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 The CIP3 Print Production Format (PPF) is a partial solution and a basis for the JDF Standard, for which CIP4 (successor of the CIP3 Organisation)
took over the stewardship. Although PPF is still maintained as a separate standard, efficient JDF connectivity requires the conversion of PPF into JDF. |
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The HIFLEX MIS (Management Information System) is the only MIS in the printing industry that provides this functionality today. The HIFLEX System
accepts PPF files for ink key pre-setting (commonly referred to as "CIP3 files") from prepress systems, modifies them to be compatible with JDF and, finally,
assigns them to the order's individual printing processes through intelligent automation. The JDF format (CIP4), electronic job tickets that are sent to
the press management systems (such as DataControl, Logotronic or PECOM) contain links to the corresponding PPF files for the ink-key settings. |
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This functionality addresses the problem of the lack naming convention standards for PPF files. Because of the lack of any standard, most prepress-systems
construct the filenames differently. For example, the "Job-Part ID" is rarely included, but this is vital for JDF connectivity as it identifies a specific
process. Consequently, the CIP3 (prepress to press) and CIP4 data streams (MIS to press) cannot be automatically linked resulting in every PPF file having
to be manually assigned to the order (that has been created by JDF). |
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The new functionality in the HIFLEX System completely automates this workflow: the HIFLEX MIS receives CIP3 files from prepress systems, interprets and
forwards them to the presses together with the JDF job-ticket. The net result of this JDF networked production from HIFLEX is a single transfer of information
(from a single source) that contains everything needed for machine pre-setting. |
Beside the redundancy of manual CIP3 assignment (which is inevitably prone to errors) the "detour" via the HIFLEX MIS has two more practical benefits:
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The scheduler can see a preview of the printed sheet (after the prepress system has generated the CIP3 files) and can use the
displayed ink coverage as a scheduling criterion.
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The CIP3 data is not consumed, but is saved in the HIFLEX System even after order completion. Thus the corresponding printed
sheets can be displayed whenever the (then historic) order is selected. This is for instance helpful when a previous order is copied
to create a follow-up order as it provides an additional check that the correct order was copied.
"This functionality further expands our technology leadership in the field of JDF connectivity", comments Stefan Reichhart, CEO of HIFLEX. |
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CIP3 Files (PPF format) are sent from the prepress workflow system to the HIFLEX MIS, where they are automatically assigned to the order's printing processes and modified to be
consistent with the JDF standard. The presses thus receive all pre-setting data from a single source. |
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