JDF Workflows — Legacy Meets Automation

“We’ve had experiences where, for example, we bought a new cutter and were excited about all the JDF possibilities. When it came down to it, for every problem it solved, it created a new one. It’s a much better concept than it is a reality at this point.”

Highly Variable Work

The fact many printers operate in a true custom manufacturing environment poses a particular challenge for JDF, Grossman remarks, due to the wide diversity of jobs. Workflows where jobs have all standardized specifications increase the success rate of optimizing JDF sooner, he adds. The customized production in shops like Sandy Alexander’s calls for increased synchronization and commonality among different types of equipment.