Workflow Automation : Basic Concepts of Workflow Automation in the Graphic Industry

This book describes basic concepts of workflow automation in the graphic industry. There are three main chapters: Scope of Workflows in the Printing Industry, Production Models, and Metadata Formats. The book does not describe the individual business and production steps for manufacturing a print product. Rather, it describes what kinds of data exchanges are required between management software and devices to make the automatic execution of processes possible. Primary audience is students studying graphic arts technology, practitioners at printing and manufacturing companies, and computer scientists who are interested in workflow-related matters. It is presupposed that the reader is familiar with the basic procedures in the printing industry as well with the fundamental concepts of IT technology.

Professor Dr. Thomas Hoffmann-Walbeck was Professor at the Stuttgart Media University from 1998 until 2019 specializing in applied computer science, prepress, CTP, and print production workflow.

He has taught a semester course on Workflow Automation at universities in Stuttgart, Toronto, California, and Serbia.

He received a diploma in mathematics in Berlin 1982 and a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He has held positions at graphic arts manufacturers including Siemens, Linotype-Hell, and Heidelberg.

He also served as head of the German-Chinese Course of Studies in Printing Technology (B.S. and M.S. programs).

He has written several books on the subjects of CTP, JDF, and graphic arts standards. Between 2008 and 2018, he organized an annual symposium about workflows at the Stuttgart Media University. In 2018, Thomas was presented with the CIP4 Fellows Award in appreciation of his contributions to CIP4 and JDF. He recently was named the CIP4 Organization’s Education & Marketing Officer.