– EskoArtwork (www.esko.com) recently introduced ArtiosCAD Enterprise, a new release of the world's most popular structural packaging design software, and customers are already reporting internal cost savings from using the product. With the new release carton converters set up their own private cloud to deploy a process-driven workflow, connecting all stakeholders in a project. All assets are centralized in a corporate private cloud, a secure web-accessible database enabling dynamic on-line collaboration between design groups, CAD and graphic designers, suppliers, brand owners and production. Easy to use on-line dashboards deliver users and management real-time feedback on project status, task lists and other parameters.

Cloud Concepts

The paperboard packaging industry, the majority of the ArtiosCAD installed base, has always followed their brand owner customers to provide packaging services at the location where the consumer product is manufactured. This has led to a landscape with large conglomerations of players with multiple geographically spread production plants. So far, structural design operations in these plants have been operated as disconnected silo's, but those times are now over.

 ArtiosCAD Enterprise was introduced in April, 2011 and has since then been installed in sites across Europe and the US. Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with packaging converters reporting major improvements in their workflow processes. wellcarton Verpackungen und Displays, a leading German carton packaging specialist, recently rolled out a private cloud using ArtiosCAD Enterprise and was particularly impressed with the efficiency gains it has already achieved.

"We installed ArtiosCAD Enterprise just a few months ago," says Herr Gernot Thiele, Director of Creative Services at wellcarton. "The Esko team did a brilliant job getting the software installed, deployed and making sure that our whole Creative Center team was well trained. They're now working live with the product, creating more than 10 projects per day and are all extremely happy with the software" explains Gernot. "But what's really amazing is that with the new workflow in place, it only takes one-fourth of the time compared to before. That's a whopping 60% saving in time, which is really significant.  The next project we have kicked off is to integrate ArtiosCAD Enterprise with our Order to Cash system which will allow us to recognize even further business process efficiencies and savings for our company."

Technology behind the Cloud

ArtiosCAD Enterprise is built on two reliable and field proven software applications:  ArtiosCAD and WebCenter.  WebCenter is the EskoArtwork web-based communication platform that is fast becoming the standard for web-based collaboration and approval in the packaging industry with over 400 installations and 40,000 users worldwide.

With ArtiosCAD Enterprise all valuable corporate assets that you need to access, such as common board tables, customer lists, projects, CAD files, specs, bills of materials and forms are at your fingertips and shared between all users, no matter to which production plant they report. This cloud-based solution means all data is centralized in a common, secure, web-accessible database making it mobile, transferable and instantly accessible. Users can access data directly through the ArtiosCAD client or via a web browser.  ArtiosCAD Enterprise will assure the common database in the cloud is always the latest, most immediate data while at the same time synchronizing a user-level cache to insure optimal performance and accessibility. All this is deployed under most stringent data security measures to make sure all valuable corporate assets remain private and secure.

A Cloud of Benefits

With one central repository shared by all users, designers collaborate more easily and search for existing designs without duplicating efforts. All players in the supply chain - structural designers, graphic designers, suppliers, brand owners and production managers - share the common, centralized database ensuring much stronger, more dynamic collaboration across the whole supply chain.

"ArtiosCAD Enterprise makes collaboration with clients and suppliers straightforward," explains Richard Deroo, EskoArtwork Product Manager, Structural Design. "For example, a converter who needs a die created by an outside vendor can invite the diemaker to the project to access the most recent version of the file - rather than sending an email document with a file attachment.  This eliminates any risk of a die being created from the wrong version of a CAD file."

A Scalable Cloud

ArtiosCAD Enterprise is a scalable solution that meets the needs of both single-plant and multi-plant enterprise users. Deroo explains: "Single location users will increase their productivity with a process-driven workflow, reducing the number of data entry points. Larger global accounts will benefit from the online, secure, central database that allows for instant access to corporate design assets from any location. Thus companies with plants in multiple locations can centralize files and collaborate on projects and structural designs. They can import work from other projects and adapt them to their own specific jobs."

 Standardization

By enabling all ArtiosCAD users in a corporation to access the database via the private cloud, corporate standards are developed and shared across all locations and users, resulting in common workflow practices across multiple plants.  

Controlled Access and Security

Security and privileges to the database are protected by a user login, ensuring that all projects, files and database information are fully protected. User access is controlled and permissions are granted based on need. As this is truly a private cloud, the customer determines access rights for any outside user, eg. clients or suppliers.  This is done at user or file level within a project.

Simplifying IT support

With only one single database to administer and maintain, IT support is simplified. Unlike other systems, where IT departments are responsible for managing replicated databases at every location, ArtiosCAD Enterprise reduces the risk of 'data collision', should the on-site databases be out of synch with the master database.