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 About the essential meaning of a powerful business software at the forefront of integration. Among all of the euphoria surrounding integration and JDF, one point
cannot be overlooked: a company has to do its "homework" prior to a successful implementation. Because JDF, or the associated effects of integration, cannot be
purchased - each company has to lay the foundation by planning, developing, and organizationally preparing the requirements for themselves. |
| This is based on the structural gathering of internal procedures and the corresponding figures, as well as business software that can administer and display
the necessary internal business functions. "A JDF integration depends primarily on whether the business software can map complex estimates in an operation
with technical accuracy," says Stefan Reichhart, HIFLEX CEO and expert on modern workflows and JDF integrations. In other words: what good is the most
stylized integration (however highly automated), if the basis, estimate, materials management, scheduling, and other areas do not work, or only work imperfectly? |
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The screenshot shows the recommended signatures, including their dimensions, within a 64-page perfect binding content. The grind off area can be seen
highlighted in blue; the head trim, for example, is highlighted red. All dimensions conform to the configured operational standard, but also allow for modifications. |
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The screenshot shows the cover for a perfect binding with the automatically generated spine (orange, based on paper caliper and page count of content).
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| It all sounds logical and comprehensible. But this means that all products, machines, materials, hourly rates, performance data, and work processes in the company
need to be recognized and monetarily evaluated. Only then does it really make sense to utilize a Management Information System (MIS). |
| As the name already indicates, an MIS serves to manage the information. But it can only do so, when one "feeds" the system data for it to calculate and derive
relevant information. Stefan Reichhart describes this as follows: "The HIFLEX system is an expert system. It can be fundamentally compared to a plant manager
who, based on his experience, finds the best possible production method for each product. This experience is configured in the HIFLEX system using logic
parameters, so the system can independently select the best production method based on the product definition." |
The HIFLEX business software philosophy is based on the following considerations and facts. A print product that needs to be estimated and produced generally
contains two essential levels:
- The product definition describes the structure of the print product to be produced.
- The process definition describes the production methods.
The product definition includes information about the product type, number of pages, final format, color, and paper type, as well as special processing forms
or refinements. In the process, a print product is divided into various product components such as cover and content. This is necessary if inks or print
substrates vary according to specific product components. |
| The process definition is derived from the product definition, because the positions essential for production are already preset through the definition of
the product components and volume. In the process definition, for example, the signatures are defined for which a 28-page content can be produced. This is
ultimately dependant on the operational production facilities, which are, in turn, determined by the machinery available. Only then are the necessary
individual processes defined (such as imposition, proof, plate exposure, production run, refinement, and finishing.) |
| This approach to a print product is nearly identical to the JDF specifications. "This initially has little influence on the pricing, but is a huge advantage
if the quote becomes an order," asserts Stefan Reichhart. "Therefore, requirements such as various products, options and runs within the estimate, gang runs, and complicated
processing steps must be authentically represented and stored in the JDF format, along with the imposition scheme." |
| Through this philosophy, it is possible to view the process definition in a tree structure immediately after entering the product definition in the input screen.
In the HIFLEX estimate, several end products with any number of product components can be constructed. Individual product components can be placed on gang runs
with the same substrates and inks or produced as an individual run. |
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The signatures for 16-page, 8-page, and 4-pager for a 28-page wire stitched book (dependent on run, format, printing substrate, and machinery available)
are calculated. The overfold (shown in purple) is displayed disproportionally, like all elements, so that it can be clearly identified. |
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| After the product to be estimated is described (number of pages, format, color, and substrate), the system automatically generates the entire production plan.
In the process, the system accesses operational knowledge stored in the system's decision tables. "Our customers report that about 80 percent of all estimates
can be processed using this automation," states Reichhart. |
| With its business software, HIFLEX offers automated estimation and job planning of nearly all areas of printing and processing technology. Sheetfed and web
offset products can be estimated along with the production of labels, folding boxes, flexography, screen printing, and digital printing. The various
printing and finishing processes can also be combined within an estimate. The following areas are incorporated in the estimate: prepress
(with individual processes), printing, finishing, and outside services, as applicable. |
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Because the signatures of the folded sheets are initially defined, any number of combined forms can be defined from these sheets. The figure shows an 8-pager,
which is produced in combination with a 4-pager (¼ of the sheet remains unused). The signatures are already dimensioned; the printing sheet definition includes
the color bar, gripper, and printing sheet margins. |
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| Large products can also be detailed using the flexible input structure -- the creation of the production plan is fully automated with the
"Auto-Pilot" function (see above). The expert knowledge required to calculate the production plan is entered into editable logic parameters (tables).
