Information Integration

With package printers on the hot seat for nimble customer responsiveness at the lowest possible cost, accurate real-time information is a must.

WHEN IT COMES to cutting costs and investing in the future, package printers have always had plenty of options on how to spend their money. The list just keeps getting longer, and the opportunities more tantalizing.

In recent years, business and production software has been climbing to the top of the list and increasingly winning the fight for the limited capital resources. The reasons for this vary, but ultimately, it boils down to the growing need to run highly efficient and effective operations, with super-fast turnaround times and speed of response. Software that seamlessly links business processes can provide what is needed, allowing package printers to make the most from the equipment investments they have made.

Michael Schneider, national sales manager, labels and packaging for EFI, believes that package printers are finally starting to catch on, "finally getting the message and seeing the value of integrated systems—more accurate, quicker response times."

As is typical, commercial printers are out in front of their package-printing brethren, actively implementing integrated software systems for more than three years now, says Schneider. But package printers are getting in with both feet and companies such as EFI are there to help.

Schneider acknowledges that packaging is more complex. He cites examples such as the 3D aspects associated with folding cartons, and the distortions and tension variables that impact ink consumption in flexible packaging.

EFI addresses concerns such as these by targeting its products toward specific business segments. EFI's PSI Management System is targeted toward narrow-web pressure-sensitive labels and narrow flexible packaging materials, while its EFI Hagen OA product line is focused more on folding carton printers.

EFI recently released version 11.2 of the PSI print management information solution that includes a browser-based data collection tool called EFI MyDC, and a new quote module designed for flexo printers. MyDC improves speed and accuracy of shop-floor data collection via a streamlined interface that reduces the number of keystrokes required for data entry.

The new Flexo Quote module is designed specifically for the needs of flexo printers. "The interface better meets the needs of flexo users by providing a much more efficient user interface with flexo-specific terminology," says Clay Horsley, EFI PSI Product Manager.

A key enabling technology that is paving the way for software system integration in the printing arena is JDF. This printing-specific standard does for data integration, movement, and use what HTML has done for text information.

"JDF is driving everything," says Schneider. As a measure of its importance in packaging, he notes the active efforts being taken by TLMI to educate its membership on JDF technology and benefits.

EFI itself is actively involved in JDF standards development through its standing as one of 14 CIP4 Partner Members. With this commitment to JDF technology, the company says it will provide JDF capabilities to its customers as upgrade options, and will ensure its systems both accept and output validated JDF. This will allow easy integration and use with other vendor's JDF-enabled products.

At CRC, Jim Drisler, executive VP of sales and marketing, believes that although people's awareness continues to grow concerning the need for, and benefits of, MIS solutions, they still take a back seat to machinery upgrades when resources are limited.

CRC encourages the industry to make use of its product, THE System, by continuing to implement upgrades, with "dozens of enhancements each year," says Drisler. The latest was a new scheduling system with drag-and-drop functionality that is completely integrated with the estimating module.

CRC's approach is to market its product toward a particular business segment—such as folding cartons—and then provide the needed flexibility to handle various printing requirements. One of the trends that CRC is addressing is the growing use of e-commerce to link up the supply chain. With this functionality, "our customer's customer can see what is available, request additional material, and check the status of jobs and shipments," notes Drisler.

CRC also understands the value JDF brings to the picture, but Drisler warns that users must be real careful when they see the term "JDF-enabled." "It's [nomenclature] all over the place right now," he says. "What will help this significantly is the conformance standards developed through CIP4 that will establish a true level of JDF functionality."

Dave Melbourne, business development executive for Globe-Tek, sees an increasing emphasis for linking traditional business and production software systems with prepress workflows and machine interfaces. Again, JDF will be the enabling technology to provide this level of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM).

Globe-Tek's solutions currently link to Creo and Agfa workflows and Esko-Graphics is on the horizon, says Melbourne. With this capability, a user will be able to be linked to a job's content file throughout the entire production life cycle.

This type of added functionality is what Globe-Tek focuses on. Melbourne says the company takes pride in providing flexible solutions that go beyond ERP to ERM (enterprise resource management). Users of Globe-Tek's solutions include RR Donnelley and Fort Dearborn.

