JDF: The Language of Digital Revolution

The Job Definition Format (JDF) is a conversion format for job ticketing and workflow automation that has quickly gained widespread acceptance in the printing industry. In today's printing industry, JDF is a bridge between people and multi-step, multi-resource, multi-tool and multi-entity, which can be used to deliver information, obtain approvals, and deliver final operating products. JDF simplifies and automates this process, making it more efficient, and thus achieving today's high-quality printing, as well as the timely delivery of prints, so that customers can obtain the maximum possible production efficiency.

JDF guarantees unimpeded connection

Creo Print On-Demand Solutions Group (hereinafter referred to as Creo Print On Demand Solutions Group) (hereinafter referred to as Creo PODS Group) is an independent operating accounting subsidiary of Kodak Graphic and Video Group, mainly supporting the industry's high-end color digital printing equipment. Provides advanced color servers such as the Spire series color server for Fuji Xerox.

The JDF supported by Creo's Spire Digital Color Server complies with Level 1 of the Digital Printing Section of the Interoperability Compliance Specification (ICS). JDF informs Creo PODS Group's Spire Digital Color Server of the following job ticket parameters, such as connection information, copy number, and media information. In turn, after the job is finished, the color server will pass back the JDF information according to the special requirements in the JDF file (such as saving the operating costs or supporting JMF).

The Creo PODS Group has developed high performance digital color servers for a variety of digital printers and printers. The Creo PODS digital color server is currently used in production digital presses such as Fuji Xerox and many other famous companies.

The Creo PODS Group is expanding its investment in JDF connectivity extensively and is working closely with more and more workflow partners to develop system integration developments such as PressSense's products. In this way, traditional printers can easily participate in revolutionary changes that add digital printing to their own workflows. Creo PODS Group's solution called "workflow cooperation program" enables users to select the best digital printing workflow that meets their own production requirements, and provides unimpeded connection with upstream workflows. Identification, testing solutions can be fully automated. With the advantages of working with third-party suppliers, users no longer have to consider buying new systems to replace their existing workflow systems in order to achieve digital printing.

Commercial printers participate in the digital printing revolution

Now, the digital color server is an all-in-one independent system that beginners can use to perform complex operations. Modern digital color servers are also an integral part of a networked distribution system. The Spire color server produced by the Creo PODS Group can achieve a seamless connection with the customer's workflow. This is one of the most important features of the server.

However, the workflow has different meanings for different customers. For example, for a printer, the workflow may mean that the job is to be transferred from the network directly to digital printing as soon as possible; for the factory, it may mean close to the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Combining; for financial structures, it may involve a high degree of security for printing sensitive materials; for commercial printers, it means using existing equipment and methods for traditional printing and digital printing.

Following the adoption of computer desktop plate making and a major shift in the history of the printing industry, another revolution is now taking place: digital printing. Each year about 30 trillion pages of paper are printed using traditional printing. Commercial printers use digital printing, which means that some of this huge number will use digital printing, potentially changing the economic status of digital printing. On the one hand, an increase in demand means a reduction in production costs, and on the other hand, it means that sales of equipment and consumables are higher.

This requires a common workflow that can serve as a decision point. The decision point is the point at which the job is delivered to a certain printing method. The universal workflow means that the same production equipment, the same application software, the same monitoring technology and the same management system can be used, so that the printer can fully and effectively use the existing knowledge and equipment, and quickly produce. Decision.

In response to this need, Creo PODS Group and Fuji Xerox have jointly introduced a solution that combines traditional printing with digital printing processes.

Reprinted from: Digital Printing