Kodak has announced its Decision Analytics Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution for its popular Kodak Prinergy workflow system. The new software is designed to optimize the use of consumables on press, allowing offset printers to automatically analyze and predict ink usage, resulting in lower costs and reduced production risks, said Kodak. The Decision Analytics – Ink and Plate Usage Service also allows offset printers to base their business and labour planning, job quoting and consumables purchasing decisions on their own historical and predictive usage data. “The ability to monitor results by plant, press, product and/or job, will allow printers to uncover business insights quickly and meet customer requirements while reducing manufacturing costs,” said Kodak. “Printers will be able to quote jobs more accurately, ensuring a competitive edge without sacrificing profit margins. Packaging printers and converters will benefit from inventory controls for process and spot inks, whereby they can reduce hazardous waste disposal expenses and inventory carrying costs.” Benefits include:
- Macro-level business untelligence. Gain business insights by viewing historical and predictive ink consumption by company, division, plant location, press, product type and/or job.
- Reduced labour costs – Optimize manufacturing planning to allow highly skilled employees to focus on other important job activities.
- Improve accuracy in job quoting – Efficiencies gained from understanding historical ink consumption allow estimating to be much more precise. This opens the door to be more competitive when quoting new work without sacrificing profit margins.
- Reduce inventory carrying costs for consumables. Ability to move to an on-demand model, reducing the costs and risks of carrying excess inventory. Purchase or mix just the right amount of ink you need to print a job – and not a drop more!
- Minimize hazardous waste. Reduce surplus ink supplies and their associated disposal costs.
- Drive step-change growth. Knowledge is power. Utilize historical data to lower costs, reduce risks and increase profitability.
“Kodak’s Ink and Plate Usage Service opens the door for granular visibility into the actual costs of manufacturing for printers. It affords them the unique ability to optimize the manufacturing process and reduce costs, which ultimately leads to amplified profitability,” said Allan Brown, Vice President and General Manager of Kodak’s Unified Workflow Solutions. “This unprecedented innovation for the commercial and packaging print industries will redefine operational efficiencies and drive step-change growth for our customers.”
