Workflow and integration

A clear trend exhibited at the IPEX show is the degree of automation of the workflow and the degree of integration between different systems. The mark is the appearance of the JDF format (job definition format), which can create a standard format for different products from many vendors to combine these systems. It connects commercial transaction systems with prepress workflows to printing presses and bookbinding systems, greatly improving production efficiency, reducing man-made operations and interventions, and more importantly, making transaction processes faster and more efficient. The best product in this area is Prinect's solution in Heidelberg, which is the core of the entire workflow. With Prinect, the data in the Prinance MIS system can be connected via DataControl to the operating system of the press and its Jetbase (job archive database). At the exhibition, you can also see Synopse, the main integrated solution from Creo, and Delano from Agfa, which can all connect solutions from various suppliers. Vendors of MIS (Management Information System) products are particularly active in this area, from which they have obtained better benefits. PrintCafe, OCSL and Tharsten etc. are participating in the IPEX exhibition. ScenicSoft is using JDF to integrate Upfront planning software and Preps groupware into the MIS system, and it also establishes connections with Polar and Wohlenberg bookbinding equipment.

In the workflow area, many people regard PDF files as an optional file format for publishing jobs. PDF/X1a is a special requirement for some applications. The limited implementation of PDF high-end publishing has appeared in many cases. One of the most impressive and most impressive ones is the Enfocus booth, where The complete process of receiving, validating, and collating incoming PDF files has been demonstrated.

Looking at the workflow, it is difficult to make a quick assessment of different systems. Some people think that Dalim's Twist (a production toolkit that automates complex workflows, including image conversion modules, Postscript interpretation and trap modules, proofing modules, etc.) sets a standard for high-performance workflows. Each manufacturer's definition of workflow is simplified, but for many people the problem is that the system needs to run under SGI UNIX; in addition, EFI, the world's largest prepress company, is involved in the printing workflow market. At present, they are not satisfied with just driving digital printing. They also hope to further drive the direct plate-making machine market. They also have plans to develop advanced groupware. The workflow of their workflow is very similar to other products, including some of Dalim's methods.

The first company to enter the PDF workflow was Agfa, which launched Apogee. The latest version of Apogee, called Apogee/X, was introduced at IPEX. It has greatly improved the user's interactivity, can be directly connected to the database, and also supports distributed processors. It feels as if Agfa added all the extra points in the Creo Prinergy PDF workflow to Apogee. By the way, the X version indicated does not mean that it supports PDF/X.

For Creo, Prinergy has become an element of the Networked Graphic Production Initiative to use Synapse software to form a complete integrated production method. Through the Synapse link, it can connect with PrintCafe's MIS system to exchange information between the two parties. It can collect information from the Prinergy database to display it, and pass this information to the PrintCafe Hagen OA MIS system through the JDF interface. The Synapse InSite port is connected to the prepress to allow parties to use software to enable online job submission, job status tracking, online collaboration, remote proofing, and approval of jobs to enter Prinergy and Brisque Media. It then generates data for the CTP or CTF system, connects to the print management system, presets the ink data, and can also connect to Creo's Spire server to drive Xerox's digital color presses. This may be the best example of a complete workflow displayed at IPEX.

Conclusion: The development of the printing industry towards more digitization and integration of various elements is an inevitable trend. The digitization of major tasks has greatly improved the development of enterprises and can reduce a large number of operators. This makes the company more competitive and can meet customers' various needs with less cost, faster work cycle and higher quality. IPEX shows us that in the near future, the printing industry will regain confidence and enter a new wave of investment. There is no doubt that the non-digital concept that plays a leading role is none other than.