Cassie Balentine

Pre-Drupa News

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By DPS Staff

We’ve been waiting four years, but the much-anticipated drupa 2016 is upon us. While many vendors are tight-lipped about their big unveilings, we’ve mustered up some exciting pre-event highlights.

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH hosts the graphics and industrial print trade show from May 31 to June 10, 2016 at the Düsseldorf Fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. According to the show organizers, the last time the event was held in 2012, it attracted 314,500 experts from more than 130 countries.

Many vendors hosted pre-drupa events and shared product launches leading up to the event. Here we provide a sampling of what to expect on the show floor. Continued coverage is available online at dpsmagazine.com, through our twitter handle @dps_magazine, and in the July issue.

Canon
Canon shows print businesses the full gamut of its inkjet and toner-based solutions, from small to wide format. The focus of Canon’s drupa presence will be on productive, high-quality technologies that meet the evolving expectations of commercial printers and corporate print departments of every size and type.

Colordyne Technologies
Colordyne Technologies demonstrates new, faster speeds in its 3600 Series digital color printing system. Exhibiting with Memjet, its stand serves as a workshop and demonstration center for attendees to learn how Colordyne can streamline business workflow and show companies how to become leaders in production efficiency and flexibility in their respective markets.
Dalim Software
DALIM SOFTWARE launches the fifth edition of its integrated media production platform, DALIM ES. It offers a complete solution for the management and production of the many aspects of media services.

Duplo Corporation
Duplo International’s product portfolio at drupa includes binders, bookletmakers, saddle-stitchers, folders, and duplicators.

Durst
Durst exhibits a range of products including its Tau 330 with LFS 330 label and package printing solution, the Rho 130 SPC single-pass corrugated printer, Rho 1312 AF for corrugate applications, and Rho 1312 AF for existing LFP printers.
EFI
EFI displays new superwide format technology and its most advanced EFI Fiery digital front end platform to date. Within its superwide format offerings, EFI offers new packaging technology that incorporates many technical advancements in its inkjet portfolio. Additionally, the company displays new Fiery technology, which includes a front-end platform designed to drive next-generation high-speed, high-quality inkjet presses.

Epson
Epson demonstrates its most advanced range of professional production inkjet printers for label, sign and display, photographic, apparel decor, and product decoration applications.

Esko
Esko, along with sister company X-Rite Pantone and subsidiaries Enfocus and MediaBeacon, introduces significant innovations in both its software and hardware product offerings to help customers manage, create, and produce better packaging, signs, and displays.

Fujifilm
Fujifilm Corporation showcases its inkjet technologies under the new brand name, Fujifilm Inkjet Technology. Its stand is divided into zones including the Commercial Printing Zone, Wide Format Printing Zone, and Package Printing Zone. Within the Commercial Printing Zone, the Jet Press 720S takes center stage; The Wide Format Printing Zone spotlights the Onset X; and the Package Printing Zone features a new LED-UV inkjet digital press for flexible package printing.

GMG
GMG showcases its latest software, an Adobe Photoshop plug-in, new proofing media, and its extended range of services.

Harris & Bruno International
Harris & Bruno demonstrates their ExcelCoat series of offline/inline coaters for UV and aqueous output.

Highcon
Highcon announces a new portfolio of products. The company introduces the Highcon Euclid III, Highcon Beam, and Highcon Pulse.

HP
HP displays its latest technology for general commercial printing in addition to new hardware and solutions for labels and packaging and large format and sign and display application areas. Leading up to drupa, HP Inc. introduced HP PrintOS, nine presses across general commercial print and labels and packaging segments, as well as cross-platform enhancements in quality, productivity, versatility, and color.

KAMA
KAMA presents the premiere of a complete finishing solution for short runs of folding boxes. The solution includes the DC 76 ASB automatic die cutter with the newest in servo technology and the KAMA FF 52i folder-gluer.

Kodak
Kodak launches its next generation inkjet technology platform, KODAK ULTRASTREAM Inkjet Technology. Built on the company’s continuous inkjet Stream technology, ULTRASTREAM will move production inkjet into the mainstream of commercial printing and packaging.

Komori
Komori highlights new business models that connect customers with Komori by linking offset, inkjet, and the management factors related to printing plant production and quality. The event marks the start of general availability of the Impremia IS29. Also demonstrated on the stand is the B1-size Impremia NS40 digital printing system.

Konica Minolta
Visit the Konica Minolta stand for an overview of the company’s innovations in printing, applications, and know-how. The company invites print providers to gain new insights into its product portfolio and take a first-hand look at the B2+ UV Inkjet Printer KM-1.

