JDF, where is the magic?

JDF is short for Job Definition Format. It is an agreed standard in the graphic industry to transfer information about a print job digitally. Since there is such a variety of variables one might want to put in the job data (depending on the printing business), the JDF has become a very huge set of descriptions.

One can imagine that a Large Format banner, would require another set of job parameters than a packaging job with die-cutting and stripping and possible glueing. A lot of printshops still use a so-called order bag with the job data. This order bag will stay with the print job during the process. The JDF is the same but then digitally. As JDF is a standard, will all machines from different vendors be able to interpret the JDF data? No, this is unfortunately not the case in general. Due to the enormous set of parameters described in JDF, vendors will only implement the reading of parameters which are useful to their machine or process.

So vendors made their proprietary implementations and shortcuts. There is where it becomes problematic. The shortcuts and workarounds make misinterpretation of the parameters between one vendor and another a likely problem. Therefore, finetuning is mostly necessary. MIS system vendors encounter this problem often and need to adapt the settings/parameters, so the JDF can be used through the entire printshop. Feedback from the processes and machines is also needed to trigger the following processes and use of resources. This is done through JMF (Job Messaging Format). One can compare JDF with placing a note on someone’s desk and hoping that it is read correctly and in time. JMF is like calling someone and exchanging information in real-time. JMF requires more adjustments between different vendors. Komori has fine-tuned the JDF interaction with the major MIS vendors, also our digital equipment, cutting machines, printing presses can be driven by JDF integration. KP-Connect is the heart of Komori’s implementation to the integrated and automated printshop.