Automated factories are the path forward. Today’s smart factories can gather actionable data and insights, connect production processes and deliver visibility to all stakeholders. Critical for print shops, these developments in automation aren’t confined to the physical side of production; an Automated Document Factory (ADF) applies the concepts of intelligent factory production to the workflow behind document production to track every touchpoint through the workflow.

We developed a handy formula for print shop success at Solimar Systems: PDF + JDF = ADF. Businesses have been building out elements of their ADFs because they need more end-to-end visibility, transparency, and optimization within output management. Let’s break down each component of the equation before looking at the formula as a whole.

Get familiar with the formats

Gartner defines an ADF as “An architecture and set of processes to manage the creation and delivery of mission-critical, high-volume digital documents. The ADF applies factory production concepts to the document production — raw materials, including data and preparation instructions, enter the ADF, where they are transformed into digital documents and prepared for delivery.” An ADF positively impacts the bottom line thanks to efficiencies that can significantly save costs.

One key to an efficient ADF is standardization on a print file format. Most people are familiar with Portable Document Format (PDF). When the PDF reader became available free of charge, the genie was let out of the bottle, and PDF became a dominating force. It is why trillions of pages are now stored in PDF, and the format is the clear winner over legacy data streams. In addition, PDF facilitates a reactive workflow. Its features are designed for electronic workflows and collaborative processes requiring approval. Finally, even the oldest PDF versions provide excellent functionality as these capabilities continue to evolve with encryption updates and additional functionality.

Another key to an efficient ADF is workflow communication and interchange. Job Definition Format (JDF) is a set of guidelines for that information interchange in a communication workflow, making interoperability a reality, enabling users to track the real-time status of multiple jobs, creating an audit trail for all jobs, and collecting data on consumable usage. The shift away from legacy content formats, including traditional job tickets, and toward the more open standard of PDF requires a complementary data exchange vehicle. This allows for a more holistic view of the print shop floor and facilitates the creation of status tracking and recording of valuable data. JDF is a common approach.

JDF has had a bumpy road, with a reputation for being vendor-specific. Building complex jobs, such as cross-product ganging, has also been difficult. Despite these challenges and barriers to entry, JDF has seen slower uptake than expected since it was introduced in the 1990s.

However, JDF and Job Messaging Format (JMF) specifications can be leveraged to implement an ADF and boost the efficiency and visibility of print production. JMF, the communications protocol used in a JDF workflow, is incorporated into Solimar’s job tracking and visibility platform SOLitrack. It is a Solimar ‘secret sauce and crucial to making the JDF dynamic. The combination enables production hardware and software systems in a JDF workflow to communicate with administration components and system controllers, permitting real-time data exchange and visibility.

Lack of visibility is a source of anguish in under-automated production environments. A holistic view of the shop floor is essential for managers who must manage inventory costs, labor rates, and invoices accurately and on time. On the production side, visibility on a more granular level is required, from knowing when a job has arrived, to its condition, to what needs to occur before it gets on the press, to when it’s on the press, to when it’s in finishing and when it’s launched for mail.

This is where the JDF/JMF communications with Solimar’s strategic partners make a huge difference. It enables users to gather ink and media data following job runs and feed that back to the system, allowing production managers to audit and compare what was estimated versus what they received. This data provides accurate insights into the actual running costs.

That zippy formula should add up! Solimar triumphs over JDF limitations with our expertise in PDF and JDF. We have spent the last 30 years building solutions to create automated workflows and tracking that deliver efficiency to print organizations. Our customers are always targeting increased efficiency and productivity, and Solimar’s solutions support their legacy systems in automating to meet their goals.

What solution is right for you?

When choosing the right solution for your Automated Document Factory, you have three options: outsourcing, purchasing a ready-made solution, or building a system yourself. Outsourcing can be an affordable option; however, it is crucial to consider that output management is often regarded as a cost center rather than a revenue center, putting pressure on organizations to be more cost-efficient. A homegrown solution requires a highly-skilled team which usually means functionality is limited.

Visibility with the ability to track and report on each process in real-time makes the ADF integral to an automated and efficient print production environment. However, while the automation shift has seen adoption, organizations still have more room to evolve their document factories to replace outdated models for tracking and managing information.

This article complements a series of video interviews, SolimarSecrets, between Drew Sprague, President Solimar Systems, and Pat McGrew, CEO McGrewGroup, discussing print and document output workflow, PDF, JDF, JMF, and ADF (Automated Document Factory).