Digital Smart Factory Forum
June 18-20, 2001
Orlando, Florida
Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport

Monday, June 18

9:00 a.m. - Registration Opens

10:30 a.m.-Pre-Conference Concurrent Tutorials

Here's your opportunity to get-up-to-speed on some concepts, common terminology and basic technologies of CIM while getting a snapshot of educational focus in this arena.

Tutorial 1-CIM Research and Development Programs
FRANK COST, PROFESSOR & ASSOCIATE DEAN, COLLEGE OF IMAGING ARTS & SCIENCES, ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
The most important factor in the successful implementation of the smart factory is the development of a "CIM mindset" among all of the people who contribute to the enterprise. In the printing industry, this mindset must extend upstream, all the way to the designer, before truly integrated processes can exist. Practice in the configuration of toolsets and workflows to support integrated manufacturing are a key ingredient in the education of a CIM-minded worker. In this presentation, Frank Cost will describe how RIT is revolutionizing its educational programs to build "smart people for the Smart Factory."

Tutorial 2-XML & JDF: 101
DIANNE KENNEDY, PRESIDENT, XML XPERTS, LTD.
MICHAEL JAHN, PDF EVANGELIST, AGFA CORPORATION
Our ability to interchange digital data, between integrated but disparate systems and across an extended enterprise, will be dependent upon effective data interchange standards and the capability to define what we want done and how we want to do it. XML is already becoming the lingua franca of intersystem communication. JDF, just now a publicly available spec released by CIP4, is the apparent standard for defining print manufacturing job tickets and workflow sequencing, routing and activation. These tutorials will present the basics: What does this technology consist of? How does it work? How are XML and JDF related? What are the strengths and the limitations? Why should we care?

12:30 p.m. - Lunch on your own

1:00 p.m.-Digital Smart Factory Forum Opens/Welcome

ORLANDO BOLEDA, VICE PRESIDENT, RESEARCH & ENGINEERING COUNCIL
CHUCK GEHMAN, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CTO, PRINTABLE
Session I-Foundation for CIM Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) has begun what promises to be a dynamic evolution in the graphic communications industry. These presentations provide the strategic and technical foundation of CIM for printing & publishing. They address a strategic approach to CIM architecture, process design, technology and critical standards efforts. By analyzing the business and engineering aspects of CIM, attendees are provided a point-of-departure for the remainder of the forum proceedings.

Enterprise Systems and Business Processes
BILL DAVISON, PRINCIPAL, POINT BALANCE, INC.

Engineering and Production Workflow
BILL RAY, PRESIDENT, GROUP INFOTECH

4:00 p.m.-Session II-Building Blocks for CIM
We have investigated the theory and foundations of CIM. Now, we present building blocks for a Smart Factory through White Papers. Each presentation is dissected for its critical implications for CIM. Following each presentation, Bill Davison and Bill Ray moderate the Q&A and discussions. By isolating recurring themes and issues, we place each White Paper in the overall context of CIM and begin to build a relevant and on-going industry agenda.

White Paper #1: XML-based IFRAtrack
BJORN HEDIA, KTH MEDIA TECHNOLOGY AND GRAPHIC ARTS
This paper presents the new XML-based IFRAtrack recommendation, a tracking information interchange mechanism for integrating production management systems in the media industry.

5:30 p.m.- Reception

Dinner On-Your-Own

Tuesday, June 19

7:30 a.m.-Morning Coffee

8:00 a.m.- Introduction CHUCK GEHMAN
Session II (continued): White Papers

White Paper #2: Data Transactions in the Smart Factory: Analyzing Key Data Processes for CIM
GREG SUPROCK, TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, THE SHERIDAN GROUP
This white paper presentation looks at the data transactions that drive digital workflow and highlights key steps to make the Digital Smart Factory a reality. The points in the workflow where vendors and users need to concentrate to develop standards for data interchange and implement open architecture systems is discussed. Conclusion: There is no turnkey toolbox to operate a complete Digital Smart Factory.

White Paper #3: Print by Numbers
AMIT SHARMA, APPLIED PRINT TECHNOLOGIST/PRODUCT MANAGEMENT CIP4-QTI
The adoption of modern microelectronics and digital information processing combined with increasing high speed web offset presses, has driven expectations for shorter turnaround on all jobs. Online, closed-loop color control systems, driven to industry prescribed target process control values, facilitate a "print to the numbers" environment. The logical goal of these developments is immediate fulfillment. What capabilities are currently available and how successful are they in operation? What does the near future hold for further developments? Is adoption keeping up with the hype? How does a "print to the numbers" process really fit with CIM?

White Paper #4: JDF in Print Operations
MICHAEL JAHN, AGFA CORPORATION
JDF is an interchange data format. Its intent is to: 1) effectively "unify" pre-press, press and post-press job descriptions and workflow instructions; 2) bridge the communication gap between production services and management information systems (MIS); and, 3) fulfill these requirements regardless of the supply chain configuration or legacy system architecture. Now that we have had the tutorial, we will consider the state of JDF, its aggressive goals, its current development successes and when it will enter the real world of operations.

