In this Article
What is Digital Process Factory?
The Digital Process Factory (DPF) is the development and runtime environment for efficiently implementing and automating processes for processing data, files and documents. The processes are based on so-called working units – small processing modules that take on specific tasks, for example:
- Data retrieval
- Conversion
- Stamping
- Feedback and re-storage
The DPF is used successfully by many customers and forms the basis for numerous important products.
Why further development was necessary
Since the first version in 2001, DPF has undergone constant further development in order to be prepared for technological developments and new requirements. Nevertheless, there were aspects of the previous version that made it difficult to use in projects and complicated scaling for large applications. These included:
- lack of cluster capability
- a technical basis, which was very different from our PLOSSYS® Output Engine
- the lack of use of software containers and cloud technologies
We have therefore defined a clear goal for 2024: to create a new, modern and future-proof platform.
The new DPF: A look into the future
We realized that we had to implement something parallel to the classic printing solution – now PLOSSYS® Output Engine – in order to better implement the digital processes. To do this, DPF had to be converted to microservice architecture. The new workflow is then based on the PLOSSYS® Distribution Engine. And both are now compatible on the same basis.
Particular attention is paid to compatibility: existing processes and working units function unchanged, as does the DPF Tracker, the sophisticated admin interface for the DPF.
Challenges during implementation
The development of the new platform began with intensive discussions on the architecture. The focus was on the following questions:
- Which existing elements are so valuable or costly that they should be retained?
- What does not fit in with the new concepts and needs to be replaced?
- Which services, concepts or modules from PLOSSYS® 5 can we usefully integrate?
The result is a flexible, scalable microservice architecture that has convinced everyone and now serves as the basis for further developments.
What comes next?
In the coming months, we will gradually add missing functions and connect existing components to the new core.
We are also focusing on important non-functional aspects such as the installability and SaaS suitability of the new DPF. We are moving full steam ahead and will be able to present exciting new developments from mid-2025 that will make our solutions even more future-proof.
The new Digital Process Factory®
With the further development of the Digital Process Factory, we have created a future-proof and powerful platform that combines all the advantages of modern technologies. Our aim is not only to make your processes more efficient, but also more flexible and sustainable – at the highest technological level.