CIP4 Standard - New Digital Allies

The emergence of the JDF format is undoubtedly a new force, which promotes the transition from CIP3 to CIP4. At the same time, it also indicates the arrival of a brand-new era in the modernization of e-commerce and printing industry. When the CIP3 consortium was established in 1995, its direction of development has been established. It is to establish a set of automated, systematic printing process standards from the prepress, India, and post-press processes. CIP3 (International Cooperation for Integration of Prepress, Press and Postpress) came into being, and its task was to connect suppliers of various technologies, including major manufacturers from Heidelberg to Adobe, Manroland to Agfa, and so on. Thus formed a new format, namely PPF (Print Production Format), which is characterized by the ability to form a print workflow, reducing the repetitive data input, and providing the ink key preset function. PPF, from its first generation to third generation, has been widely accepted by the entire printing industry. On July 14, 2000, CIP3 announced that CIP3 has introduced a new format under the joint efforts of the more than 40-member PPF joint improvement team. It will become a new one to promote the automation and integration of printing workflows. power. CIP3 and four companies that mainly participate in the development of the Job Definition Format (JDF), namely Adobe, Agfa, Heidelberg, and Manroland, on the conference call, ultimately on the details of handing over all the rights of JDF to CIP3 Reached an agreement. The conclusion is: The CIP3 company has the final power of interpretation of CIP4, which officially belongs to Integration of Presses in Prepress, Press and Postpress International. Soon, technical staff began working with other standards organizations to start expanding JDF into areas such as digital printing and e-commerce. “The printing and publishing industry needs a complete and robust set of standards to support e-commerce, automation, and computer integrated manufacturing (CIM), as well as the ability to unite print links.” Temporary advisor at the press conference on July 14 On the stage, Martin Bailey, CIP4’s chief technical advisor, said that he added: “Based on this, JDF is a prerequisite for any choice, and we are pleased to see that he is moving towards a further development for anyone. The development of an open standard body." So, what exactly is JDF? The most typical three aspects of JDF's capabilities are: JDF can complete each part of a job from beginning to end; JDF can link MIS with productivity; no matter what device is used, the former two functions can be completed at the same time. JDF provides a structure that can control the entire printing process. Unlike other job ticketing methods, JDF can accept the entire printing process, including the description language required to complete the print job before printing, printing, and finishing. Does it sound familiar? Yes, this is the “work” of CIP3. JDF provides a device that can control and set up work through automatic systems or MIS. It supports the conversion of information between MIS and production, and is carried out in a print job. During the process, it is convenient to automatically record print jobs. In addition, JDF also defines an information structure, which includes the information format, semantics, and the main content of the information. JDF uses this information structure to control the printing process conveniently, and the sales side of the system can therefore learn how to choose to use the information. The structure, why they provide information reports, and how to control them easily, also makes the system highly flexible. “JDF is an invisible link between e-commerce and printing, which satisfies the full automation of the entire publishing process.” said Agfa's R&D general manager, “from the initial exchange of four companies to the establishment of an open standards community. In the process, the formation of JDF is an important milestone, and I very much agree with the organization, company or individual to work together with CIP4 through JDF to make JDF benefit from the worldwide publishing and printing industry.” In the coming months, we will More information on JDF becoming a powerful tool for CIP4 will be obtained, which also marks a turning point in fully automated workflow and process control. It will cooperate with prepress technology and e-commerce technology to achieve full process control from prepress to postpress. CIP3 has not gone far. It has also been integrated into it. As a digital technology, it has driven the printing industry forward to the automation process!