During SGIA Expo September 14-16, Esko (Booth 954) will demonstrate innovative Esko workflow tools that can help wide-format graphics producers get more out of their equipment and personnel.
Although the variety and volume of digitally produced signs and displays continues to grow, some graphics companies aren’t prepared to efficiently handle that growth. Many wide format workflows and finishing operations still involve too many manual steps, too much equipment set-up time, incorrect material handling, and overall lack of control.
“Esko is in a unique position to introduce new efficiencies to the wide format graphics workplace,” explains Stephen Bennett, Esko vice president of sales. New operational controls and management tools for Esko’s digital cutting workflow and Kongsberg tables can remove non-value-added time from the graphics production process: “These innovations help operators spend up to 30% less time in job preparation, and be ready for the next job 25% faster.” By integrating workflow software with Kongsberg finishing tables, users can expect overall equipment productivity increases of 10% or more.
Automation Engine Avant for Wide format Graphics Workflows
Automation Engine Avant is a new dedicated wide format workflow software bundle that can optimize wide-format graphics production from design to delivery. It includes preflighting, file editing, adding cutting paths, and nesting multiple prints on a sheet for optimal usage.
The productive workflows created by Automation Engine Avant increases throughput on digital printers and digital finishing platforms while enhancing file management and communication to customers.
The Avant bundles with Esko’s new Device Manager. The Device Manager software communicates job status and helps manage jobs based on cutting time and material. It makes precise production planning and prioritization of digital finishing jobs easier to manage. Operators can prioritize table queues, insert rush jobs and balance workloads between different tables, even at different sites.
With the new Estimating software module within Esko Device Manager, better job quotes and accurate forecasts are easy.
ArtoisCAD for Sign and Display Design
Esko’s powerful structural design software, ArtiosCAD, is ideal for designers of POP, POS, and free-standing displays designers.
The new ArtiosCAD Display Store makes designing attractive displays possible for everyone and gives printing firms quick access to new designs.
To streamline the editing of graphics printed on signs and displays, Esko has partnered with CHILI Publish to offer online editing. This means the artwork creator can enable anyone in the supply chain to modify packaging content within established constraints.
Simplified Kongsberg Platform Choice
Some finishing operations aren’t as profitable as they could be because the equipment isn’t optimally used. There are too many manual steps. Setting up cutting tables takes too long. And, prioritizing jobs for optimal material handling is not always possible.
Esko has streamlined and improved its Kongsberg table portfolio to help customers more easily identify the systems that best suit their needs. They can choose from two primary families for either the greatest flexibility for versatile and creative jobs (Kongsberg X), or the best productivity for efficient production runs (Kongsberg C).
Visitors to the Esko booth at SGIA will see the Kongsberg X24 and Kongsberg C64 finishing tables with some new features:
Multizone Production lets operators divide the surface of the Kongsberg table into two or more zones. While the table head is working on one zone, an operator can use the other zone to clear the finished piece and load a new sheet. This allows the machine to operate continuously without waiting.
Auto Tool Adjust on Kongsberg tables uses camera inspection and digital image processing to make sure knife blades and router bits are still sharp and correctly installed. Operators get feedback on set-up or replacing of the bits and blades.
i-BF Board Feeder is part of a new family of high-capacity sheet feeders for the Kongsberg tables. It feeds corrugated, paper-core boards, and plastics from pallets quickly and accurately. The i-BF Board Feeder is indispensable for the automation of all jobs that involve medium-to-high run lengths of rigid materials.
“With our integrated software and hardware innovations, Esko closely aligns the performance of digital finishing operations and prepress workflows with the faster digital presses, effectively eliminating an important bottleneck,” concludes Bennett. “We simplify the workflow process for sign and display facilities—or as we say, ‘Sign and Display Simplified’.”
About Esko
Esko is a global supplier of integrated solutions for producers of packaging, labels, signs, and displays and the commercial printing and publishing industries. Esko products and services drive profitability in the packaging and printing supply chain by reducing time-to-market and raising productivity.