Landa
Landa’s lineup of offset quality Nanographic Printing presses at drupa include sheet-fed presses running at 13,000 B1 sheets per hour as well as one meter-wide web presses printing on plastic packaging films. The company also unveils Landa Nano-Metallography.

MBO
MBO plans to present 11 finishing systems at drupa 2016, covering offset print applications, digital print applications, and specialty applications such as direct mail, pharmaceutical finishing, and packaging. Under the slogan “Finish First,” the MBO Group shows new finishing solutions to help printers optimize high-speed presses and improve production efficiency.

MGI
MGI Digital Technology/MGI Group announces the exclusive world premieres of eight new products, an expanded global alliance with Konica Minolta, as well as a unique blending of its press and postpress technologies.

Muller Martini
Muller Martini demonstrates Finishing 4.0, showcasing the efficient finishing of variable print products. The “PDF in, book out” slogan now also applies to variable data, which the company says is leading the way in technology for automated production workflows.

Pitney Bowes
Pitney Bowes showcases its latest data, print, and mail technologies, demonstrating how businesses can create real impact to gain a competitive edge and deliver world-class results.

Ricoh
Ricoh is “Opening New Worlds” for print service providers looking to manage workflows, maximize productivity, increase profitability, and access additional markets. Additionally, Avanti Systems demonstrates its Avanti Slingshot solution live in the Ricoh stand.

Scodix
Scodix launches its Scodix E106 enhancement press for the folding carton market. Making its debut at drupa 2016, the Scodix E106 is a digital press delivering enhancement solutions for printers in the packaging sector.

Standard Horizon
Standard Finishing Systems partners with Horizon International of Japan to demonstrate a display of finishing equipment. Under the theme “Change the Focus,” Horizon sets out to help its customers comprehend and plan finishing steps at the beginning of the print process to enable end-to-end automation and production efficiency.

Standard Hunkeler
Switzerland-based Hunkeler AG shows a comprehensive portfolio of unwinding, rewinding, cutting, stacking, perforating, punching, web inspection, tracking, and folding solutions. Together with North American distributor Standard Finishing Systems, Hunkeler demonstrates many world premieres and updates in paper processing and finishing for the roll-fed digital production print market.

X-Rite
X-Rite offers several announcements including the X-Rite eXact XP spectrophotometer and PantoneLive Private Cloud.

Xaar
Xaar presents its range of premium inkjet printheads and products, announces a number of new developments, and launches its new Thin Film silicon MEMS technology platform.

Xerox
Xerox introduces its new cutsheet and continuous feed inkjet presses, the Xerox Brenva HD Production Inkjet Press and Xerox Trivor 2400 Inkjet Press.

Zünd
Zünd unveils its new digital cutting system, developed based on growing demand from packaging manufacturers and print providers. The new cutter features technological innovations as well as flexibility in handling a range of materials.

Exciting Times
Each drupa promises industry excitement that sets the stage for the next few years. Look to us for post-show coverage. dps

May2016, DPS Magazine

Compact Production

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By Melissa Donovan

Digital print providers rely on sophisticated productivity software to run their operations. The latest tools incorporate core aspects of a workflow from end to end, including online ordering, print management, management information systems (MIS), production workflow, and output workflow.

Analyst firm InfoTrends refers to this as a compact workflow. According the company, instead of trying to satisfy every technical or business need with singular focus software, compact workflows integrate with existing software solutions or implement the correct feature set required for high-volume, on demand work.

Print providers are considering implementing a compact or end-to-end workflow into existing digital and hybrid operations today more than ever as the need for greater efficiency becomes paramount in an increasingly competitive market. These same organizations may have legacy, on premise solutions in place, but must see past the challenges of overhauling their established processes to benefit in the long term.

End-to-End Integration
Based on InfoTrends’ definition of a compact workflow, this solution is typically delivered via Software as a Service (SaaS). It is built upon the premise that jobs originate online—sometimes from multiple sources—and are then standardized in a single, backend production system.

Incoming orders are preflighted, routed, imposed, and batched to streamline production. These orders are tagged with print management functions like job ticketing and scheduling and can be output to a variety of digital front ends. Shop floor data collection is available with live updates on job status that can be consolidated into user-friendly dashboard viewing. Additional integrations to other online platforms like third-party shipping or accounting are usually available.

The act of automation from end to end streamlines production. According to Carol Andersen, chairman, EPMS, the need for a compact workflow takes precedent over standalone solutions in today’s world. “Driving this preference is the need for greater efficiencies with less manual intervention in the entire job planning/job production process,” she says.

Print providers continue to update their analog facilities with digital printers, which creates a hybrid of technologies, but room for error increases due to more touchpoints, or as Joanne Gore, director of marketing, Avanti Systems, refers to them, “breakpoints.”

