News from industry

Computer readout systems are the heart of new laser printers introduced recently by the Xerox Corporation and the Eastman Kodak Company, Both systems offer the advantage of being able to store the information necessary to print business forms or other material so that inventories of such forms are not necessary. The Xerox 9700 electronic printing system uses standard 8½- by 11-inch paper and prints two pages a second, up to 18 000 lines per minute, depending on type size and format. Operating from magnetic tape or directly from a computer, the system creates images electronically and utilizes a laser scanner to project images of both the form being used and its contents for simultaneous printing. To be available in the third quarter of 1978, a basic system will rent for $5300 a month on a one-year lease or may be purchased for $295 000, The Kodak system takes computer information and deposits it on 16-mm microfilm or 105-mm microfiche film rolls, which are processed dry by being passed over a heated drum for 5 seconds. A laser is used to expose the film. The Komstar 300 sells for $143 225 and will be marketed this year in selected U.S. cities, with nationwide distribution in 1978.