Primera Technology Inc, Plymouth, Minn, has released its robotic-based auto-loading version of the Signature cassette printer, model SCP-R. The printer is designed for use in pathology and histology labs to print high-resolution text, graphics, and bar codes directly onto tissue cassettes. The unit uses thermal-transfer ink ribbons rather than solvent inkjet or laser ablation. As a result, printing is virtually silent and requires no proprietary cassettes, fume removal systems, or ink tanks. Model SCP-R is a fully robotic system that is equipped with four separate hoppers, each with 40 cassettes, for a total capacity of 160 cassettes. It does not rely upon gravity to feed cassettes into the printer. Instead, a robotic arm positively picks each cassette from the top of the desired stack and places it into the printer. The unit is capable of printing color on white cassettes. After printing, cassettes are deposited onto an output rack on the front of the printer. Up to 7 cassettes can be placed onto the rack at a time. With the included extension tray, output capacity is increased to 17 cassettes. For more information, visit Primera.