The biggest TAFE in Victoria bought a Canon imagePRESSC1 to enable its students to work with print quality output in a variety of applications
Holmesglen is the largest TAFE Institute in Victoria, and one of Australia’s most accomplished providers of vocational education and training. Each year, Holmesglen TAFE delivers more than 600 courses, running across 11 different study areas. The Institute annually attracts in excess of 50,000 enrolments, including nearly 4,000 international students. Holmesglen TAFE specialises in many different areas of interest, including Graphic Art & Design. The Graphic Art & Design department runs four different courses and has approximately 140 students enrolled in the programme.The Department Graphic Art & Design comprises of 88 computers, located across four different studios. The students print all of their work on the one Multi-function Device (MFD), which is being used from the early hours of the morning to late evening. Until recently purchasing a Canon imagePRESS C1, the department had leased MFDs for five years.
“We had used the same vendor for the last five years, and we thought it was a time for a change,” said Jenny Horwill, Graphic Art & Design Department program co-ordinator.
Horwill stated that TAFE recently received additional funding and could now afford to buy a new MFD, instead of leasing. The MFD of choice would need to be highly efficient while producing professional quality prints, in line with industry standards in the design profession. It was important to simulate these in the classroom.
When deciding which printer to purchase, TAFE was presented with a variety of machines from a range of vendors before settling on Canon. Canon's new imagePRESS C1 is built to offer uncompromising quality and an output speed of 14 pages per minute (ppm) in colour and up to 60ppm in black and white. The A3-capable imagePRESS C1 engine is ideal for multi-page proofing of multiple page print jobs in a busy work environment.
“The Canon MFD had far more features and we felt that if we bought the C1, it would see us through the next five or six years,” said Horwill. “Whereas with the other brands, we would have ended up with something marginally better than what we already had. So for us, the imagePRESS C1 had many more useful features, and was the most
logical choice.”
Another factor that influenced the buying decision was the image-PRESS C1’s media-handling capabilities. Students are able to adjust colour and use the technical tools available to create a wide range of outputs. The machine can be calibrated to create specific outputs and to ensure quality.
“The imagePRESS C1 allows students to use paper of up to 300gsm, along with textured, transparent paper. The imagePRESS C1 can easily convert these into folded brochures, packages, posters and business cards,” said Horwill.
Another major factor that influenced Horwill was Canon's ability to match a solution with the TAFE's everyday needs. When the TAFE staff went out to test printers, other vendors asked that the testing samples were sent prior to the demonstration.
This gave them time to correct any colour or size issues so that there would be no problems in the live demonstration.
“When we took problematic student files and fed them as we would in our normal work environment, Canon was the only vendor that was happy for us to do that,” she said.
“They also provided us with advice and expertise on how to combat difficult situations, and this was most valuable to us.”
To compliment this, Horwill stated that once they had purchased the imagePRESS C1, the whole installation was problem-free.
“The Canon representatives came and installed it on a Friday, and by the Monday morning we were running as per usual,” said Horwill. Students are also now getting a far more professional experience due to the technical advantages of the imagePRESS C1. The experience gained on the imagePRESS C1 is helping prepare students for productive careers in graphic arts.
“Students are using a photo spec-trometer, which calibrates with the machine so that students can check Pantone colours,” Horwill said. “Being able to perform tasks like this gives the students an insight into how to apply pre-press and colour management as in a professional environment.”