Offering package solutions

Tectura specializes in ERP and CRM solutions as a Microsoft Business Solutions Partner. Gina Padgett, marketing, notes the business challenges faced by package printers—escalating raw material costs, narrowing margins, increasing customer demands, and fierce competition. Its packaging product, Tectura Packaging, is designed to provide the critical data needed by decision-makers at all levels of a package manufacturing operation.

Tectura Packaging provides touch-screen, shop-floor data collection so package manufacturers can capture accurate job costing information and production data, such as set-up times, run speeds, and machine downtime and waste. It also has integrated estimating and price quoting to help packaging manufacturers achieve disciplined pricing practices and compare planned to actual costs.

Tectura recently introduced QuickStepz, an ERP tool designed to aid companies implementing its solutions in the sometimes daunting task of MIS implementation. With QuickStepz, 60 percent of the ERP system set up is done in advance, including a Merge Manager tool that aids in the extraction of data from existing systems and maps it into the Tectura solution.

Operon Systems LLC provides a manufacturing solution called RedHawk™ Manufacturing Productivity Solution (MPS). It is designed to enhance or replace the performance voids left by traditional systems. RedHawk monitors the key steps in a company's manufacturing process and provides real-time feedback to the operations staff and management. It can eliminate inaccurate and time-consuming manual data entry, reduce shift variability, and track machine utilization and efficiencies.

Operon recently installed four RedHawk systems to DRG Technologies, Inc. for use at its Impressive Labels, Inc. (a high-end producer and converter of industrial-grade and artistic labels) and SuperFast Label Service, Inc. facilities. After launching a productivity initiative in 2004, Impressive Labels started manually logging and reporting key metrics for each machine. The results indicated that manually logged data was often questionable, inaccurate, and not timely.

Larry Malmos, plant manager at Impressive Labels stated, "We didn't feel there was much productivity to gain from RedHawk, since we have been manually tracking time by machine, and working on reducing set up and downtime. However, in just a couple of weeks, and with little effort, we have seen our productivity increase by 15 percent."

Radius Solutions designed its PECAS Vision ERP solution specifically for the printing and packaging industry. David Taylor, president of Radius Solutions, says that with many printers looking to adopt lean manufacturing principles as a necessary means of survival, solutions such as PECAS Vision can make an all-important contribution.

In December of last year, Radius Solutions sold PECAS Vision to eight printing companies, three in North America and five in Europe/Africa. The three North American companies included Keller Crescent, a producer of folding cartons, labels, and inserts; Catty Corporation, a manufacturer of flexible packaging for the food, confectionery, and pharmaceutical industries; and Genpak, a producer of flexible packaging products.

According to Keller Crescent CIO Susan Everett, the company began its search looking for a new financial system to improve its financial analysis capability. In the course of the investigation, the company realized the value of a fully integrated ERP solution. "By implementing a new financial system, we're able to move one step forward; by implementing an entire ERP application, we're able to move two steps ahead," she said.

In the case of Catty Corporation, the value of a fully integrated ERP system also was the selling point. Its existing software applications were in use of more than 10 years, but were never integrated to the shop floor. This resulted in personnel having to manually enter redundant information. PECAS Vision's integrated design solved this problem.

DiMS! organizing print has focused on MIS for the graphics arts industry since its inception in 1986. Its flagship product, DiMS!, contains functionality to cover the complete range of business processes—from estimating, planning, supply chain, and scheduling, to prepress, production, and distribution. DiMS! users include companies such as WS Packaging, RR Donnelley, and MPI Label Systems.

DiMS! is JDF-compliant and uses this technology as a key tool for automating the exchange of real-time data across the entire print management process. In addition to automating data exchange within the integrated DiMS! functions, its open architecture and Web-enabled database allows easy integration with other management systems and processes.

DiMS! organizing print's latest release, 640, will allow larger printing companies to improve efficiencies through streamlined processes at an enterprise-wide level. It provides a simple way to manage complex financial transactions involving different profit centers, multiple plants, or multiple inventory items.

