CIP4 Announces Milestone in Industry Interoperability

Washington, DC (June 26, 2009) - The International Cooperation for the Integration of the Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4) organization announced that the JDF Interoperability Matrix (the "Matrix") has topped over 500 pairings. The Matrix shows what integrations via JDF are available between vendors of graphic arts systems and is organized to show the relationship between those systems that organize and send work to other devices and those devices that consume the JDF and conduct work accordingly.

While not a technical reference, the Matrix is a popular and valuable tool for printers. JDF-enabled systems are capable of being integrated in an automated and networked environment, but equipment still needs to be set-up and tested prior to operations. "While two devices may be cable of using JDF to communicate, in set-up, the systems in a workflow need to know what a new device is specifically capable of doing and what it's limitations, capacities and so forth are," said CIP4 Education and Marketing Officer, Mark Wilton of Wilton & Partners Consulting Inc. "If there is a working integration between two devices already in the field, then subsequent installations are much easier and less expensive. In fact, for several JDF-enabled MIS systems and prepress system adding a known device can be a simple as picking name from a list." Interface listings in the Matrix may have one of four "statuses":

"The JDF Integration Matrix is an exciting program. Since its introduction last Spring at Drupa, the Matrix has been growing constantly," said CIP4 CEO Margaret Motamed of EFI. "Today, there are over 60 additional integrations in the system waiting for various verifications and checks and more are being added every day. It has become the most dynamic reference that CIP4 provides to the industry." The JDF Matrix is published at the beginning of each month as a dynamic HTML page that users can control with their specifications as well as a PDF that can be printed on the desktop. To access the JDF Integration Matrix, visit http://www.cip4.org/matrix.

About CIP4

CIP4 brings together vendors, consultants, and end-users in the print communications, graphic arts industry, and associated sectors, covering a variety of equipment, software, peripherals, and processes. Members participate in focused working groups to define the Job Definition Format (JDF), PrintTalk, and other standards relevant to process automation; to study user requirements; to test product interoperability; and to develop a range of JDF software development tools. Information on CIP4, including membership details, is available from the organization's website: www.cip4.org. Or contact: Stefan Daun, Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics, +49 6151 155 575, secretariat@cip4.org. All content and ideas submitted to the CIP4 user groups and intellectual property rights subsisting therein shall become the exclusive property of CIP4.

About JDF

The Job Definition Format (JDF) is the industry specification designed to facilitate process automation and the integration of different applications and systems in and around the graphic arts industry. JDF also enables the integration of business management and job planning applications into the production workflow. JDF is based on the W3C's Extensible Markup Language (XML), ensuring maximum interoperability between different platforms and ready interaction with Internet systems. More information is available at http://www.cip4.org/.