Next generation networking technology interpretation (on)

Let us imagine that when the customer sends the manuscript to the printing factory via the Internet, the printing plant's management information system (MIS) begins processing, and at the same time, he or she sends a notice to the customer service personnel and the prepress department, and automatically fills in the job manuscript. According to the data on the job order, the ink keys on the press are automatically preset. Postpress, packaging, and shipping can also be automated for similar preset work. There is no need to re-enter data throughout the workflow. At the same time, the printing plant's MIS system collects statistics from the production, such as the material and time consumption of the job. Based on these data, an accurate list can be made. What kind of consumables are lacking in the printing plant is very well known, and the operating efficiency of the factory is fully understood.

The key to this utopia lies in the core of the networking (networking) of the printing industry: all devices in the factory can “communicate” with each other. Due to the rapid development of technology, part of this ideal networked printing has become a reality. The MIS on the market can be automatically dispatched; the press has been able to automatically pre-set the ink key for each job; the post-press system can automatically process based on job parameters in the original.

Now, equipment manufacturers are working hard to develop a fully open system that will work without barriers with the systems of other equipment manufacturers. The equipment manufacturer believes that if this becomes a reality, the printing plant will enjoy more automation in its production process and knows the efficiency of the plant operation.

PPF, JDF and CIP4

"The only feasible way to increase profit margins for printing plants is to reduce costs. The most effective way to reduce costs is to minimize downtime and improve automation levels," said Christian Cerfontaine, marketing director of Manroland. "The concept of the CIM system is very good. It can collect and store all production information and can provide production information to other components on the network at any time. The printing factory does not need to input data repeatedly, and hand-written work orders can also be abandoned."

Cerfontaine pointed out that each equipment manufacturer is working hard to improve the automation level of all aspects of printing, and the results are remarkable, such as prepress technology such as CTP. "However, these automation systems are not integrated. It is particularly important - it can connect the "islands of automation" into the "continent."

CIP3 is the predecessor of CIP4 (Integrated International Cooperation for Prepress, Printing, and Finishing) and provides equipment manufacturers with general parameters for production equipment. The Print Production Format (PPF) is an open, standard format for data exchange in different systems. Jim Mauro, Prinect Prepress Product Manager at Heidelberg, said: “The success of PPF is that it can communicate prepress data with printing presses and postpress equipment. The disadvantage of the PPF format is that it cannot collect production data and cannot report it. To the MIS system."

Mauro described networking as "through a regular communication portal - networking - connecting different software and machines so that these systems can easily exchange information in both directions." He also said that although the network is in the printing industry earlier than Since the 1980s, it has emerged, but the early systems were closed and "respectively".

At the "Seybold Conference" held in Boston in 2000, Adobe, Agfa, Heidelberg, and Manroland jointly launched the Job Description Format (JDF). The job description format is electronic, open, extensible, job-driven, and based on an XML framework that can transfer job information or metadata from one system to another. Mauro said that this format makes it possible for the MIS system to work seamlessly from production to delivery. "JDF allows different products from different manufacturers to be integrated." Mauro also explained that the intent of developing this format is to allow printers to use a variety of independent workflow solutions.

CIP3 eventually accepted JDF and became CIP4. The "cross-party" CIP4 organization has since started various meetings with its members to promote this document format. A total of 150 equipment manufacturers and printers are now members of the organization worldwide.

Networking Becomes the Focus of Equipment Manufacturers

The Graph Expo exhibition held in 2002 can be said to be full of rain. At the exhibition, the concepts of JDF and CIM emerged.

The exhibition Shanghai Debao launched Prinect. This is a set of solutions based on CIP4JDF that can connect prepress, print and postpress systems.

The interactive interface between the Roland 500 press of Manroland and the MIS system developed by Printcafe has also been established. The JDF file from the MIS can provide job parameters and color presets for the press. The PECOM (Process Electronic Control, Organization, and Management) system on the Manroland press was allegedly developed by Printcafe, and its core was the Job Information Format (JMF) file.

