CHICAGO -- Canon U.S.A., Inc. and EFI, the world leader in digital print servers, superwide format printers and inks, and print management solutions, today announced the Fiery-driven Canon imagePRESS A3000 and imagePRESS A2000 servers designed for the new 70 pages per minute Canon imagePRESS(TM) C7000VP digital color press. The new Fiery-driven Canon servers deliver precision color, consistent high quality output, powerful variable data printing capabilities, seamless integration with EFI's web-to-print, proofing, workflow and Print MIS solutions, and connectivity to all popular pre-press applications -- to meet the requirements of Canon imagePRESS(TM) C7000VP customers in the commercial print, print for pay, and creative graphic arts markets. The imagePRESS A3000 optimizes the Canon imagePRESS C7000VP for mission-critical, "extreme" print production while the scaleable imagePRESS A2000 is ideal for customers whose needs are likely to change over time. These new Fiery-based servers designed for the Canon imagePRESS C7000VP are integral to the EFI-Canon strategic alliance announced at Graph Expo. "With an incredibly strong combination of high quality, speed and ROI, our new imagePRESS C7000VP production color printer driven by the new Fiery-based digital Canon servers complement offset printing environments," said Sam Yoshida, director and general manager, Product Marketing, Imaging Systems Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc. "imagePRESS digital press technology is one of the most anticipated breakthroughs in recent Canon history, and EFI is a part of that. We believe that customers will be pleased with the increased productivity and the opportunity to generate higher profitability." With the Fiery open platform and compliance with industry standards such JDF, PDF, and PPML, either of the new servers seamlessly integrate into Canon customers' overall print shop operations, including offset/digital hybrid environments and third-party graphic arts workflows, including Computer-to-Plate (CTP) environments. The new servers feature connectivity to EFI products such as: Digital StoreFront(TM) for job submission over the web; EFI Balance(TM), EFI's production color and B&W production management and sophisticated make-ready solution; and EFI Print MIS solutions for optimal print shop management. The Canon imagePRESS A3000 is based on EFI's highest server class, the Fiery Q Series, and comes standard with EFI's most advanced production tools to optimize the imagePRESS A3000's power and eliminate labor-intensive activities. This extremely high-performance system provides Canon imagePRESS C7000VP customers with optimal solutions to continually accelerate productivity while conserving resources, especially engine and operator time. The Canon imagePRESS A3000 includes the Production Printing Package, a set of advanced production management tools that helps customers achieve the fastest output from the Canon imagePRESS C7000VP in extreme print production; and the Graphic Arts Package, Premium Edition, which immediately integrates into high-end workflow systems and enables Graphic Arts professionals to produce premium quality color from the Canon imagePRESS C7000VP. imagePRESS A2000 customers can scale up to address changes in their business, and customize their Fiery-based server by purchasing optional packages. When combined with the optional Graphic Arts Package, Premium Edition, the imagePRESS A2000 becomes an optimal tool for graphic arts professionals. When combined with the Production Printing Package, imagePRESS A2000 shortens turnaround times and makes it possible to meet the most demanding requirements in the high-volume production environments. The Fiery-based Canon imagePRESS A3000 and imagePRESS A2000 servers both feature workflow innovation and professional tools, including: the fastest, most open variable data printing solution and WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) imposition. Additional highlights of both the Fiery-driven Canon imagePRESS A3000 and the imagePRESS A2000 include: Performance Among the server features that enhance Canon imagePRESS C7000VP performance are: - Fiery Smart RIP, new software architecture that combines intelligent processing with the efficient utilization of the Canon imagePRESS C7000VP. Fiery Smart RIP significantly accelerates RIPping performance, enabling the fastest possible processing speeds on the Canon imagePRESS C7000VP. - Continuous Print: Enables processed pages to be stored in memory before printing, eliminating the need for the copier or printer to cycle down between unique pages. - RIP-While-Print: Allows one page to be printed, while subsequent pages are simultaneously processed. - Rip 1 While Print 2 enables simultaneous two-job execution. Canon imagePRESS A3000 starts RIPping a new file while the previous file is printing. - ECT Compression: The next generation of highly optimized software and video hardware that delivers both outstanding image quality and high performance. The Fiery-driven Canon servers also make the Canon imagePRESS C7000VP a high-performance VDP solution, enabling Canon customers to readily take advantage of potentially lucrative personalized printing business opportunities. Including such VDP languages as Fiery FreeForm(TM), industry standard PPML, and a host of legacy proprietary languages, the Canon imagePRESS A3000 smoothly integrates into existing workflows and ensures consistency regardless of whether the job is VDP or non-VDP. High Quality Color Output Built-in color management tools give consistent and superior output, proprietary compression schemes, true Adobe PostScript 3, and professional toolsets. The Fiery-driven Canon servers feature: - Fiery ColorWise, the EFI in-RIP color management system, which delivers consistent color across applications, computer platforms, color spaces, and color file formats, enabling Canon imagePRESS C7000VP customers to readily achieve undeviating, professional-level color. ColorWise includes automated functionality and expert controls for managing color, productivity and automating color document workflow. - Graphic Arts Package, Premium Edition (standard on the Canon imagePRESS A3000, optional on the imagePRESS A2000) -- Enabling superior color quality, this suite of premium applications includes: Image Viewer, which offers a fast, accurate soft-proofing interface that zooms to the dot cell level -- Canon imagePRESS C7000VP customers can choose to view the job or export a PDF for easy collaboration; file converters for Hot Folders streamline job submission from other graphic arts workflows; advanced trapping settings; and control bars and post-flight reports for more sophisticated trouble-shooting and controlling output. Connectivity EFI networking technologies allow users to print and manage the Fiery-driven Canon servers from the most popular network environments, such as Windows, Novell, the Macintosh, and UNIX. With standard support for Ethernet networks, this connectivity is in addition to integration with the previously mentioned EFI products and ready connectivity to industry-leading pre-press solutions enabled by EFI's adherence to industry standards. Security From controlling access to the Fiery-driven Canon servers to managing open network ports and securing the data resident on the system's hard drive, the servers feature a flexible configuration and rigorous implementation of security protocols. Immediate Control The new servers' features are designed to remove unnecessary complexity and ensure efficiency. Document building tools, print drivers for a variety of platforms, utilities for remote job management, and a local WYSIWYG interface help customers achieve immediate control of the Canon imagePRESS C7000VP. Advanced Proofing Capabilities The Fiery-driven Canon servers are able to simulate a variety of print technologies on the Canon imagePRESS C7000VP and integrate into many related workflows. "When Canon customers choose a Fiery server, they are empowered with industry-leading color management, consistent high quality output and workflow innovation," said Mehran Farimani, senior vice president and general manager, Fiery Products, EFI. "We believe that the combination of Canon digital color quality in a production engine and Fiery power, its seamless integration with EFI Print MIS solutions and on demand workflow, and connectivity to prepress applications will increase Canon customers' productivity and help them profitability grow their print business."