In the business of print manufacturing deadlines are a fact of life. Working within short time frames and promsing delivery is part of what business owners deal with on a daily basis. One of the best things you can do for production is to use automated equipment that can quickly set-up.
In years past, print runs were averaging in the tens of thousands. Operators could take hours setting up a machine in the morning and run their job all day long. Today’s reality has operators doing anywhere from 5 to 25 set-ups within a day for jobs averaging below 1,000 pieces. This change in market demand has caused a shift in the way that purchasers must fit new equipment into their workflows. We often talk about selling the set ups rather than run speed. A dynamic piece of equipment that can knock out jobs all day long will out perform a faster machine if it’s operator is stuck tweaking and making adjustments.
Machines like the MBM Aerocut G2 allow a single operator to effortlessly finish complex print jobs. Printed pieces can be perforated, slit, chopped and creased in one pass while the operator is off doing something else. Modern paper cutters can be programmed to optimize cut cycles and printing presses automatically set ink keys based on job coverage. These time saving features can add to to the cost of a machine but any savvy business owner knows that the right investment can pay off in spades.
Buy yourself time in a world of deadlines.
New technology like Job Definition Format, JDF, take things even further. A JDF file, attached to a work order, carries with it the set-up information required to preset the machine. In a JDF workflow, an operator can simply click a job and the machine springs to life and sets itself up in a matter of moments.
The future is bright for automated equipment, keep your eyes on the horizon.
Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
Toll Free: 1-800-343-4231
