September 2009 JDF Marketplace - CIP4

Introduction
About CIP4 and JDF
An Introduction to CIP4 and JDF
The International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress,
Press, and Postpress Organization or “CIP4” is a not-for-profi t standards
association, whose mission is to foster the adoption of process automation
in the printing industry. A global organization with representatives from 34
countries, CIP4’s membership is organizational and boasts a diverse roster
of printers, prepress companies, publishers, vendors of graphic arts systems
and software, integrators, distributors, consultants and educators.
Currently, CIP4 consists of over 1,600 individuals from over 300 member
companies. These individuals participate in one or more of 27 working
groups that focus on technical subjects as well as educational and automation
promotional activities. Membership is open to any company involved
in the graphic arts, and “meetings” are held primarily via internet meeting
and conference call software for the convenience of everyone involved.
Members meet twice a year for face-to-face “Interop” events where technical
tutorials are regularly provided for new members and working groups
meet and discuss topics that are best discussed in person. Furthermore,
Interops provide an opportunity for members to test systems in development
with other members in a private, yet very welcoming and informative
environment.
In addition to the Job Defi nition Format (JDF), PrintTalk, and the Print Production
Format (often called “CIP4”), CIP4 provides a variety of resources to
its members and the industry, including:
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opment program
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JDF and Printtalk
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partnerships for printers
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All this and more can be found at CIP4’s website at www.cip4.org.
CIP4 membership is organizational and provides access to benefi ts to all
staff members, and is priced at $3,000 for vendors of systems and software
and $150 for users of automation systems, such as printers, prepress services
and publishers, as well as for educational institutions and individual
consultants.
CIP4’s History
CIP4‘s predecessor, CIP3, was formed by Heidelberg and managed by the
Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics. CIP3 created the Print Production
Format or “PPF,” which has found success in ink key pre-setting and
postpress operations.
Adobe, Agfa, Heidelberg and manroland created the fi rst draft of JDF and
off ered it to CIP3 on the contingency that CIP3 be reorganized as an open
and international standards association. This reorganization led to the creation
of CIP4 in 2001. Once the transfer was completed, JDF 1.0 was published.
It was not possible to implement JDF 1.0, rather it served as a “straw
man” document that members of CIP4 could shape, change and improve,
as a defi nitive starting point. JDF 1.1 and 1.1a were published in April and
October of 2002 respectively, resulting in the fi rst version of JDF that could
be implemented by vendors. At drupa 2004 the fi rst wave of JDF-enabled
products hit the market.
Since then, JDF has been updated several times. Each time the basic struc-
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broader aspects of print production. Initially optimized for sheetfed off set
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web off set printing, packaging, layout applications, newsprint and more.
Furthermore, PrintTalk, another XML-based specifi cation, in this case focused
on the business transactions of print buying and sell, was transferred
Introduction
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