Independent consultant John Zarwan investigates Overall Equipment Effectiveness of Digital Presses

Charlottetown, PEI, Canada - J Zarwan Partners today announces the publication of an in-depth research study into the Overall Equipment Effectiveness of Digital Presses.  In a bid to help printers make a more informed choice when purchasing a digital press, the report discusses the importance of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) for digital presses in a print environment.

The report examines the OEE of three popular presses, the Canon imagePRESS C10000VP, Ricoh ProC9110, and Xerox Color 1000i Press. The study compares these presses along the three components of OEE—availability, quality, and performance. 

“OEE is a powerful tool that can be used to measure and improve operations,” comments John Zarwan, author of the report.  “The output quality, consistency, and reliability of digital production presses have improved dramatically. It is often difficult to choose among them. When buying a digital press, it is therefore particularly important to evaluate how they actually function.”

The report notes that the OEE of all three presses meets standards with room for improvement, especially in performance. The Xerox Color 1000i Press had the overall highest OEE of the three presses and was rated top in each of the three metrics. All presses produce high quality output, with generally good availability.   The main differences were a function of press breakdowns and the amount of time to repair.   The greatest amount of variation in press performance was how fast the machine printed compared to its rated speed. The Xerox press printed closer to rated speed on heavier paper.

“There are many things to consider when buying a digital press. It is important to match a press’ actual capabilities with your needs. It is equally important to operate the press efficiently and effectively. OEE can be a powerful tool for improving print operations. Our hope is this analysis of the operating effectiveness of these three press installations is a useful start.”