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 Belgium offset printer successful in the 2006 CIPPI Awards. End of 2002 Patrick Tanghe, CEO of Tanghe Printing NV, decided to start a CIM project
(Computer Integrated Manufacturing) for his company. The goal was to integrate all organisational and technical IT functions that are related to the
production processes in one central IT system (the HIFLEX MIS). In order to automate processes this system should make joint usage of all data relevant
to production. Since the go-ahead four years ago Tanghe Printing NV has increased its total turnover by 45 percent (2006: EUR 4.8 Mio.) while simultaneously
reducing the workforce of around 35 to 23 people. |
| Regarding this success, Tanghe's consistent engagement for JDF-connectivity is of particular importance, as business improving effects were especially achieved in the
course of the JDF project. Precise calculations reveal, that the already achieved (2003 - 2006) Return on Investment (ROI) of the JDF implementation now is 708 %
(which means that the investment has already paid back approx. 8 times). The Net Present Value (NPV) is EUR 710.000 which equals an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of
434%. These convincing figures now earned him success in the CIP4 Innovation Awards (CIPPI) 2006, which are given annual in three categories by the CIP4 organization.
Tanghe Printing achieved the second place in the category "Best cost/benefit realization as a result of process automation implementation". The implementation includes
the HIFLEX MIS with JDF-connectivity to Agfa :ApogeeX, Komori K-Station and NSS Production. |
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| Tanghe Printing achieved the second place in the 2006 CIPPI Award ("Best cost-benefit realisation"). The certificates for Patrick Tanghe and the supporting
vendors were handed over by CIP4 secretary Stefan Daun. From left to right: Harry Adams (Komori), Stefan Reichhart (HIFLEX), Filip Desseyn (NSS), Stefan Daun
(CIP4), Patrick Tanghe (Tanghe Printing), Erik Peeters (Agfa) |
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| Tanghe Printing opted for HIFLEX MIS early in 2003. The software was implemented for administrative processing, estimating, job costing, invoicing, and document management.
Patrick Tanghe states: "The implementation of the HIFLEX MIS progressed quickly and smoothly. This reflects our general mindset; we have always cultivated a positive
attitude toward technical and administrative innovation, more so since these have always resulted in improvements in our production and workflow processes." |
| Consistent with this attitude, Tanghe Printing was the first Belgium printer who invested into JDF-connectivity in 2004. At the same time they were the first printer
world wide who connected a Management Information System (HIFLEX MIS) to a Komori printing press. Only one year later, they realised a further world premier:
the Agfa Prepress-Workflowsystem :ApogeeX (v. 2.5) was JDF-linked to HIFLEX. The integration of the Document Asset Management (DAM) System NSS Production into the
JDF network followed in October 2005. |
Asking Patrick Tanghe what JDF-connectivity does to improve his day-to-day business he says: "Well, we do a lot of small production runs which requires a lot of job
changes. Automation via JDF is the best means of speeding up the processes for job preparation while guaranteeing our high quality standards." He goes into detail by
explaining that the automation of their processes saves them a lot of time and simultaneously brought more calmness: "There is no running around the company with
documents any longer, and the information flow is not delayed which can have disastrous consequences."
Stefan Reichhart, CEO of HIFLEX, explains: "The entire process of networking Tanghe's operations is coordinated and managed by the HIFLEX MIS, functioning as a JDF
controller. An exact description of the production sequence is generated during preliminary calculations. This is used for the automatic creation of the production plan,
which is the basis for the scheduling and the job ticket." With respect to JDF-connectivity he adds: "Once the data has been captured in the HIFLEX system it can be made
available to Agfa :ApogeeX or Komori K-Station via the JDF interface." |
:ApogeeX receives administrative (order number, order description, customer name and address, contact person, etc.) and technical data (job parts such as cover/content,
production plan, number of pages, inks, etc.) sent by HIFLEX for automatic job creation, whereas the prepress job in :ApogeeX is assigned to the customer order number in
the MIS. The JDF file also determines the process chain (workflow plan) in :ApogeeX, by which the final prepress parameters (such as CTP resolution, screen ruling,
trapping details, etc.) are automatically set. HIFLEX monitors prepress operations provided by :ApogeeX. Any order amendments, such as the number of pages, signatures,
etc. are first updated in the HIFLEX production estimate. This ensures that project pricing, electronic job ticket and production schedule are all up to date.
