When a printer decides to invest, he should have a deep understanding of the achievable degree of JDF from the manufacturer and ask them to show him.
Printing equipment manufacturers have been working hard for the goal of "networked printing workshop". At the drupa exhibition, which focused on JDF (Job Definition Format) and "networked production", people saw the opportunity to implement this concept. In production, the first step of a continuous, networked workflow between prepress, printing, and postpress is already feasible, so what has JDF actually changed? What are the opinions of experts in this field on the latest developments?
Drupa 2004 is undoubtedly centered on JDF. It proposes digital communication between machines and for the first time realized the dream of continuous systems and live delivery in the printing industry. In the past, even if it was possible to communicate and work between machines, it was difficult to achieve. On the one hand, the software is perfectly matched to the job flow, but on the other hand, the software often does not control the hardware well, or requires a dedicated software interface and high cost. Different workflow systems are specially developed for different pre-press and printing production applications. Now some well-known suppliers mainly focus on the prepress field, some of them are dedicated to pure CTP workflows, some deal with digital printing or gravure printing, lithography; some of them plan an open, combined system, some But through a closed, proprietary solution to ensure safety.
Some manufacturers also provide a system covering the entire prepress area, and even the data required to complete the job, but at present, printing companies need a fully integrated system that can help achieve a single workflow-from printing Before printing-communication and data exchange. At the stage of increasing automation and diversification of the production process. Only with the help of the system can the value chain communicate with the existing management information system be realized. Some of the workflow data currently available in the market, when these data based on the CIP3 standard have been applied in printing or subsequent folding, cutting and binding, the direct connection of the information management system is still rare.
The future development has actually revealed Ni Duan: CIP3, which has now developed into CIP4, is an international alliance of manufacturers in the printing and media industries. They have already undertaken the task of integrating prepress, printing and postpress processes.
What about the current state of development? There are already some examples of machine work processes that have not been implemented. Thieme printing company located in HeiBen, Germany can be called a cutting-edge production network company. This dynamic printing company in eastern Germany has grown into a strong company with its 33 employees over the past 10 years. During the development of the company, Ulrich Thieme, the owner and manager of the company, placed high value on the company's continuous development and comprehensive network. When planning and creating a company, networking is already under consideration. When Ulrich Thieme planned to network a single production process from the beginning, the company's value was also placed on the networking of all machines in the future.
The printing company, which initially worked for advertisers from Berlin to Dresden, used Prinance 4.2 from Heidelberg to manage orders. Prinance gets every new order and re-evaluates it at the same time. Ulrich Thieme said: "At present, almost no jobs can be received 1: 1, we rely on the system to re-evaluate each job to avoid errors in the old evaluation." Each job generates a new electronic job The folder contains all important job attributes, just like a Word document. On the console, the captain receives these data to plan the production deadline and production volume, and automatically generates related documents. Thieme continued: "For example, JDF will help us apply these digital folders. Folders can be easily generated or can be called from any work node. This means that the live folder is always kept up-to-date, and re-planned live Easier. "
After the job is planned, it is transferred to the workflow. Next, the operator calls the corresponding job list and puts the corresponding production data (graphics, logos, etc.) into the folder structure prepared by Prinance in the database. Document preparation, proofing, table proofing through pre-press preparation or Meta Dimension, and then output CtP on Heidelberg Topsetter with an automatic loading and unloading (Meta Dimension is also a product of Heidelberg Druckmaschinen). The goal here is also to fully automate the process. Ulrich Thieme said: "We develop an output plan on the Signa console, where we generate CIP3 data for the integration of binding machines, gluers and folding machines, and then pass it to the relevant machines through a so-called PPI interface; The pre-press graphic control interface transfers the ink zone settings to the printing machine, and even automatically obtains the operation data through data control and then transmits it to the entire system. From this perspective, we have achieved a good network, the only shortcomings are some individual There is still a problem with the connection between the machines. "
For the company, the shorter downtime on the Speedmaster press and the shorter organization time of the ST400 binding machine are all related to the cost of preparation. However, the operational data in Prinance is continuously updated through years of data control and the host interface is the decisive factor in the entire production process. This makes it possible to calculate the cost later, "When printing a more expensive product, we can never increase its price after the product is completed, but we can learn from the previous cost calculation in the next order." Although it has been fully networked, But it still needs manual manipulation, JDF will solve this problem. As for the interface problem, for example, we must constantly add new special agency programs in the interface between different printing machines, and JDF can also solve this problem. "
In addition, good preparation is the necessary work to start from the client of the printing job flow. Drupa 2004 showed the first solution for preparation work. JDF expert Jurgen Schonhut said: "I think today's printers should consider in advance what JDF means to his company. JDF will bring the same good results to every company, we will not doubt this. But when a printing When the developer decides to invest, he should have a deep understanding of the degree of shameful realization of JDF from the manufacturer, and ask them to show him. When you study five different printing companies, you will find five different job processes , Because each printer must form its own blueprint. "
So is JDF incredible and incredible? How do we imagine the future JDF workflow? In fact, small and medium-sized enterprises have difficulties in introducing JDF workflow. Some enterprises not only lack management information systems and IT structures, but they also lack an insight that JDF is not a fleeting trend, but a tool to ensure the future of printing companies, is a development.
Wenzhou Vigorous Pet Products Co.,Ltd , https://www.vigorouspet.com