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Making its debut in Frankfurt was MAN Roland's new packaging press, the Roland 500. A two- to eight-colour configuration with coater, capable of printing substrates up to 1mm thick. Although it is primarily intended to print board, it uses what is described as flat cylinder geometry which comprises double diameter impression cylinders and double-diameter transfer drums, flat pregripper, flat delivery track and optimal sheet transfer to the delivery area.MAN claims that the maximum sheet size is the largest in its 590x740mm category, and that the cylinder geometry is optimised so that even the maximum sheet length is fully printed before it is passed to the transferer and onto the next printing unit. With a maximum speed of 18,000cph, the Roland 500 also claims to be the fastest in its category, with the entire infeed area, from the feeder, through the pregripper, cylinder grippers and the entire delivery area, all designed for this higher speed.Print quality is also claimed to be better with a newly designed inking and dampening unit. Some of the technical features which have been enhanced include: optimisation of the roller geometry and roller bearings; a new ink distribution concept; delta effect linking in with oscillating water fountain roller; cocking between water fountain roller and metering roller; and the incorporation of bridge and tandem rollers.In addition, MAN describes a new operating philosophy developed around people. Operating functions are clearly identified, additional operating information can be called up via displays and the entire symbolic system is new. Also zero setting of the ink slides takes place automatically.Chairman Gerd Finkbeiner says: "We believe that the Roland 500 meets the packaging markets, requirements precisely. It can produce both upmarket and exclusive perfume packages as well as their mass market counterparts. It thus supplements our Roland 300 series, which we see more as an option for general commercial printers. Together with the Roland 200, now modified as a unit press, we are now looking good in the half size sector as well."Mr Finkbeiner was joined by Klemens Kemmerer responsible for the development of the new Roland 200. He says: "The R200 is a newly designed press, having nothing in common with the original R200. As in our other press series, the basis is now a unit-type design and no longer a five-cylinder concept. It is now 520x740mm and comes in two- and four-colour versions."He says that the R200's target customers are small print shops whose main requirements are compact design, flexibility and basic automation. "In order to fill these requirements, we combined the mechanical technology from our other series with a completely new digital press control concept. The fundamental principles of the press are double size impression cylinders in conjunction with contact free cylinders."Automation features as standard include, RCI remote ink control, remote register control, thickness setting, an ink flow program and job card for ink profile and data.