Cal Poly Reaps Educational Gifts from HP, Esko

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA—Through a partnership with HP and Esko, Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department has installed new equipment that will give students hands-on experience integrating the technologies of digital printing and commercial printing and packaging. HP donated an HP Indigo ws4000 series web digital press valued at $188,000 and Esko provided a Kongsberg iCut variable data diecutting system worth $179,000.

These additions will be used by graphic communication students in advanced digital printing classes and by professionals attending industry seminars and workshops conducted by the Graphic Communication Institute at Cal Poly. The workflow resulting from the two systems allows press runs of one or multiple copies and moves the pieces to the iCut for variable diecutting of individual or multiple final products.

Cal Poly graphic communication Professor Malcolm Keif and Department Head Harvey Levenson led the effort to bring this digital web press and diecutting workflow together.