These parameters allow the user to customize the system at any time to suit the company's data and requirements. Moreover, access to a comprehensive
paper database facilitates price comparisons. |
Customer data (such as agency and/or agents' commissions, discounts, and credit history) is automatically applied. The estimate enables access to
customer-specific parameters and price lists. The system can apply individual material prices, hourly rates, and outside service rates for each customer.
In addition to the free input of cost positions, the cost increases / decreases can be defined for individual areas (such as the material for a
specific production stage). Furthermore, the subtotals are constantly displayed using freely defined cost groups (such as the added value of a
specific production stage).
The cost overview can be individually configured. A full cost accounting is therefore just as possible as a fragmenting of the variable costs or a differentiated
contribution margin accounting. This enables the company to react individually to the market structure. |
| An integrated quote generator processes the quote, automatically transferring the estimate data into Microsoft Word or a comparable system without the
data having to be entered again. |
Nearly all providers of business software utilize the "tree structure." The unique part of the HIFLEX tree structure is that individual nodes can be brought
together. Signatures can be positioned on gang runs, split through cutting, and later merged back together in the saddle stitcher or perfect binder.
Through this method the production process is not only understood at a glance, but also mapped authentically and with technical accuracy. Ultimately,
the estimate is the basis for the job ticket, scheduling, historic costing, and, last but not least, the JDF-based control of the production machines.
As the preliminary costing forms the basis of subsequent production planning and control, it is essential that the system exactly regulate production routing
during the preliminary costing. The time values applied from the HIFLEX estimate are available for electronic scheduling (and production planning and control)
based on sheet or signature. Work processes are logically linked together using flow-charts and displayed in chronological order. |
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The screenshot shows the product and process definitions within the preliminary costing, which forms the basis for both the technical routing and scheduling.
The glue bound catalog is produced in two versions: "English" (4,000) and "French" (1,500). Only the French version includes a wire-bound insert completed in
the same run. Printing sheet 12 is selected (orange) and visible at the bottom left as printing plate (8-pager and 4-pager in gang run with subsequent sheet
division). Printing sheet 6 is a reference to printing sheet 1 with 6 identical plates or 2 new ones ("1-6" in the red box shows this reference).
Folding is green and binding brown. The structure conforms to the JDF-specified structure definitions. |
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| Occasionally, a glance in the past makes it clear why work processes change or why specific production steps need to be shifted to other areas. This is
especially true for the imposition, which has constantly necessitated new jobs and processing locations because of technological developments over the last several decades. |
| In letterpress printing, the printer was still responsible for the imposition of molds cast in lead. After the introduction of offset printing and film
and photo sets, the offset technician "glued" text and picture elements to the page and, then, together on the printing plate. With the emergence of the
text and picture integration with CEPS (color electronic prepress system) and, later, desktop publishing systems, the exposed pages (films) were compiled
onto a printing plate by the offset technician. Larger platesetters and more powerful computers made Computer-to-film and, for the first time, the
exposure of entire plates, possible with the help of operator-controlled imposition programs. Computer-to-plate brought new workflow systems with it,
in which an operator impositions individual pages to entire plates and exposes them directly on the plate. From then on, JDF shifts parts of this task to
the routing: the imposition is defined in the Management Information System, while the imposition takes place in the production workflow (prepress). |
| The philosophy implemented in modern workflows requires that the imposition take place at the order clerk level, while following all necessary formats,
trademarks, and other elements. After all, the procedures should not be calculated again in a subsequent production process. Therefore, it is key that
HIFLEX sets the signature as the basis for imposition rather than the printing sheet. Only in this way can it be assured, that, once defined, the order
flows smoothly through production into processing - or that it can be modified at specific decision nodes without defining the product anew. A modification
that also requires a new imposition, such as changing machine scheduling to a larger or smaller machine, can take place at the click of a mouse. |
| Which came first? The imposition or the estimate? Previously, one would first create a folding template to see how the product should look. After that,
one could usually begin the estimate process. Nothing has actually changed, because after entering the product parameters, HIFLEX builds the
"digital folding template," which is definitely more than just a resource for the estimate. In addition to the useful operational information, the HIFLEX
estimate is an essential part of the production process, defining the workflow in prepress, pressroom, and finishing with the help of JDF data. Stefan Reichhart
comes to the point: "The production steps are now structured, not improvised." |
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