WEST CALDWELL, N.J., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricoh Americas Corporation and California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) officially opened the Ricoh Digital Printing Laboratory in conjunction with the university's celebration of International Printing Week commemorating Benjamin Franklin, an early pioneer of printing technology. As part of Ricoh's strategic focus on the digital production printing market, the company has partnered with Cal Poly's Graphic Communication Department to benefit students and the industry alike. As the cornerstone of the laboratory, Ricoh donated a fully configured Pro C900S digital color production printing system to the university's Graphic Communication Department, with on-going service donated by IKON, a Ricoh company. The partnership was first announced at Print '09 in September of last year.
The Ricoh Digital Printing Laboratory will provide benefits for students, printing professionals, and the industry as a whole. Students enrolled in Cal Poly's Graphic Communication curriculum are exposed to Ricoh technology via the school's experiential "learn by doing" approach to education. The Pro C900S is also central to Cal Poly's student run and managed printing and publishing company: University Graphic Systems (UGS). This exposure to both digital printing technology, and the business of running a print shop, helps prepare students for industry leadership positions. The Digital Printing Laboratory will also play a role in special student projects, offering research and testing capabilities, such as allowing senior-level students and faculty to provide product evaluations on system performance related to quality, productivity, color management, and substrate and toner handling. Seminars and workshops will also be made available to Ricoh customers, providing the ability to explore emerging trends in digital printing markets and applications.