Production efficiency by streamlining your processes

When it comes to optimising workflows, we recommend considering the following approaches. Firstly, focus the assessment of existing production processes on the 4Ms – manpower, method, machine, and materials. Taking this approach can provide you with insights into how people are behaving as much as how well equipment is performing.

At Canon, we also often find that starting at the end and working backwards can be a more valuable approach when looking at process optimisation. Look at your semi-finished or finished product and then start to consider how that can be best manufactured, including all necessary production steps in pre-press, press and post-press. In order to assess the processes, not only costs should be considered as a criterion but also other important efficiency factors such as quality, speed, uptime, personnel deployment and flexibility.

Mike Hughes explains what Latcham took into account, “We needed to consider the finishing capabilities to make sure these were aligned and could manage the workload and prevent bottlenecks. We needed to consider the flexibility requirements in terms of the application types, and our customer requirements in terms of quality, run lengths, personalisation, finishing and turnaround times.”

When developing our inkjet systems at Canon we examined the individual process steps of our devices in order to deliver the most efficient products. Features like fully automated cleaning routines, camera systems that detect and eject paper that is damaged and real-time inline monitoring of quality to detect any nozzle failures in the print heads and correct them on the fly have taken away a lot of operational tasks and support the overall equipment effectiveness.

Alongside this smart automation, we’ve also developed a proactive service model that allows for real-time connectivity between the customer and the Canon factory, so that our service organisation can see and predict machine issues, ensuring that the press maintains uptime levels that, until now, simply weren’t possible. All these things enable a manufacturing process to run more smoothly, save time and money and deliver new opportunities for printing companies.

“We spent a lot of time not just understanding the Canon technology and how it would fit and what benefits we would get, but we analysed the service capability and support mechanisms in place also,” says Mike Hughes when reflecting on Latcham's relationship with Canon. “I’m pleased to report that this has also proved to be a really positive outcome where we enjoy a great level of service and support from Canon. It is definitely about forming the right levels of trust and partnership.”