FREMONT, Calif. - EFI™ and Konica Minolta Business Solutions (KMBS) U.S.A. Inc., announced the launch of three upgraded digital front ends (DFEs) for the Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS C1060, C1070, C71hc, C1085 and C1100 family of digital presses.

The new, version 2.0 EFI Fiery^® IC-415, IC-308 and IC-310 DFEs give in-plant and commercial print providers exceptional color management capabilities and an expanded range of automated workflow advantages based on EFI's most advanced digital print technology, the Fiery FS150 Pro platform. Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS customers can also use the Fiery IC-308 and IC-310 DFEs to extend their workflow even further by integrating with EFI's industry-leading MIS and web-to-print products.

"KMBS works with best-in-class partners like EFI to ensure our customers have the power, performance and simplicity of operation needed to get the most out of their bizhub PRESS digital print investment," said Kevin Kern, senior vice president, Marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA, Inc. "This new upgrade in EFI Fiery DFEs gives our customers some of the most innovative technologies available for advanced, digital printing workflows."

The three new DFE versions are designed to meet the gamut of users' low-, mid-and high-volume production needs. Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS C1060/C1070/C1070P/C71hc and bizhub PRO C1060L users can gain better, streamlined performance in light-production environments using new, embedded Fiery IC-415 DFEs. The external EFI Fiery IC-308 DFE drives Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS C1060/C1070/C1070P/C71hc/C1085/C1100 engines for light- and mid-volume print operations. It also includes support for Adobe^® PDF Print Engine 3.0, Adobe's latest PDF-native rendering platform, and integrates with EFI MIS and web-to-print systems, as well as with third-party prepress workflow solutions such as Agfa :Apogee™, Kodak™ Prinergy™ and Heidelberg^® Prinect^®.

Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS C1085/C1100 users requiring higher-volume production demands can use the Fiery IC-310 DFE, which also supports the Adobe PDF Print Engine 3.0 and integrates with third-party prepress workflows. Plus, the Fiery IC-310 delivers unique Fiery HyperRIP technology that speeds processing of graphic-intensive and variable-data jobs to minimize data spikes and avoid lost production time. HyperRIP processes individual multi-page jobs faster by splitting pages for parallel RIPing, improving performance by up to 55%.

This DFE is ideally suited for variable-data jobs and high-volume production. To streamline operations in those demanding environments, it also comes with time-saving, advanced make-ready solutions, including:

• EFI Fiery Impose and Compose software for streamlined imposition and document preparation
• EFI Fiery Graphic Arts Package, Premium Edition, a set of professional color management, proofing and control tools that ensure the job is printed correctly the first time.

The DFEs announced today have all the advanced imaging features that made the Fiery platform the first to carry a 100% perfect pass label from VIGC's PDF RIP Audit. They also include many new performance- and image-enhancing features. As a result, users can have more confidence that their output matches the designer's intent on the first print.

"Whether it is to produce higher-value, variable-data communications, produce more work per shift, or boost profitability by integrating digital presses in a plant-wide business management workflow, commercial printers and in-plant production operations are seeking every competitive advantage they can get in digital printing," said John Henze, vice president, Fiery marketing, EFI. "We are helping KMBS customers move ahead in efficiency, capabilities and quality by bringing the EFI Fiery FS150 Pro DFE platform to the bizhub PRESS digital production engines lineup."