Global Graphics first to certify for JDF

CIP4 and PIA/GATF have announced that Global Graphic's Harlequin RIP is the first commercially available product to achieve JDF Certification.

The International Cooperation for the Integration of the Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4) organization and Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) announced today that Global Graphic's Harlequin RIP is the first commercially available product to achieve JDF Certification.

This achievement signals that the Harlequin RIP meets CIP4's established interoperability conformance specifications.

Printers can be confident when selecting other JDF-enabled tools that they will work alongside the RIP.

PIA/GATF provides testing services for the JDF Product Certification Program based on requirements established in CIP4's Interoperability Conformance Specifications (ICS).

The version of the Harlequin RIP that was successfully certified was Genesis Release 7.1R0 running on Microsoft Windows XP.

The Harlequin RIP was certified to both Layout Creator to Imposition (LayCrImp) ICS as well as the Level 0 of the Base ICS, which requires support for hot folder exchange of JDF files but not JMF support.

According to Brandon Iskey, Computational Research Scientist at PIA/GATF, the entire test took about two and a half days, including installation of the Harlequin RIP on a PIA/GATF computer.

"The test ran pretty smoothly and Global Graphics was right there to answer any questions about their product," said Iskey.

Global Graphics has been issued a "JDF Certified" logo with a serial number unique to the Harlequin RIP that can now be used on product packaging and promotional materials.

This will convey to buyers that the Harlequin RIP has been certified to meet established guidelines for JDF interoperability.

"I'm proud of the work our technical staff has done to demonstrate Global Graphic's industry leadership," said Jim Freidah, Global Graphics COO and President.

"We have placed a lot of emphasis on interoperability by testing our technology with other products and solutions from vendors throughout the industry, including the industry's most popular imposition design programs and production management tools".

"Printers are looking for products that can be part of an efficient, highly automated workflow today and in the future, and the Harlequin RIP has shown that it can be a key component in that workflow by being the first JDF Certified product." Global Graphics' native PDF RIP includes many prepress processes that are normally run as separate applications such as color management, trapping, and imposition.

Global Graphics first introduced the JDF-Enabler for the Harlequin RIP at drupa in 2004, and was one of the first companies to demonstrate that JDF can be used to control individual components in a workflow.

The JDF Enabler allows OEMs and system integrators to build JDF-enabled workflow solutions around the RIP and incorporate the RIP into JDF-enabled applications.

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