PRIMAC Systems also targets its MIS offerings to the graphic arts industry, with customizable solutions that are designed to minimize implementation efforts and maximize the effective end-to-end flow of information throughout the business cycle. It provides continual enhancements and new modules to its customers based on active involvement of the PRIMAC User Group.

Release 12a issued last year added significant enhancements to its PRIMAC Business and Production Management System. These included job scheduling enhancements; shop floor validation of stock used versus stock planned for a job; expanded inventory tracking of bar-code tracked transactions in real time; and JDF interfaces to printing equipment based on the NGP implementation of CIP4 standards.

Computer Productivity Services. has worked with Microsoft Business Solutions since 1993. It offers solutions called Business Management Systems and Print Management Systems. The business solution includes financials, distribution, e-commerce, human resources, payroll, manufacturing, supply chain management, sales and marketing management, and customer service and support solutions. Its print solution offers specific functionality for a printer that includes job estimating and pricing, time and material management, shop floor control, order entry, die maintenance, and press and finishing set ups.

Tailored Solutions has just recently implemented a series of upgrades to its Label Traxx™ software for flexographic narrow-web converters. With these enhancements Label Traxx will have a global reach.

In May, the company added a feature that permits storing each phase or text string in as many as seven different languages. This was followed by an upgrade that allows users to switch from English to metric units. With these capabilities in hand, Tailored Solutions will begin making Label Traxx available to label printers and converters around the world, with a launch pad from Labelexpo Europe in September.

Collaborative Studios has developed what it says is the first fully integrated. Software-On-Demand ERP system for converters of flexible packaging and roll labels. Called intraFLEX™, the software is located remotely, in secure locations, and accessed over the Internet. This eliminates the need for up-front capital outlays for hardware and software, along with the ongoing maintenance of these systems. Collaborative Studios estimates that this can save between 45 and 65 percent versus traditional server-based, hosted software alternatives.

The software is JDF-enabled to allow effective exchange of data between different third-party applications. intraFLEX includes functionality for all key aspects of the operation of an enterprise—CRM, estimating, production, purchasing, receiving, scheduling, shop floor, manufacturing, inventory, shipping, invoicing, payroll, and financials.

Earlier this year, Collaborative Studios and Esko-Graphics jointly announced the availability of an integrated workflow solution between Esko-Graphics' Scope BackStage workflow automation server and intraFLEX. Using JDF technologies and Esko-Graphics' XMP plug-ins, the solution incorporates job information such as bar code settings, layers, inks and ink coverage, structural information, and other information defined by Esko-Graphics.

As an example of the efficiencies from such automation, an order entered in intraFLEX will create a pre-production job ticket (JDF) within BackStage without redundant data entry. The job ticket will include critical job specifications defined by the intraFLEX ERP user. Information can be passed between both systems throughout the job workflow, including tracking and storing deliverables, digital approvals, and status updates.

RGM Software Services specializes in software development for manufacturing, and offers a solution called Print Management Information System. Targeted toward label, sheetfed, and screen printers, it includes modules for estimating, order entry, job costing, production scheduling, and sales analysis.

In a significant move on its part, Eastman Kodak's Graphic Communications Group (GCG) is "moving into the MIS field," says Bob Kutschke, general manager, business workflow, GCG. At PRINT 05 it will demonstrate a complete business workflow solution for the graphic arts industry, called Kodak EMS.

This system was developed by Kodak subsidiary Creo, in partnership with enterprise software solutions provider Epicor. Epicor's Vantage manufacturing-focused ERP platform was used as the building block, and Creo personnel "verticalized" it, says Kutschke, with industry-specific modules that provide the specialized needs of the printing industry.

Kodak EMS will use JDF connectivity for the integration of all software components in the modular system. Core modules will include sales force automation, quoting and estimating, job management, purchasing, production planning and scheduling, and financials. Additional modules can be added to the base system including CRM, quality assurance, supplier relationship management, lean manufacturing processes, and customer and supplier Web portals.

The target market for the new system will initially be businesses between $5 million and $50 million in sales, and it will be competitively priced with the upper tier of MIS solutions, says Kutschke. Kodak EMS will be available in North American markets in the spring of 2006 and worldwide later in the year.

by Tom Polischuk

Editor-in-Chief