Thought Leader Andrew Young Comments on AFP Technology
By Andrew Young
Customer Communications Thought Leader | Partner DNOW! US | TEDx Speaker #TheMailDilemma
There are so many parts of daily life we hardly think about—in customer communications, one such behind-the-scenes system is Advanced Function Presentation (#AFP). For decades, this technology has powered the printing of transactional documents like bills and statements around the world.
As businesses focus on digital transformation, accessibility, and artificial intelligence (AI), it’s worth appreciating foundational technologies like AFP. Developed by IBM in the early 1980s for high-speed laser printing and later adapted for advanced systems like the IP5000 inkjet press, AFP remains a key player in critical print infrastructures today.
AFP’s architecture is built on two key components: MODCA (Mixed Object Document Content Architecture), which defines the structure and content of documents, and IPDS (Intelligent Printer Data Stream), which manages real-time communication between the host system and printers. Together, they enable reliable print output, efficient resource management, and strong job control and recovery.
AFP is also known for its compact document storage and efficient archiving—often outperforming PDF and TIFF in file size and processing speed, which is why it's widely used in enterprise content and archive systems.
To keep AFP evolving, IBM launched the AFP Consortium (#AFPC) in 2004. This group—comprising over 30 companies like Ricoh, Canon Production Printing, Xerox, Compart and Papyrus Software among others work to update and improve AFP. Even after Ricoh acquired IBM’s InfoPrint division in 2013, the consortium remained independent, ensuring the technology meets industry needs.
This spring brings a leadership change to the group. Dennis Carney, a longtime contributor and industry leader, is taking over as president from Jack Condon of Ricoh USA, Inc. I had the privilege of working with Jack during my time as Global Product Manager at Ricoh. I am certain his calm leadership style and deep technical expertise have been instrumental in keeping AFP relevant and the Consortium active.
Dennis steps in at an exciting time. As print and digital workflows become more connected, AFP is well-suited to support these hybrid environments while addressing growing security concerns.
Looking ahead, AFP’s future depends on its ability to adapt to technologies like AI while staying true to its strengths. As personalization and real-time messaging become standard, AFP can enable secure, flexible document workflows across print and digital channels.
Congratulations to Dennis Carney on his new role! I’m excited to see how he and the AFP Consortium continue to evolve this trusted technology for the future.
#DigitalTransformation #SecureCommunication #FutureOfTech #PrintAndDigital #Innovation
Customer Communications Thought Leader | Partner DNOW! US | TEDx Speaker #TheMailDilemma
There are so many parts of daily life we hardly think about—in customer communications, one such behind-the-scenes system is Advanced Function Presentation (#AFP). For decades, this technology has powered the printing of transactional documents like bills and statements around the world.
As businesses focus on digital transformation, accessibility, and artificial intelligence (AI), it’s worth appreciating foundational technologies like AFP. Developed by IBM in the early 1980s for high-speed laser printing and later adapted for advanced systems like the IP5000 inkjet press, AFP remains a key player in critical print infrastructures today.
AFP’s architecture is built on two key components: MODCA (Mixed Object Document Content Architecture), which defines the structure and content of documents, and IPDS (Intelligent Printer Data Stream), which manages real-time communication between the host system and printers. Together, they enable reliable print output, efficient resource management, and strong job control and recovery.
AFP is also known for its compact document storage and efficient archiving—often outperforming PDF and TIFF in file size and processing speed, which is why it's widely used in enterprise content and archive systems.
To keep AFP evolving, IBM launched the AFP Consortium (#AFPC) in 2004. This group—comprising over 30 companies like Ricoh, Canon Production Printing, Xerox, Compart and Papyrus Software among others work to update and improve AFP. Even after Ricoh acquired IBM’s InfoPrint division in 2013, the consortium remained independent, ensuring the technology meets industry needs.
This spring brings a leadership change to the group. Dennis Carney, a longtime contributor and industry leader, is taking over as president from Jack Condon of Ricoh USA, Inc. I had the privilege of working with Jack during my time as Global Product Manager at Ricoh. I am certain his calm leadership style and deep technical expertise have been instrumental in keeping AFP relevant and the Consortium active.
Dennis steps in at an exciting time. As print and digital workflows become more connected, AFP is well-suited to support these hybrid environments while addressing growing security concerns.
Looking ahead, AFP’s future depends on its ability to adapt to technologies like AI while staying true to its strengths. As personalization and real-time messaging become standard, AFP can enable secure, flexible document workflows across print and digital channels.
Congratulations to Dennis Carney on his new role! I’m excited to see how he and the AFP Consortium continue to evolve this trusted technology for the future.
#DigitalTransformation #SecureCommunication #FutureOfTech #PrintAndDigital #Innovation
