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Intelligent Workflow Infrastructures: It’s All About Data

In an intelligent workflow, the data is the key that drives the process. There is lot of data, and increasingly more to come as AI becomes more prevalent. However, that is also the problem. One of the most important keys to creating an intelligent workflow is to be able to normalize all of those different data sets into internally standardized sets.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of this series.

In the previous articles in this series, I shared a high level view of the infrastructure that you could use to build your intelligent workflow within your plant and with your customers and partners. When working with any data-driven system, and today that includes print and packaging manufacturing workflows, you need to be able to support getting the jobs into and through the plant in as efficient and painless ways for both you and your customers.

Every print service provider or converter offers different products, servicing different customer types and demands with different equipment, and that is a good thing. With today’s digital press and finishing equipment, tailoring a solution to your needs is easier and you can now optimize the production systems to maximize the profits.


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About David Zwang

David Zwang travels around the globe helping companies increase their productivity, margins and market reach. He specializes in production optimization, strategic business planning, market analysis, and related services to companies in the vertical media communications market. Clients have included printers, manufacturers, retailers, publishers, premedia and US Government agencies. He can be reached at [email protected].

Recent Articles from David Zwang

Canon: Continued Production Inkjet Development and Growth

Canon: Continued Production Inkjet Development and Growth

With more than 2,000 ColorStream units delivered worldwide, Canon has introduced the new 7000 series for mid-range production. To say that Canon has been broadening their portfolio of production printers is probably an understatement. There are new developments in the ProStream platform and the new iV7 B2+ cut sheet press is about to hit the street. Read More

Kodak Keeps on Growing!

Kodak Keeps on Growing!

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The Start-Up Chronicles: dappas—Next Level E-Commerce Packaging Intelligence

The Start-Up Chronicles: dappas—Next Level E-Commerce Packaging Intelligence

The ultimate goal of dappas is to help facilitate design and eliminate the entire prepress production, so all the converters who are working with them get a stream of work that is ready to go to press and converting. Read More

Labels and the Connected Supply Chain

Labels and the Connected Supply Chain

You can think of this very competitive connected supply chain landscape in four layers: material suppliers, label converters/printers, hardware OEMs, and software/platform players. The connected supply chain has changed from moving things hand-to-hand or through email to more full-featured automated systems. The good news is that, as a converter, after you decide where you would like to start, there are so many options for you to select from. Read More

Direct-to-Object: Challenging Labels and Tags or Offering New Opportunities?

Direct-to-Object: Challenging Labels and Tags or Offering New Opportunities?

Print is a very adaptive technology and direct-to-object (DTO) is another area where it can offer new opportunities for PSPs and product manufacturers. Today, most of the product and packaging decoration (i.e., labels and tags) that exists is handled by a label converter. It is a well-established process that probably won’t disappear. However, it can and will be challenged by inline DTO printing solutions, offering new opportunities. Read More