“A breakpoint in the workflow is where data has been entered in one system and has to be re-entered into another system, resulting in duplicate data entry and the potential for costly errors. We call this ‘islands of automation’ throughout the print shop and it is becoming more prevalent as printers take a hybrid approach by offering a mix of digital and offset presses in addition to other products and services offered,” she continues.

“It has become more commonplace to have print shops with a mixture of print vendor equipment, so it has become important that an end-to-end workflow solution support direct ticketing to the various print vendor’s production equipment,” agrees Vincent Tutino, senior product manager, Rochester Software Associates, Inc.

Taking Advantage
Print providers with legacy, on premise workflow systems—whether homegrown or individual solutions cobbled together to create a total solution—are taking advantage of compact or end-to-end workflow.
“Most print providers are jumping at the thought of speeding up their shop workflow. For those who are a little more resistant, their biggest complaint is the amount of time and support they get when putting a new system in place,” explains Morrie Brown, owner, PrintPoint, Inc.

According to Jordan Melick, business development manager, Accura MIS, Data Design Services Ltd, most print providers are “amazed at the power and simplicity of end-to-end solutions and the ability to do many things with the data once it is fully integrated into the system.”

Joseph Lehn, director of product management, PressWise by SmartSoft, argues that while most print providers want to take advantage of these types of solutions, the level of trust isn’t yet there. “Often times there are challenges with existing long-term personnel that have been doing their job effectively and well from their perspective for many years. They don’t have a level of trust that an automated solution can provide the same level of productivity. Once users gain confidence, it becomes more cost effective to handle a larger volume of orders.”

“Utilizing a cloud-based solution or SaaS model offers short implementation times, lower upfront costs, and subscription-based payments. If you combine this with shorter, less costly development cycles and simplified functionality updates, it’s not surprising that end-to-end solutions are replacing many of the traditional MIS and legacy systems,” comments Mick Rowan, director and head of R&D, IQ.

Order Online
Online ordering is an essential component of a compact or end-to-end workflow. Most, if not all, cater to online or Web to print (W2P) ordering solutions.

Nick Benkovich, senior director, EPS portfolio management, EFI, says it is impossible to understate how important W2P and e-commerce is to many commercial print businesses. It is so common, that having a basic W2P submission offering is essential to competing with other printers.

“A complete integration of W2P with an end-to-end automated workflow takes some companies to a higher level of near lights out automation for many jobs and that often helps printing companies turn small dollar jobs like business cards from loss leaders to sources of incremental profit,” shares Benkovich.
Implementing an online ordering component institutes a trickledown effect. “Having a bi-directional solution enables W2P workflow to become the pricing engine, meaning from the time the job is requested, to the time the job is shipped and the invoice created, cost integrity is maintained, and actual costs reflected,” adds Gore.

Commonly, W2P includes components that enable increased interaction on the customer’s part. “Using intelligent document setup rules and visual on-screen document previews helps automate document setup for customers and shows them what their document will look like in real time as they place their order,” shares Tutino.

Overcoming Challenges
A compact or end-to-end workflow can be challenging compared to singular-focused solutions like strict print MIS offerings. The idea of integrating so many processes can be overwhelming.

“Strict MIS offerings operate in a contained, defined environment. End-to-end workflow solutions need to integrate the online solution with MIS order management; order management with prepress and imposition solutions; imposition with the printing; printing with finishing; finishing with shipping; and shipping with shipping providers like UPS, FedEx, and USPS. End-to-end solutions have to provide the integration between these evolving areas of the workflow without adding user-interaction overhead,” shares Lehn.
Sometimes the challenges aren’t so much in the actual implementation, but more of a mindset to overcome. “The challenge is really the buy-in and ownership of the organization and the willingness and ability to move through change management. An end-to-end workflow by its nature means change, and change is often difficult for an organization to adapt to. But the ones that do change see the benefits of improved profit per order, increased customer satisfaction, faster turn times, and improved morale within the organization,” shares Benkovich.

“It’s all about having one system of record. One place to go for the truth. The key to increased productivity is efficiency and automation. Anytime that data, previously entered, can be passed seamlessly and automatically between departments, equipment, and applications, you reduce turnaround time. You also reduce the chance for transcription errors resulting in increased profitability and customer satisfaction,” agrees Gore.

Managing It All
For most print providers, is not a question of whether to integrate an end-to-end or compact workflow solution, but when to do so. Proper planning is recommended, with a good cost analysis on what it can achieve for your organization, as each one is different. However, if you find yourself in a digital or hybrid print environment, constantly moving disjointed pieces of information across the production floor and creating opportunity for error, it might be time to consider a compact workflow. These solutions increase shop efficiency and eliminate unnecessary touchpoints. dps

May2016, DPS Magazine