Workflow Systems Boost Efficiency

IN-PLANTS DEPEND heavily upon the skills of a few key individuals to remain productive: production managers, bindery operators, prepress technicians, computer systems managers, or any number of other specialized personnel that are a part of the print production workflow. When one or more of these people are absent, the whole workflow may suffer. Many in-plants are turning to workflow systems to help mitigate this problem.

Workflow systems help to standardize how we process jobs. When we rely on key individuals, we are depending on them to remember what they did last time to solve a problem, or how to most efficiently move a job through production. Most of our institutional memory is tied up in these key people, and all too often amnesia strikes at inopportune moments. Standardizing processes removes many of the variables in print production.

Unfortunately, many of us fail to standardize how we process jobs once they get into our shops. Workflow standardization requires a set of protocols or procedures that happen to every job, and a workflow system can introduce standards into your entire workflow.

Standards extend beyond just ink control and PDF construction. Job entry and tracking, proofing, imposition, trapping, plating, bindery and billing benefit from standardization. A workflow system interface alone can help standardize job entry by providing drop-down menus for common entries on job tickets.

Underlying all workflow systems are two central ideas: decision making and routing.

First, the workflow system should be able to make decisions about a job and act based on either the job files themselves or on the intended use of the job files. In all cases, preflight is part of this process and leads either to reporting, automatic corrections or both.

Second, a workflow system should be able to route job files to one or more destinations. In many cases, source files might generate PDF proofs, upload them to a Web site, e-mail the client to start the approval process, print internal proofs, and wait for final approval. Upon approval, the job gets imposed, trapped, RIPed, and plated. Similar workflows control toner-based systems. After printing and binding, job archives are created and filed for future reference or reprints.

Of course, no print job would be complete without an invoice, and most workflow systems make it easy to account for all of the steps in a job. Many include interaction with an existing management information system (MIS) for job tracking and billing, and several include MIS as a feature. Many include Web-based job management, which allows people from anywhere in the plant to check on and manipulate a job.

Individual users have permissions-based rights and only have access to their specific job areas. This feature can be extended to clients (with appropriate permissions) to allow them to see the progress of their job. Some systems include imposition, trapping and RIPing. Many systems also include platemaking and proofing hardware. We will look at a range of systems, with options appropriate for every size operation.

JDF at the Core
JDF (job definition file) is a standard way of defining all aspects of a print job. Maintained by CIP4, JDF is an open standard that many manufacturers have embraced. JMF (job messaging format) allows software and hardware to communicate with each other without having to learn proprietary languages.

In practical terms, JDF is a digital job jacket that makes digital workflow systems possible. Consequently, the vast majority of systems not only use JDF and JMF internally, but also accept JDF files as digital job tickets. Both Adobe Acrobat and QuarkXPress make JDF files that can be read by JDF compliant systems. Agfa :ApogeeX
:ApogeeX is a modular workflow system that lets you select the pieces you need to make your workflow more efficient. Coupled with Agfa’s Delano project management front end, :ApogeeX is a powerful, full-featured workflow control system for both CSRs and prepress staff.

JDF, PDF, EPS and Postscript are all welcome in :ApogeeX, and its job scheduling features keep your shifts optimized. As you grow, :ApogeeX expands, allowing you to add additional servers. Although designed around Afga’s line of prepress equipment, :ApogeeX also has modules that let you control several digital presses. It also can emit TIFF files to allow legacy equipment to work within its environment.

:ApogeeX is designed around medium to large operations and is easily integrated into an existing Agfa environment.

Heidelberg Prinect
Like Agfa, Heidelberg provides both hardware and software under one brand. Heidelberg, however, offers everything you need to process jobs, from MIS to workflow control to platesetters to digital proofers to presses and bindery. Expect all of the features of its competitors but with even tighter integration to Heidelberg equipment. Using JDF, Prinect can control other brands as well.

Prinect is more than a workflow system, and can include estimating, billing, color proofing, cutting and binding, and all of the other tasks required to complete a job. It is suited to larger established in-plants, especially Heidelberg installations.

Kodak Prinergy Connect
Prinergy Connect is based on JDF and connects to a variety of JDF-compliant hardware and software. With roots in its Creo and Scitex past, Prinergy Connect is a flexible, modular and open workflow system for medium and large in-plants, equally suited to toner-based and CTP operations.

It provides job submission and remote proofing via Synapse. This gives customers control over their jobs while you automate production with Prinergy Connect.

At press time, Kodak was in the process of unveiling the Unified Workflow Solution, a cohesive workflow that will integrate the business, production, color and data components of a print operation.Interconnecting these separate workflows will enable intelligent automation, eliminate duplication of effort and improve a printer’s ability to analyze and report.

EFI OneFlow
EFI OneFlow is a hot folder driven workflow system. Unlike JDF, the job specs are contained in a hot folder and not in the job ticket file. Dropping PDF, PostScript, TIFF or other files into the hot folder starts the job moving through the system. Operators can then track it, see its status and approve/disapprove it at any step.

EFI’s experience with color reproduction makes OneFlow a good choice for in-plants that need accurate color proofing as well as CTP or digital output. OneFlow directly supports an assortment of ink-jet and toner-based proofers, while it emits TIFF files to drive imagesetters and platesetters. It is appropriate for mid-sized to large in-plants.

Screen U.S.A. Trueflow
There are two flavors of Trueflow: Trueflow Rite for small to mid-sized operations and Trueflow 3 for larger organizations. Trueflow Rite is a JDF-based system that incorporates job control, trapping and RIPing. Trueflow3 adds imposition, proofing and more. It easily integrates with existing MIS systems and provides direct support for Screen imagesetters and platesetters. Trueflow Rite upgrades very easily to Trueflow 3.

Artwork Systems Odystar
Odystar is a hardware-independent workflow system that incorporates hot folder workflow control with trapping, imposition and RIPing to film or plate. Coupled with Artwork Systems’ WebWay job management system, Odystar is suited to small to mid-sized in-plants looking to automate while upgrading their RIPs.

Enfocus PitStop Automate
PitStop Automate is an entry-level workflow system that allows you to take advantage of your existing RIP and platesetter. Based on hot folders, it routes PDFs using proven Enfocus technology. There is no remote control, however. Automate is best suited to small operations looking to automate their workflow while maintaining existing production tools.

In Summary
In-plants of every size can benefit from workflow automation. Workflow systems are the next step in the evolution of print production, and the systems listed here represent only a fraction of what is available today. For a more detailed comparison of workflow systems, please visit www.ipa.org and search for “2006 Workflow Roundup.”IPG