Aurora, Ontario — AIIM, a full-service commercial printer and information management resource, is adding 10-color one-pass printing and 5/5 perfecting to its repertoire of advanced communications services with the purchase of a new 41-inch ROLAND 700 perfector. “This 10-color press is going to open a lot of doors with new clients,” says Frank Giorgio, President of AIIM. “And it’s going to enhance what we can offer our existing customers. I believe our client base definitely will increase, thanks to the added capabilities the MAN Roland will give us.” AIIM conducted an extensive technology search and review before selecting the latest addition to its pressroom. “What sets the ROLAND 700 apart from the other 40-inch presses is its PECOM operating and automation system,” Giorgio observes. “PECOM ties in nicely with our Printcafe MIS so we can fully benefit from all the advantages of Computer Integrated Manufacturing.” The company included the advanced management module PressMonitor in its PECOM package. The PC-based informant delivers both real time and archival performance statistics on such variables as paper stock, press crew effectiveness and job types. “Reports from the computer will tell us exactly what the press was doing and when each action occurred,” Giorgio says. “That level of information is very beneficial to us when it comes to managing our pressroom.” The Toronto-area printer runs a PDF workflow and features computer-to-plate capabilities in prepress. “AIIM has not only adopted PDF as its leading file transmission method and most complete prepress-to-press workflow model,” the company states, “we provide customers with the education needed to create fail safe printable PDF files to improve their workflow.” The Computer Integrated Manufacturing capabilities of the new ROLAND 700 will extend that workflow right into the AIIM pressroom. “With PECOM JobPilot and our Printcafe MIS system, the press operator just has to key in the docket number for the job and the automation handles all the settings,” Giorgio says. “After the job is completed, the machine will tell us the time it took to complete each aspect of the run and let us know when, where, and if there’s a problem that needs to be handled.” A digitally controlled roll-to-sheet feeder will be integrated into AIIM’s workflow. “The sheeter allows us a better yield out of the paper for each job by sheeting at the most economical size,” Giorgio notes. “It will definitely make us more competitive than we already are in the marketplace.” The ROLAND 700’s perfecting efficiencies will also give AIIM the upper hand. “That will be especially important on longer runs,” Giorgio observes. “We’ll be able to handle up to 4/4 and 5/5 work in a single pass.” When used in conjunction with the in-line sheeter, the press’s perfecting feature will equip AIIM to utilize web grade paper to provide additional savings for its customers. “It’s a lot easier to print on lighter weight stock when you can do it in one pass,” Giorgio points out. The roll-to-sheet feeder, which like all aspects of the press is controlled by the PECOM operating system, provides another advantage over half web set-ups. By enabling AIIM to cut each sheet to the precise measurements of the job at hand, the press will perfectly accommodate even the odd-sized pieces direct mail agencies typically create to attract attention. In conjunction with its 700 installation, AIIM will be among the first graphic arts facilities in Canada to take advantage of MAN Roland’s new Uptime MAX service program. It covers all the emergency service and maintenance on any new Roland press, including labor and parts. “They are totally responsible for the machine,” Giorgio explains. “That’s a feature that we really like because it allows our people to do what they do best — produce high quality printing — without having to worry about the nuts and bolts. We get guaranteed reliability with Uptime.” With a 20-year legacy in the graphics and printing industry, AIIM promotes its ability to provide end-to-end print production, information management, production workflow services and fulfillment. In fact, its name is an acronym for Avant Imaging & Information Management. The company delivers what it calls “multi-level printing solutions” to a variety of industries, including financial services, insurance, high-tech, chemical, pharmaceutical, packaged goods and institutional industry sectors.