Creating efficiency from order to delivery with intelligent workflows from Zünd
The range of products offered by print-service providers is continually expanding. Manufacturing such a multitude of products efficiently and economically has become quite a challenge. And without data-processing automation, it is practically impossible to create a productive and profitable workflow. At Fespa 2021 in Amsterdam, Zünd will be presenting its latest workflow solutions for automatically generating production files and data used for production monitoring and analytics.
While there are various ways in which the production process can be optimized and made more efficient, automating individual sub-processes is central to accomplishing the goal. Workflow processes are standardized and made repeatable and trackable. Choosing the right software tools and hardware solutions is the first and most important step in creating an efficient production workflow.
Whether an order comes in through a web shop solution or an ERP system, the path the job file has to take through various departments—from prepress to printing, finishing, and shipping—is a long one. At Fespa (Hall 1, Booth G20), Zünd will be showing software solutions for making the journey quicker and easier through automation, for instance by linking order data with the actual print and cut data. In the Zünd workflow, metadata from the ERP system is linked with production data from PrimeCenter and Zünd Cut Center - ZCC. This allows continuous job tracking, cut files remain visible throughout the process, and making finished jobs ready for shipping becomes easier. Metadata may contain job information such as an order number, ID, or delivery date. This metadata can be printed on tear-off tabs attached to the prints. Or it can be output to a label printer and applied to the finished cut parts. A projector mounted above the cutter identifies the part where each label needs to go. Either method helps save time in removing finished parts and lets the operator keep track of them at all times, which is particularly important for multi-part jobs. The labels also facilitate shipping logistics. For example, finished banners labeled with the associated order information after they have been cut can simply be scanned and are ready to ship.
Zünd is also premiering Zünd Connect, a web-based monitoring tool that gathers key performance and availability data of integrated cutting systems for calculating overall system effectiveness (OEE). Zünd Connect helps the user detect possible loss of workflow effectiveness and thus provides important indicators that can be used to further optimize the digital cutting process. Visitors can request live demonstrations of these software solutions directly from Zünd staff at the booth.