Automation of Prepress Workflow on a Cellular Basis: The Key to Computer Integrated Manufacturing

There are two general approaches to prepress workflows: 1) process modeled workflows; and 2) data modeled workflows. In process modeled workflows documents flow from one process step (such as trapping or imposition) to another. These systems do not intrinsically deal with the structure of the data being processed but, rather, with only the process steps taken or to be taken. Process modeled systems can be attached to digital asset management systems (DAM'S) as a means to include a data repository system for the manufacturing environment. Such couplings are loose in nature as documents or image data need to be manually checked out of the DAM, processed in some way and then checked back into the DAM; thus, synchronization of elements can become difficult. The concept of a data-modeled workflow is to put the data store in the center of the entire process so that it can neither be ignored nor can work be done without using such a system. Of equal importance is the need for such a system to be as transparent to the user function as possible. Ray and Kimmelman will examine user-oriented data and flow control elements in the data modeled workflow Page Level Automation. Note: This manuscript was not received in time for publication in the 2002 TAGA Proceedings.