April 2009
Imprint MIS can save a printer Money
Most printers today have an MIS system of one sort or another. But many MIS systems just count beans. They can display those beans in all sorts of ways and in bright colours but they still only count beans.
A printer will not change his MIS in today's climate unless they can see a tangible return, and this is what the Imprint MIS can do. It can still count beans, and in real time, and display them beautifully through the KPI dashboard or via real time reporting, but here are two modules that can actually save the printer money:
1. eXpert Estimating
Produces fast, accurate estimates calculated from first principles, not just templates as with other systems. Estimates, including imposition layouts, are produced in seconds and are calculated at the lowest possible cost and best/cheapest production route against your plant. eXpert also easily handles multiple components making estimating in a direct mail environment effortless. A click of a button will tell you the earliest delivery date based upon current loading.
2. Sentinel Direct Machine Monitoring
Able to be fitted to almost any make of machine, of any age, including finishing equipment. It gives you many of the things you hoped for but at a sensible cost, with or without JDF. For the first time you will know how long and how many sheets a make ready really took, the actual output of your machines and the waste actually generated. How does one paper run against another, were extra sheets 'borrowed' from the warehouse? Did one pallet of material have a problem compared to another, perhaps it required blankets to be wiped? A material might be cheaper, but does it run slower?
By tracking waste across each section, it is possible to prevent the last section coming up short without knowing that too many sheets were being run or wasted earlier. By showing you actual efficiency / performance it gives management an opportunity to do something about it, against facts rather than feelings. Sentinel can be viewed live, you can watch your factory running in real time, even remotely. Connected directly to Imprint's Production Board, your entire plant can be viewed running live, warning production managers and directors immediately a job is drifting against target.
You cannot improve what you cannot measure, and Sentinel does just that.