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The Océ CPS800 recently installed at Cambridge Printers uses the new second generation colour engine and Océs own patented and developed technologies: Océ Direct Imaging and Océ Color Copy Press. In combination with other Océ technologies, the Océ CPS systems are extremely productive and ensure consistent reproduction of colour documents.

Océ Direct Imaging uses a unique, opaque toner with seven colours to create a full colour image. The colours used are Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. Each of these colours is placed side by side using a Direct Imaging drum to an Intermediate drum. By placing the toner particles side by side a monolayer toner is created. A monolayer is more stable for colour reproduction since there is no interaction between the individual layers. A monolayer is an additional benefit to finishing and creates more of an offset look and feel. Traditionally, only four colours are used in order to create a full colour image. The transparent process colours are placed on top of each other. For example: red is created by placing magenta on top of yellow, blue by placing magenta on cyan and green by placing cyan on yellow. Using Direct Imaging, placing the colours side by side, the traditional colour reproduction cannot be used for producing the three secondary colours - red, green and blue. Therefore, these three extra colours are used.

Océ Direct Imaging is a process that uses magnetism and voltage instead of the less stable electrostatic process. Light, humidity and temperature easily influence the electrostatic charge and will vary in normal production environments. Therefore calibration is unavoidable to reproduce consistent colours using electrophotography. The Direct Imaging drum contains 7,500 individual tracks (600 per inch), each one can be separately addressed. Océ Direct Imaging uses a mono-component iron based toner. The toner particles are placed on the Imaging drum and then removed by a strong magnet. When a voltage is placed on one of the tracks, the force of the magnet is overruled and the toner is transported to the intermediate, a glass drum with a rubber coating. Using this method, the toner is accurately placed side by side on this intermediate without variation.

After creating the complete full colour image on the intermediate drum, the toner image is pressed into the media using patented Océ Colour Copy Press technology. This uses pressure and a temperature of about 90 ¼C/195 ¼F. This is less than half the temperature normally needed to fuse electro-photographic toner. This process is engineered in such a way that the engine will run at a constant speed for all types of media. Some of the other benefits of this unique and proven Océ technology are:

• The monolayer image on paper has a less shiny and layered impression: a better offset look and feel
  
• Special media like embossed papers can be printed because the toner is pressed into the media.
  
• Cheaper plain papers (non-coated or glazed paper) can be used because the process is not sensitive to dust and fibres.
  
• Easy finishing, folding, creasing, cutting and binding: the thin toner layer will not break or flake and may be laminated.
  

The toner in a Océ CPS system is brought to the paper instead of the traditional method of bringing the paper to the toner. Paper jams are therefore virtually eliminated by this process. This technique is already proven and used in several other Océ machines. All the media is processed directly from the media trays. The machine uses single process duplex printing without loss of speed, regardless of media type or finishing option.

The unique colour technologies combined in the Océ Colour Production Systems distinguishes it from electro-photography. The Océ CPS output quality is a closer match to offset lithography, reproduction of colours are stable without intervention and it is solidly built for high volume usage. The combination of controller, engine and user interface makes it a highly productive and easy to use production solution.