Process integration alliance CIP4 has made training contents and case histories available free.

Content from the JDF Expert Certificate training programme has been moved to the CIP4 website for free public use, with expert certification still available from IDEAlliance.

The free 15-part training programme is designed to teach anyone interested in process automation the fundamentals of using the JDF job definition format in print automation. Those interested in being certified can register for an exam with IDEAlliance.

CIP4 says that although programmers, developers and IT specialists may benefit from it, the programme is designed so that printers, educators, students, consultants and other non-programmers can readily learn the basics of JDF.

Students begin with the fundamentals of reading XML, learn how JDF is structured, and then learn how it is applied to common automation tasks. It also includes summaries of changes to JDF in version 1.3 and 1.4.

Individuals that want to become certified as JDF Experts can take an exam for a nominal fee, and will be listed on the CIP4 site. There are more than 70 certified experts in 17 countries.

CIP4 has also released a new ‘case study tool’ to help users access more than 70 print automation case studies from a 1000-page database. Executive director James Harvey says the CIP4 website receives 10,000-15,000 visitors a month and case studies are among the more popular resources: “We have well over a 1,000 pages of case study material, much of it including financial results and great detail; however, that much content becomes an obstacle for printers looking for specific information.

“Printers want to find examples of similar companies, of a similar size or with similar equipment and the new database solves that problem."

The search tool is freely available on the homepage of www.cip4.org, or directly at www.cip4.org/pacs/. Users can search by keyword in ‘company’, ‘vendor’ or ‘product’ name, or can construct searches by selecting options for one or more search fields.

The database also allows case studies to be added to the system in languages including English, French, Germany, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Spanish.