COMPUTER-INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING -- Out With the Old?

Building a Bridge

One option being pursued by manufacturers such as MAN Roland and others is to provide "middleware" or bridge software for incorporating legacy systems into JDF-complaint, automated workflows, reveals James Harvey, executive director of CIP4.

Another solution being pursued is development of departmental-level controllers that can communicate in JMF/JDF and act as translators to legacy devices, Harvey adds.