirements, job mix, and run lengths. The result is an objective analysis that tells a printer which press will be the most cost-effective choice for the way he operates. The ROLAND 500 should be well up to its real world challenge at Graph Expo. The press takes the extended 29“ sheetfed format (23.23” x 29.13” or six-up) to the next level of technology and functionality, expanding market opportunities for printers who run it. For starters, the system sets new production standards, running at an industry-leading 18,000 sheets per hour to help half-size printers compete against 40” equipment. The 500 also helps users grow their production and marketing possibilities beyond the traditional limits of half size machines. It can handle substrates up to 1 mm (40pt.) thick. That equips the 500 for areas that range beyond commercial printing. It can tackle carton production, label production, in mold label (IML) production, blister packaging, book production, publication printing, and plastic printing. The press can even print on microflute and corrugated, without options or accessories. For additional production flexibility, the ROLAND 500 offers an in-line Anilox coating system, along with fully integrated drying systems to handle aqueous, UV or combination coatings. All of these enhancements will be demonstrated at Graph Expo. In-line finishing is another option, equipping the 500 to do die cutting and embossing. The ROLAND 500 also delivers the highest level of automation in its class. MAN ’s PECOM automation and operating system equips the press for networked printing, meaning it can be linked to prepress, postpress and MIS systems to facilitate Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM). Its 3/4 automatic Power Plate Loading (PPL) system further streamlines make-readies beyond the tradition of a simple pneumatic plate clamp. Among its other achievements, the ROLAND 500 sets new standards for print quality. It brings to the half size format all of the integrated quality control features that are normally only available on 40” presses, helping 500 users to compete head to head with larger machines. A new 16-roller ink train was designed just for this press line. It reacts quickly to color adjustments and its quality control functions can be activated from the PECOM console or remotely. In fact, the ROLAND 500’s new generation inking/dampening units provide 100% automation of all inking and quality control functions. Fully integrated computer controlled inking is an option, provided by PrepressLink, which utilizes the CIP-4 protocol PPF to set ink zones from prepress data. Standard features on the ROLAND 500’s printing units include: • Remote and zero setting of RCI Linear ink slides. • Automatic ink train separation during a press stop • Programmable ductor cycle • Remote ink train re-direction • Reversing ink fountain roller timing • Speed compensated inking via the ductor sweep • Direct Delta dampening • Automatic resetting of rear plateclamp after a fan-out correction is made The fast reacting inking units can also be equipped with an optional Quickstart program, which further reduces the interval between runs while reducing start-up waste. To achieve high speeds and stock flexibility the ROLAND 500 features a linear sheet path. The infeed drum, all impression cylinders, mark-free transferters and even the delivery drum are positioned in a straight line. We have in effect eliminated the old pear shape sheet transfer. This is important for all stock types, because it reduces sheet travel problems that result in marking or the need to run at lower production speed. The paper path is further refined with an integrated Air Track system that helps ensure no wet side contact all the way through to the new generation AirGlide delivery which takes the sheet to the delivery stack along a gentle curve – eliminating the traditional goose neck delivery. The ROLAND 500 can be configured with 2 to 8 printing units, with or without in-line coating. More information can be obtained by calling 630.920.2000 or visiting www.manroland.com.