Konica Minolta Launches Entry-Level Colour Production With Bizhub PRO C5500

Published 11th September 2007

Milton Keynes UK, 11 September 2007 - Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd has launched the bizhub PRO C5500 as an entry-level addition to its bizhub PRO range of digital production print systems. With an output speed of 55 prints per minute for A4 colour or black-and-white output, the bizhub PRO C5500 has a compact footprint making highly suitable for CRD (central reprographic departments) or high volume specialised office environments. Although compact, the bizhub PRO C5500 has a robust all-metal construction and is suitable for monthly output volumes of between 30,000 to 60,000 pages.

The innovative bizhub PRO C5500 benefits from several new technological advances for high-quality, high-speed colour print production. SEAD (Screen-Enhancing Active Digital Process) is a unique screening method providing advanced colour processing for improved image quality with considerably smoother backgrounds. In addition Konica Minolta’s ITbit (Image Tag bit) technology produces enhanced halftone printing, showing visible improvements particularly for outlines, reversed and slim text.

Outstanding image quality is also assured with Konica Minolta’s patented Simitri® HD Polymerised Toner using smaller, smoother, more uniformly shaped toner particles for more even distribution, giving significantly better fine line definition, and better solid fills.

Media flexibility is extensive and covers a wide range of substrates, including paper up to 300gsm, coated paper, card and digital offset stock. With a standard paper capacity of up to 1,750 sheets and an optional large-capacity unit giving a maximum 4,250 sheets, the bizhub PRO C5500 is suitable for long print runs and continuous production.

Technical innovation also makes paper processing in the bizhub PRO C5500 fast and ultra-reliable. Air assisted feeding rollers and dehumidification heaters on each paper tray, as well as a double feed detection mechanism ensure paper feed reliability. Both paper and toner can be replenished ‘on the fly’, without the need to stop production on the system.

Konica Minolta bizhub PRO range of systems are designed to meet the print industry’s preferred bleed size for media of SRA3 (320 by 450mm). This allows full size A3 documents with trim marks and A4 booklets to be trimmed to size. The accuracy of the output can be judged by the 0.5mm registration tolerance (per side) for perfecting (duplex) production and sheet-to-sheet.

With an embedded EFI Fiery controller, the bizhub PRO C5500 delivers exceptional print results with quality and efficiency. The IC-408 controller features EFI’s Fiery colour management system providing users with an extensive range of powerful software utilities for high-volume applications, as standard. Designed for high-speed colour printing, the IC-408 Fiery controller offers variable data printing support and a range of security features, ensuring complete data security control, including access to the controller itself.

The bizhub PRO C5500 is available with a variety of flexible finishing options. The optional booklet finisher will automate the production of booklets and brochures, providing in-line half-fold and saddle stitching functionality. Booklets can be made up to 20 sheets thick for a maximum 80 page document. The booklet maker can also be used for multi-position stapling of up to 50 sheets per stapled set.

A post inserter is also available to automate insertion of pre-printed covers into documents printed on the bizhub PRO C5500. Other finishing options include a staple finisher and in-line punching for two or four holes. As the bizhub PRO C5500 staples and punches at the full rated speed of 55ppm there is no loss of speed for producing finished documents. The high throughput means the bizhub PRO C5500 offers productivity for CRDs and specialised high end office users where volume, quality and turn round of work is critical.

For Konica Minolta, Jos Kelly, Head of Production Print said of the bizhub PRO C5500, “This launch extends our range of professional digital systems, offering customers all the benefits of the Konica Minolta colour digital technology at an entry-level price. The bizhub PRO C5500 offers an easy entry into colour print on demand for CRDs and high volume specialised office environments that want to benefit from the flexibility of short run colour output and variable data printing”.

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