White Paper #5: XPP'S Migration from RDB to XML
JEFFREY PARNAU, IMPOZE SYSTEMS-QUAD/ GRAPHICS
XPP (XML for Printers and Publishers) breaks down typical XML (Extendible Markup Language) entry barriers by attacking the barriers between RDB (Relational DataBases) and XML. XPP allows for any combination of rapid XML deployment to gradual XML transition.

12:00 p.m.-Lunch/Keynote

BEHZAD ILCHI, KPMG REPRESENTATIVE, FORMER DIRECTOR OF NEWSROOM TECHNOLOGY FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
How did the Washington Post approach computer-integrated manufacturing and automation processes? If you were in charge, how would you have moved into the future?

White Paper #6: Automated Workflow in the Graphics Arts Industry
CHRISTAIN ANSCHUTZ, MARKETING, COMPUTER INTEGRATED PRINT PROCESS, HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN
Balanced and comprehensive CIM systems will be the result of effective process understanding and system design. Systems that are appropriately tuned to perform vertically (between internal business and production systems) and horizontally (between distributed elements of the supply chain) will deliver optimum performance.

White Paper #7: Universal Ad Numbering (UNADI)-Technology which Has Caught up to Need
CRAIG SHRADER, PRESIDENT, INTERSECT TECHNOLOGIES
The need to clearly identify advertising materials has been well defined for years. Technology and Internet communications can provide a solution to this problem. Now, digital infrastructure has enabled a fast and reliable solution. This session will present rationale and the current status of industry capability.

White Paper: CIP4-The Future
MARTIN BAILEY, SENIOR TECHNICAL CONSULTANT, HARLEQUIN LTD.

White Paper #8: Color Management in a CIM Environment
CHRIS MURPHY, PRESIDENT, COLOR REMEDIES
While color management is a buzzword these days, and includes nearly unlimited hype, determining its position and capability is important to CIM success. Without attention to color management, in respect to CIM, useful automation simply is not achievable while still having an acceptable level of quality color reproduction. This session will explore the issues surrounding color management and manufacturing automation. Does the existing framework even support the possibility of automation? What are the impediments? What are the software, hardware, interoperability, integration, workflow, process control, training, and mindset challenges?

White Paper #9: Variable Data Exchange: A New Opportunity for Variable Data Exchange
DAVID BLASZYK, ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT, NEXPRESS
Complex requirements for Variable Data Printing (VDP) have evolved within the graphic arts industry, derived from business practices, customer relationships, industry infrastructures and technological advances. As a result, integrated VDP solutions differ from business to business, and what works for one doesn't work for another. Enter the new Variable Data Exchange format and Data Exchange Models which, by providing a holistic and concise solution, separately give all marketing groups the power to create, and all digital printers the opportunity to produce, a brand new universe of variable data jobs.

5:00 p.m.-Wrap Up

BILL DAVISON

BILL RAY

5:30 p.m.- Reception

Dinner On-Your-Own

Wednesday, June 20

7:30 a.m.-Morning Coffee

8:00 a.m.-Welcome

Session II (continued): White Papers

White Paper #10: The New Printing Interprise
UDI ARIELI, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, PRINTCAFE, INC.
MILLS DAVIS, VICE PRESIDENT, INTERPRISE STRATEGY, PRINTCAFE, INC.
Printers historically invest the least in the front-end (B2B) and back-end (ERP or MIS) systems. Rather, printers invest the most in their production equipment for prepress, press and binding and finishing operations. The next step forward in the shift towards capturing the value from front-end and back-end systems, is the New Printing Interprise. The printer's core value-added in the new printing interprise is the content-media process.

Session III: Case Studies

CIM is not an innovation that is designed and implemented "whole cloth." It is an on-going process of vision, analysis, planning and implementation. During this session, we visit notable implementations of best-of-breed technologies and process. How do they stack up? Where are the advantages? Disadvantages? What have they learned? Where are they going in the future? And would they do it again?

Case Study #1: Gotenborgs-Posten
Sweden's 2nd Largest Newpaper and Implementation of the IFRAtrack
PER-ARNE FERNSUND, MANAGER OF IS

Case Study #2: Valassis Communications
DAVID RAPP, MANAGER OF IT

Case Study #3: PMP Limited-The Digital Smart Factory
MARK MITCHELL, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER OF PMP LIMITED, AUSTRALIA

12:00 p.m.-Lunch

CIM Where Does it Fit?-Outsider's View
DR. WILLIAM J. SHEERAN, ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS & DIRECTOR OF CIM, ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Standards Initiatives in the Graphics Industry
LARRY WARTER, DIRECTOR, NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, FUJI PHOTO FILM USA
There are several standards initiatives relevant to the Smart Factory besides CIP4 and JDF. This review clarifies where these efforts stand and where they fit in the CIM landscape.

1:15 p.m.-Action Planning

Setting an Industry Agenda
Developing the Smart Factory in your business is a process, not an event. What should be the on-going activities and priorities of this Forum group? What do we want to accomplish in the next 12 months to make the Smart Factory more of a reality? Join us for this brainstorming session to begin setting the priorities for the industry.

2:30 p.m.-Adjournment