South African-based Kemtek Imaging Systems signed after seeing the press in action on Screen's stand.

The TruePress 344 is a second-generation model to the 544, which was launched at the last Drupa. Capable of printing 7,000 A3-plus sheets per hour, the four-colour digital press can produce a 500 sheet single-sided job in less than 15 minutes, with a makeready time of only five minutes between jobs. It can handle stock weights up to 300gsm.

UK sales manager Bui Burke said the TruePress 344 would launch into the UK market in September this year, and already considerable interest from existing 544 and non-544 customers had been seen at the exhibition.

Burke said that one of the eye-catching features of the 344 was the processless plate technology from Konica Minolta.

He said the beauty of it was that the plate is "developed" by the fount solution while on press.

Plates can be imaged to a resolution of 2,400dpi.

Another feature is its Truefit Advance technology, which scans each sixth print to ensure that consistent print quality is maintained with each job. The data is then configured, and where applicable ink and water supply to the plates is adjusted.

Activating a change of job is also simple. The machine operator simply selects the new job, and the automated procedure begins. New plate material is positioned on the cylinders while the blanket cylinders are cleaned, and then all four plates are simultaneously imaged.

The TruePress 344 can work as a network device, and comes with Screen's Trueflow front-end.

Burke said that the 344 would be suitable for existing sheetfed printers and was ideal for anyone printing runs from 500-10,000.

The TruePress 344 will have a price mark of around 250,000.

Story by Andy Scott at Drupa