It has been over 25 years since the first CIP3 specification was released. Here at Aldridge Solutions, we have been installing CIP3 systems for more than two decades. However, there remains a significant amount of confusion within the industry regarding the abbreviations “CIP3”, “CIP4”, and “JDF”. Below, we aim to clarify their origin, purpose, and benefits for print businesses.

CIP3

While many in our industry refer to “CIP3” when discussing a file format used to transfer inking data from Prepress to Press, it is actually an abbreviation for the name of a committee founded in the late 1990s: “Cooperation for Integration of Prepress, Press and Postpress”. This committee brought together vendors in the printing industry with the aim of creating a common file format to exchange information between systems in print production, regardless of the equipment manufacturer.

The result of this pioneering work was the file format known as Print Production Format (PPF), which is what most people mean when they refer to a “CIP3 file”. PPF files are written in the PostScript language and were designed to carry information about the job—such as low resolution previews, printing material, page positions and control mark positions—from a prepress workflow or imposition software package to the shop floor, enabling manufacturing equipment to pre-set itself for the incoming job.

On compatible systems, the data from a PPF file can be used to:

• Analyse the ink coverage of a job to pre-set the ink feed and ink keys on a printing press to approximately the correct settings for the amount of ink on the sheet.
• Pre-set the paper size, type, and finish (gloss, matte, uncoated) for the feeder and delivery on a printing press.
• Automatically set a guillotine to the correct size for cutting down the printed sheet.
• Provide folding information to a binding line.

In reality, only the first two of these points gained significant traction in the industry—the ability to automatically pre-set the offset printing press with inking and paper data. This provides significant benefits, such as shortening make-ready times (the process of setting up an offset printing press for a new print job), having the press in a state very close to the final printing conditions from the start of the run, and further reducing time to final quality and the amount of waste paper and ink used to achieve the pass sheet. This process is broadly known as ink-key pre-setting and represents a vital connection between the prepress workflow and the printing press.

Common CIP3 PPF misconceptions

One of the most common misconceptions we encounter is the belief that CIP3 ink-key provides press colour management. In reality, CIP3 has no influence on the final printed colour of the job if the press is operated correctly. CIP3’s role in this context is to help the press achieve running colour more quickly and with less waste, ultimately saving your print business money and increasing efficiency.

The actual colour of the print is determined by factors such as the ink and paper, the ink film thickness laid down by the press, and the amount of dot gain during the plate making and printing process. These factors are controlled by either on-press or hand-held measurement of the solid ink colour on the printed sheet. In the case of dot gain, calibration charts are printed and measured to build adjustment curves in the prepress workflow, ensuring that halftone tints are accurately reproduced on the press. For a more detailed explanation of this process, please refer to our article on colour management.

Another prevalent misconception is that a “CIP3 ready” press—such as a Heidelberg press with the InstantGate or PresetLink license enabled—can directly receive a CIP3 PPF file from the prepress workflow. This is not true. Regardless of the manufacturer of the printing press, an intermediate system is required to convert industry-standard CIP3 data into the proprietary press setup data needed by the target printing press. These separate software systems, usually located in the prepress department, are supplied by the press manufacturer and come at a considerable cost.

Moreover, each manufacturer has its own standards and conversion software, so if your business operates a mix of press brands, you will need at least one interface per brand of press.

We frequently encounter situations where a printing company has purchased a used printing press, having seen it demonstrated at its previous location with all the prepress connections (CIP3 interface) in place. However, when the press is delivered and installed, they often find that the connecting software was not included in the sale, making it impossible to connect the press without additional software.

The options for the new press owner are to purchase a new CIP3 interface from the press manufacturer, which can cost tens of thousands of pounds or involve never-ending monthly subscriptions, or to seek alternative solutions. This is where Aldridge Solutions comes in. We are the driving force behind the PressProfiler product line, a manufacturer-independent CIP3 PPF ink-key pre-setting system. Our system allows a single interface to provide automation from CIP3 to the native press format for all major press brands at a fraction of the cost of the manufacturer’s original solution, with a one-time fee and no ongoing subscription or licensing costs.

What about CIP4 and JDF?

In the early 2000s, the CIP3 organisation recognised the need to expand its focus beyond pushing data from Prepress to manufacturing equipment. To reflect this broader scope, they added another “P”, “Processes”, to their name, becoming CIP4. This change acknowledged the importance of collecting data throughout the process and facilitating communication between the Management Information System (MIS) and Prepress. Thus, the Job Definition Format (JDF) was introduced.

JDF significantly differs from PPF, not least because it shifted from PostScript to XML-based file formats. This transition made it easier to write and parse files without requiring interpretation by a PostScript device. JDF encompasses a wider range of systems and processes used in the printing industry, enabling the return of audit data to the central control system, typically a print MIS system. This advancement allows for greater automation of processes and automatic tracking of job progress, consumables usage, and costs throughout the print process.

The initial implementation of JDF resulted in some cumbersome files that were intended to be appended as processes were carried out and circulated between all relevant systems. To address this, the Job Messaging Format (JMF) specification was developed. JMF allows for communication between processes, typically via HTTP, enabling job updates and submissions along with instructions for accessing the full JDF as needed.

In the context of offset printing, JDF offers two main advantages over CIP3 PPF files:

1. Additional Job Information for Greater Automation: The MIS system can serve as the origin of all automation data, passing a JDF file directly or via JMF into a compatible print production workflow to create initial job parameters. The same JDF information can be submitted to a compatible ink-key pre-setting system, providing details beyond those of CIP3, such as the exact paper to be used, customer name, scheduled print times, and the number of copies to print. PressProfiler Bridge supports this additional JDF data via hot folder or JMF and can use it to set up Heidelberg printing presses, including push-to-stop models, for automated operation.
2. Feedback of Progress and Consumables: Compatible systems can use JDF and JMF to provide feedback to the MIS system when a job is started on press, reporting on paper waste, the number of good copies printed, job completion, and more. This functionality automates job tracking and costing. PressProfiler Report adds this capability to Heidelberg and KBA presses by supporting JDF audit data export.

Summary

Hopefully, this article has helped you to unravel the abbreviations and understand the benefits of these file formats to the printing industry. The reality for much of the industry is that many of the commendable goals of the CIP3 and CIP4 organisations have not been as widely adopted as hoped. However, certain elements have become absolutely essential to the print business: ink key pre-setting and MIS integration can significantly increase productivity and reduce costs for any print business.

CIP4 is very much still alive and kicking with it’s focus on XJDF and XJMF, a reworking of the JDF and JMF specification to more fully XML compliant formatting and simplification of the file structure. For more detail about their work, file specifications and more please visit the CIP4 website.

Andrew Aldridge – January 2025