SAN LUIS OBISPO — Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (EFI), the Silicon Valley-based leader in digital imaging technology, donated a Fiery digital front end (DFE) that will allow students in the student-run printing company, University Graphic Systems, to print specialty gold and silver inks. The new Fiery DFE, which has a market value of $85,000, will be used in conjunction with the department’s Xerox Color 1000i Press donated by Xerox. 

Department Chair Ken Macro said, “Because this is newer technology, coupled with student ingenuity, new markets will be discovered and printed material will be easily illuminated, making it even more relevant in today’s marketplace.” Macro hopes to have the system fully operational by this fall.

Gayle Schaeffer, director of product and channel marketing of the EFI Fiery Business Unit and the liaison between EFI and Cal Poly, said, “We are pleased to support students preparing for careers in graphic communications. The use of the EFI Fiery DFE with a Xerox Color 1000i Press makes it easy for users to apply specialty dry inks, with automatic identification of job elements such as text, images, graphics and spot colors.

“Other standard Fiery features such as Fiery Impose and the Fiery Graphic Arts Package, Premium Edition, automate job preparation and ensure job accuracy prior to printing,” Schaeffer added. “By using Fiery software, students can gain valuable experience to prepare them for future roles in the industry.”

For more than 11 years, EFI has been a member of the Cal Poly Graphic Communication Advisory Board. The company has and continues to support the department with monetary contributions as well as various software and hardware donations.