Workflow and integration

trend
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 emergence of the JDF format (job definition format), he can create a standard format for different products from many suppliers, thus combining these systems together. He makes a commercial trading system with prepress workflow and The connection between the printing press and the bookbinding system greatly increases production efficiency, reduces man-made operations and interventions, and more importantly, makes the transaction process faster and more efficient. The best product in this area is Prinect's solution in Heidelberg. The core of the workflow. Through Prinect, the data in the Prinance MIS system can be connected via Datacontrol to the operating system of the press and its Jetbase (Job Archiving Database). At the exhibition you can also see the main integrated solutions that Creo has introduced. The programs Synapse and Agfa's Delano, both of which can be particularly active in this area of ​​various suppliers, from which they have obtained better benefits, participate in the IPEX exhibition PrintCafe, OCSL and Thasten, etc.. ScenicSoft company is to use JDF will Upfront Planner and Preps Groupware are integrated into the MIS system and also with Polar and Wohlenbers binding A connection is established.
In the field of workflow, many people regard PDF files as an optional file format for publishing jobs. For some applications, PDF/X1a is a special requirement. The implementation of this PDF high-end publishing has been in many cases. In the middle of the day, one of the most impressive ones was the presentation. The most impressive presentation was the number of Enfocus booths where the complete process of receiving, verifying, and organizing documents printed in PDF was 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.) set a standard for high-performance workflows, simplifying the definition of workflows by various manufacturers, but for many people the problem is that the system needs to run under SGI UNIX systems; In addition, EFI, the world's largest prepress company, is also 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 plateetter market. They also have plans to develop advanced groupware. Their workflow is similar to other products, including some of Dalim's methods.
The first company to enter the PDF workflow was Agfa, which launched Apogee. At the IPEX Expo, the latest version of Apogee was introduced, called Apogee/X. It has greatly improved the user's interactivity. Directly connected to the database, but also supports distributed processors. It feels as if Agfa added all of the additional points in the Creo Prinergy PDF workflow to Apogee. By the way, the stated X version does not imply It supports PDF/X.
For Creo, Prinergy has become an element of the Networked Graphic Production initiative, which uses Synapse software to form a complete integrated production method. Via the Synapse link, it can connect to PrintCafe's MIS system to exchange information about each other. Information can be collected from the Prinergy database and displayed through the JDF interface to PrintCafe's Hagen OA MIS. Synapse fnSite port allows users to use software before connecting to prepress to achieve online job submission and job status. Tracking, online collaboration, remote proofing, standard jobs into prinergy and Brisque Moderate. Then generate data for CTP or CTF systems, connect to the print management system, preset ink data, or connect to Creo's Spire server to drive Xerox's digital color Printing presses. This may be an example of the best complete workflow displayed at Ipex.
Conclusion : The development of the printing industry in the direction of 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 enterprises more Competence can meet customer's 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 the new one. There is no doubt that the non-numeric concept that plays a leading role is none other than the wave of investment in the round.