In the world of flexible packaging, every second counts — and every color. For production managers in the printing industry, this is a daily challenge: they grapple with costly proof prints, time-consuming setup processes, and the constant question of how to improve quality and efficiency at the same time.
Here, a leading manufacturer with more than a dozen sites across Europe explains how smart machine data not only increased the number of successful first-time print approvals, but also strengthened the culture of accountability and agility on the shopfloor. It’s an example that shows how production data platforms can simplify day-to-day operations and deliver real results.
Initial situation: Proof prints as a cost driver
In the printing process, the press proof is crucial. It is used to verify print quality before production begins. Ideally, a single proof is enough to confirm the settings. However, when a job requires multiple proofs, the following increase:
- material consumption,
- setup times,
- costs — especially due to expensive inks and specialty coatings
The goal is therefore clear: to print “first-time-right” as quickly and as often as possible in order to avoid unnecessary costs and losses.
Process before ENLYZE: A solid approach, but time-consuming
Even before ENLYZE, the team was working on process improvements. The share of perfect first-time print approvals increased from 60% (2017) to 70% (2023) through continuous improvement — an impressive achievement in the printing industry.
However, the analysis required for continuous improvement was manual and slow:
- Print approvals were documented manually and analyzed in monthly meetings
- Root causes for additional proofs could only be identified with delay
- Process improvements could not be implemented flexibly or promptly
More perfect first-time print approvals through transparency and real-time analysis
The print shop manager had set ambitious goals:
- 75% of all jobs should be successfully approved on the first proof
- Use real-time process monitoring to identify issues and their root causes faster
- Implement targeted adjustments immediately
Initial situation: Proof prints as a cost driver
With the ENLYZE Manufacturing Data Platform, the printing process was fully digitalized. Process data from the gravure printing machine is extracted from the machine controls, processed, and made available via the ENLYZE app.
The collected data and resulting process monitoring help improve print quality and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the entire production workflow.
A highlight: automatic downtime detection. The Manufacturing Data Platform automatically detects machine downtimes. Operators can quickly and easily annotate them and then focus on solutions. At the same time, the ENLYZE platform provides a digital preparation of the proof data, enabling same-day review and discussion within the team.
The result: 78% first-time approvals and faster process optimization
With ENLYZE, the team exceeded its target of 75% and reached 78%. This impressive improvement was achieved through faster feedback loops and increased employee awareness. The digital preparation and commenting functionality for downtime detection enabled more efficient analysis of challenging jobs, allowing adjustments to be implemented more quickly.
Jobs that previously required multiple proofs can now usually be optimized on the same day. A noticeable positive change in workflows emerged:
- Higher efficiency through faster analyses and immediate team discussions
- Greater sense of responsibility among employees
- More targeted process adjustments
Next steps: 80% first-time approvals and stable processes
The team aims to further increase the share of first-time approvals to 80% by sustainably standardizing all workflows using ENLYZE.
"With ENLYZE, we’ve found a solution that not only saves us time and costs but also provides ongoing support for our team in day-to-day operations. Having a digital companion for production is now indispensable.”
Experiences and success factors for digitalization in manufacturing Production
- Automated data collection: Switching to digital machine data capture saves time, frees shift teams from manual documentation, and provides precise real-time data.
- Elevating the culture of continuous improvement: Immediate access to data increases accountability and boosts employee motivation.
- Faster process adjustments: With continuous data availability, improvements can be implemented immediately and their effectiveness measured — instead of waiting for monthly meetings.
- Sustainable process optimization: ENLYZE helps identify root causes easily and eliminate them permanently through targeted actions.
