Cost reduction and time savings are two important arguments in favor of an inline color control system such as the new InlineColorPilot from MAN Roland. Better print quality reduces substrate waste and increases the ecological efficiency of handling substrates. Printers save time because they no longer need to pull sheets from the delivery for color control by an offline system.

　　As a further example of MAN Roland’s Value Added Printing philosophy that also includes integrated color management, InlineColorPilot brings sustained improvements to production efficiency and product quality. With large-format presses, InlineColorPilot ensures continuous quality control and on-the-run corrections, process reliability during the entire production run, and a operator-independent quality monitoring process.

　　More quality, less makeready time

　　Especially for the operators of large-format sheetfed presses, regular pulling of sheets from the delivery for color control by an offline system is very time-consuming. In order not to prejudice the stacking function, the sheets of paper or cardboard up to 1.85 meters wide must be pulled with considerable skill and sometimes also strength and laid on the measuring desk. In the case of presses equipped with the InlineSlitter that slits the sheets in half, the time and effort required is doubled. The InlineColorPilot measures and regulates ink density in the press during production so pulling sheets for color control purposes is no longer necessary. Advantages are a uniform color quality over the entire run, virtually complete documentation of the run, much less strain on the operators who can pay more attention to other tasks. InlineColorPilot is installed behind the impression cylinder of the last printing unit. Depending on press width, up to 15 sensors firmly mounted in a complete system record the values measured from the sheet lying on the impression cylinder at that moment. The system can measure and regulate up to seven printing inks. InlineColorPilot measures all zones at once and for the first measurement only needs three consecutively printed sheets. The first automatic regulation is made after only 40 sheets. In a networked printing plant, presettings and evaluations of the print run can be carried out at any place within the network. As an option, InlineColorPilot can be equipped with okBalance® color control from System Brunner, focusing on gray balance.

（At the upcoming drupa 2008, InlineColorPilot on a large-format press will be demonstrated to a wide audience for the first time）