The corresponding job in :ApogeeX is automatically updated via JDF.
An effective data exchange between HIFLEX and the printing presses is also ensured. Komori K-Station's control systems receive job information (e.g. customer name,
job number, product description) and relevant printing parameters (format, paper, run length, number of plates and inks) via JDF from the HIFLEX MIS (that acts as
the JDF controller). Feedback from production automatically flows back into HIFLEX order book, HIFLEX Scheduling and HIFLEX shop floor data collection and constantly
updates the MIS. Patrick: "Transparency and flexibility are very much improved since everybody involved in production has direct access to up-to-date job
information." |
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| Screenshot from HIFLEX Scheduling (electronic planning board) showing the planning of the job sequence. JMF feedback flows into HIFLEX Scheduling and is displayed
in the bottom-left corner. |
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Up-to-date job information is also provided by the HIFLEX mail robot that is used for standard communication processes which inform staff about important routines.
These automated mails include, for instance, lists with production times of the staff for everybody responsible for production, info about minimum stock level,
info about production data, and the production plan for next day.
With the integration of NSS Production into the JDF network by connecting it to the HIFLEX MIS Tanghe further enhanced efficiency, as data structuring and organization
in prepress has become automated. There is no need any longer to clean up the prepress server disk at busy times. When the job is closed down in the HIFLEX system a
JDF file is sent to NSS. This triggers an archiving process. First of all, it is checked if the job files are consistent (all links are preserved). Afterwards the
work volume of the server is cleaned up. By this the prepress operator saves the time for cleaning up the server and he can be absolutely sure, that all the files
that belong to the according job are in the archive. |
| As a result of the JDF project, the workload could be organized more efficiently. "Prior to the implementation we held regular production meetings of 60 minutes.
Today, our morning meeting is reduced to approximately 15 minutes", Patrick Tanghe comments. At the presses the make-ready is faster now and production output could
be increased. A summary of the improvements includes:
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| Patrick Tanghe at his HIFLEX workstation: during the company tour (on the occasion of the CIPPI Award presentation) he demonstrated how communication processes
are standardised and optimised by the HIFLEX E-Mail-Robot. |
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The next step started in November 2006 with a further streamlining of prepress processes due to JDF-connectivity to the HIFLEX MIS. This extended automation is made
possible with the development of JDF 1.2 and :ApogeeX v. 3.5. and comprises the following features:
The imposition scheme is determined by the production plan, which is calculated in the HIFLEX MIS. The resulting parameters are sent to Agfa's workflow system when
the initial prepress job is created. These are then used to automatically generate the imposition scheme, whereas :ApogeeX's imposition engine automatically adds
colour bars, control strips, trim marks, fold marks, registration marks, signature collation marks, signature name and ID. The compensation for bottling and creep
is also carried out. No manual intervention is required.
This will simplify the whole prepress process, as the prepress operator can dispense with many tedious, time-consuming and error-prone steps, such as re-keying
data as well as selecting or manually creating the imposition scheme in the prepress workflow system.
"This landmark implementation of a fully automatic imposition generation at Tanghe Printing will pioneer the way for entirely new working methods in the printing
industry," says Stefan Reichhart, CEO of HIFLEX. |
| Tanghe Printing was established in 1974 as a one-man-business. Now it is a modern full-service sheet-fed operation which produces business reports, magazines,
books, promos and calendars. Prepress is equipped with Agfa's PDF workflow. Today they work with :ApogeeX v3.5.. The plates are exposed on a Galileo CtP system.
For archive management Tanghe uses the DAM System NSS Production. The pressroom features a Komori Lithrone 440 (4c B1 41½") and a Komori Lithrone 40S
(5c with coater B1 41½"). The Komori machine console systems are equipped with Komori K-Station. Tanghe's market comprises Belgium (40%), France (45%),
Netherlands (10%) and Switzerland (5%). |
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