Komori showed how Printcafe's Hagen OA job management system transferred job data from Komori's K-Station job data collection software to the press. Komori also co-hosted an event with Creo and Printcafe - visiting the CIM operation of the Johns Byrne printing plant. The printer's assets are 20 million US dollars, mainly engaged in commercial printing, and the system was upgraded to fully integrated in 2002: Valuation, development plan, prepress production, digital mesh proofing, CTP, prepress production data through MIS system , printing and post-press processing integration. The network is based on open standards such as PDF, ICC files and JDF. It uses Creo's Synapse InSite software to submit originals via the Internet. The workflow is integrated into Creo's Prinergy workflow management system and Printcafe's Hagen OA MIS. Work order information can be transmitted to Komori presses via the CIP4JDF interface.

The Seybold conference held in San Francisco in 2003 also held a JDF workflow live show. The event works in a simulated real production workflow environment, connecting JDF from design to printing. The highlights of Graph Expo in the fall of 2003 are JDF related products.

The storm is really coming at the drupa exhibition in 2004. Jackie Hudmon, general manager of Komori Imaging Systems Inc., said: “The drupa exhibition in 2004 will be the place where JDF will show its talents.” According to reliable sources, many exhibitors of equipment manufacturers are making their products compatible with JDF. Too busy.

Prinect of Heidelberg

Mauro, Heidelberg's prepress product manager, believes that Heidelberg has advantages in networking. He pointed out that many manufacturers only propose a set of workflows for their products, and this workflow is only part of the complete workflow. For these companies, "If you want to develop JDF products, you must interact with other companies to develop. And Heidelberg's products from pre-press, printing to post-press everything, we can achieve the JDF workflow in the entire system. But we also Will cooperate with other companies."

Mauro said Heidelberg's Prinect product suite is an integrated workflow that can serve “all printing processes”. "With the Prinect system, all data for order planning, order processing, job tracking, and job processing can be exchanged."

Since the drupa exhibition in 2000, individual products in the Prinect system have been gradually introduced to the market. Prinect products include: Prinance management system, Signastation, Prinect Printready system, metaDimension Gypsophila RIP, Prepress Interface (prepress interface, CIP3PPF data can be provided online for printing presses, ink key presets), CP2000 Center press control, AutoRegister (Automatic Registration, ImageControl (for image spectrophotometry of the printed sheet area), AxisControl (color spectrophotometry for color scales), CompuCut (computer cut), FCS100/CompuFold (computer fold), FCS100/CompuStitch (computer binding), ImageSmart/SmartBoard.

At Graph Expo 2002, Heidelberg introduced the Prinect Printready system. It is said to be the first PDF workflow system based on the JDF standard. Printready uses a client/server architecture that directly drives workflows according to modules. The module plans the necessary processing when the job comes in. Users through the Printready system can modify and customize the processing steps for each job, and then the server automatically processes jobs based on these steps. The Printready system can perform trapping, color management, screening, and other processing. Files from Printready need to be processed by metaDimension's Gypsophila RIP or Delta Workflow.

MAN Roland's PECOM

Manroland is also a member of the CIP4 organization. Christian Cerfontaine, director of marketing at Roland, described the PECOM system as a magic weapon linking all manroland production modules. PECOM can connect manroland presses with job data.

In PECOM, the JobPilot module creates, edits, and organizes electronic job tickets, allowing printers to pre-set more than 100 automated projects on the manroland press. The press also prints jobs. With JobPilot, users can use job ticket information to create factory standards for each job that can be used in subsequent processing.

At the same time, the PressMonitor module provides remote and real-time windows for direct access to the press. The user can view the status of the job being printed or retrieve the print production data of the completed print job. JobPilot and PressMonitor received the InterTech Technology Award from GATF in 2002.

PECOM also has a Prepresslink module that automatically downloads CIP3PPF ink keys to the press while printing other jobs.

Komori's K-Station

Komori's machines are sold with the Komori Management System, which can be connected directly to the press console. The printer can perform some simple functions such as downloading digital ink key data to the press console in CIP3PPF format. Many users of the plant stated that Komori’s K-Station is a PC-based software that provides a “window to prepress” connection and is compatible with JDF. The K-Station is reported to connect 16 Komori presses and provide production data for each press at any time.