Print Then Distribute versus Distribute Then Print

The traditional model for sharing design data through commercial reprography includes a print then distribute operation.

1. An Architect or Engineer prints a Master Copy using his local printer. He typically has a lower speed device than what is in place at a reprographic shop. His device is suitable for local copies, but would never be able to turn around the hundreds of copies that are required to meet the needs of a time-critical project.
2. The Architect or Engineer brings the Master Copy to a reprographic shop. The Print Operator scans in the Master Copy. The image is stored using Reprographic Shop Management Software. An alternative to printing a Master Copy is for the Architect or Engineer to publish a digital copy to an Online Plan Room. The digital copy is then downloaded from the Online Plan Room to the shop.
3. A General/Sub Contractor visits the Online Plan Room and places an order for a specified number of copies at specified sizes (e.g. full or half) on specified media (e.g. bond or vellum).
4. The Print Operator receives the order and prints the desired number of copies from the stored image using the Reprographic Shop Management Software that drives the shop's high speed device.
5. The prints are rolled or folded and picked up by a Shipping service that delivers them to various General/Sub Contractors. The General/Sub Contractor receives his prints.

We have all used a process like this many times. How many times have you had something copied at the UPS Store or FedEx Kinko's? It works just like that but is larger in scale due to the higher volume needs of the construction industry.

With DWF we are attempting to move to a distribute then print operation.

1. An Architect or Engineer publishes a DWF file.
2. Since it is small enough to be accepted by email systems, the Architect or Engineer emails the DWF file directly to the General/Sub Contractor.
3. The General/Sub Contractor prints the DWF file locally for his own needs. In the traditional model, he did not have this opportunity. Alternatively, if he has no suitable printer of his own, he emails the DWF to the reprographic shop with a request for a number of copies on a specified media.
4. If the General/SubContractor did decide to use a reprographer, the Print Operator receives the order and prints the desired number of copies from the DWF file using the Reprographic Shop Management Software that drives the shop's high speed device.
5. The prints are rolled or folded and picked up by a Shipping service that delivers them to various General/Sub Contractors. The General/Sub Contractor receives his prints.

In this process, the General/Sub Contractor has the option to print locally or continue to use a reprographic shop. The data has been distributed in digital form prior to printing. He is free to make use of solutions such as Autodesk Design Review or the free Autodesk DWF Viewer. DWF goes beyond the paper; however it also has implications for how project members actually get their paper.