The dashboard of Connex Info Cloud, a module of the Connex workflow system from Muller Martini, provides a clear overview of the collected data. It can display the integrated machines and their status as well as the orders currently being processed.

The workflow is just as important as the printing technology in the production of print products in short and ultra-short runs and book of one. With its numerous modules, the Connex system developed by Muller Martini is an important driver of digital transformation.

Repetitive tasks, in particular, should be automated as much as possible to avoid wasting resources unnecessarily as digitalization progresses rapidly. This also applies to conventional production. Even if the level of automation there is not quite as high as in smart factories, an optimal workflow solution increases the efficiency and reliability of production, reduces throughput times and minimizes error rates.

No smart factory without a workflow
The digital transformation presents many new challenges for production companies. "You need to understand the opportunities of automation, rethink the infrastructure – in terms of focusing on the development of information technology and the use of an ERP system – build up expertise, make the right decisions regarding investment in equipment and software and overcome the 'never change a running system' mentality," says Fabian Becker, workflow expert at Müller Martini.

The digital production of print products is inseparable from a touchless workflow. "Without this, the business model for a smart factory doesn't work - the machines have to be able to communicate with each other," emphasizes Trond Erik Isaksen, founder of Livonia Print in the Latvian capital Riga, which specializes in book production and uses over 20 Müller Martini systems. And this is where Müller Martini's workflow system Connex with its various customizable modules really shines.