"It uses the same design principles as the R700, so it's a proven system," said MAN Roland GB director of finishing and sheetfed sales Gary Doman.

The InlinePerfector press uses a single-drum sheet-turning device and will have semi-automatic plate changing and fully automatic perfecting changeover as standard. It offers 15,000sph in perfecting mode and 16,000 straight and can handle stock from 60-600 microns.

The R500, which is configurable from two to 10 units, uses the firm's third-generation OptiPrint jackets on the impression cylinders downsteam of the perfecting unit.

The convertible perfecting R500 will be officially launched at Ipex in April, and begin shipping around the same time. Printers will be able to have a "sneak preview" of the machine at an open house event in Munich in late January.

The perfecting R500 will be produced at the firms Offenbach facility, which is also producing the entry-level R500, launched in April.

Pricing for the perfector is yet to be revealed, but Doman said it would be "very competitive".