Software integration is where we’re told it’s all happening, but many PSPs are yet to be convinced that the benefits of investing in today’s solutions outweigh the headaches. Should we expect that to change anytime soon?
So, you want to improve your workflows and increase efficiencies - but not via software investment. Many of you will be screaming ‘what?’ at this point, but plenty will be nodding in agreement - at least that’s what the Widthwise 2023 poll of UK-based large-format PSPs suggested (the full data set is analysed in the Widthwise Report, free to download from the Image Reports website). The heady benefits software integration can bring are well known, but so are the headaches. We therefore asked the industry’s key suppliers: Where do you think the ‘pain points’ remain in software development and integration for the wide-format digital inkjet print sector - and how are you/the market addressing those?
It’s impossible to cover the whole realm of wide-format digital inkjet print related software here, but the main points flagged up by those that responded are herein - expect to see the word ‘integration’ appear frequently - as a pain, and as a painkiller. As Serge Clauss, product manager, Durst software and solutions, reiterates: “Integrating software systems with various production processes, such as prepress, finishing, and shipping, can present challenges. Ensuring smooth data flow, real-time tracking, and synchronization between different software tools and hardware components is crucial but may require customization and integration efforts.”
He adds: “Durst has been addressing these challenges by growing its software suite, providing 360-degree solutions that provide all the necessary tools to increase customers’ productivity without the need for software integration concerns.”
At Vism, Roksoliana Sydorska stresses the need for better systems integration, saying: “There’s a growing expectation from the printers we speak to that systems talk to each other out of the box. One of the first questions on most demos we do is ‘can it integrate with X, Y or Z?’ Generally, we’re seeing most of the print ERP/MIS providers are also aware of and responding to this. What’s really important is that you work with system providers that are open and ready to collaborate with others. We just recently launched our API and saw our first partner go live with their integration - Lift ERP from Durst. One of the key reasons we like working with the Lift team is because they share our approach to solving customers’ problems by understanding what they need and getting systems talking to each other to help them achieve that.
Dr Jonathan Rogers, senior manager global marketing and communications, Onyx Graphics, airs a complaint heard frequently within print companies: “The industry has a disconnected approach to connectivity for automation and integration needs, and this won’t do.
“The print industry has seen an influx of software solution providers and from the print production perspective, many are able to take a design file through to production and finishing in a seamless workflow using the same technology or print engine. An example would be a Rip using the Adobe PDF Print Engine that can seamlessly integrate with Adobe PDF print files. Workflow, however, means different things to different people. Workflow to some PSPs means to connect different systems such as Web-to-print ecommerce front end to Rip and simultaneously to MIS, most of which are not adequately done or still rely on manual input which impacts overhead costs and is prone to manual error.
“PSPs need to feel confident that their Web-to-print order is passed to both business management and print production software without the loss of information. Where the industry can improve, then, is in API connectivity or native integration that gives PSPs the ability to seamlessly carry job, customer, and business data from quote to production to shipping without the fear of data loss or reliance on manual data entry.”
He continues: “Data loss - between connected systems, between file type conversions, the design file itself, and in the translation of design file data to printed product - continues to be an issue. An example might be a design file viewed in RGB but designed in CMYK with an expectation to match named brand colours to the RGB view. Minimizing this potential issue comes down to effective colour management to create a colour recipe to map the input profile to the output profile. One way to do this is by removing the colour-space middleman - which happens when translating the CMYK design to LAB then again to RGB to match the RGB expectation. A more direct translation between input and output colour profiles reduces the likelihood of data loss and therefore colour shift between what is expected by the print buyer and what is produced by the PSP. PSPs wishing to limit data loss such as with this colour management example may want to seek solutions that provide what the industry calls ‘device link’ profiles for a direct translation of colour spaces between input and output colour profiles.
Rogers also points to a need for speedier software to market times, and for easier to use solutions: “Software release cycles are increasing in frequency as are hardware devices for new feature functionality to meet market demand. An overlooked aspect of hardware and software compatibility is driver development. For natively integrated solutions, this is not a market issue, but for mixed print environments where PSPs have different machines with a single software solution for their entire site, the speed at which solution providers can effectively support devices is an area which helps PSPs know vendors have their business interests at heart. PSPs would benefit from seeking solution providers who efficiently and quickly develop device support ahead of making new purchase decisions.”
Mike Horsten, global press and PR manager DPS, Agfa, says that nowadays “software is an essential part in the offering of any hardware manufacturer”. He expands: “The biggest pain point is that development of software is sometimes slower than the changes in the hardware areas and the extreme testing that is needed for the health and safety that goes with those tests. Integrating is a time-consuming business and the possibilities are enormous. We therefore work on a modular basis offering the modules needed for the jobs on hand in combination with the hardware offered.”
At SAi, Eyal Friedman, VP of product management, and Wenhong Zhu, chief engineer, say one of the biggest challenges with Rip software supporting this market is to speedily meet the demands of hardware development. “SAi has devoted significant time improving our screening technologies and drivers to handle such state-of-the-art printers and advanced applications. We embrace practices that enable us to deliver software faster and safer. Our licensing system and software deployment is done through the SAi Cloud, so we release new drivers or software features as they are developed.”
They also point out that the company has developed a new user interface, called SAi Connect, launched together with Flexi 22. SAi Connect is the next evolution of the SAi Cloud and is available as a desktop application or a Web application that allow access from every device with internet connection, making it easier for Flexi software users to see their production data, manage their licenses, download updates and new drivers.
Raphael Gruber, marketing manager at OneVision Software also notes the oft asked question: How can the software be connected to my existing system landscape? “Our main goal is to create a smoothly automated end-to-end ecosystem that significantly increases production efficiency,” he says (turn to p13 to read more about the company’s approach to middleware development).”
Carlotta Maria Basile, production portfolio marketing manager, Canon UK/Ireland, flags up the company’s partnership with OneVision. “In addition to our own software solutions, we have developed strong partnership with other software integrators and vendors, such as OneVision, in our bid to make life easier for our customers while optimising and automating their workflows.
She adds: “We are actively introducing software that can monitor and control the ink consumption of equipment as a cost saving measure to businesses. Our Accounting Manager tool is an example of our software that can help efficient cost management of print and is easier to define RRP for end customers.”
Alexandra Schalk, team manager marketing, ColorGate, understands that finding the right software can be a challenge for large-format PSPs, saying a lack of knowledge and resources to implement automation hinders companies in this sector. She points to ColorGate’s Productionserver and REST API Module as possible solutions. “The REST API Module empowers printers to connect the Productionserver with any other REST API capable components within their production chain. This seamless integration facilitates enhanced collaboration and streamlines the entire workflow. By leveraging the flexibility and connectivity of the REST API Module, printers can create a highly customized and adaptable system that aligns with their specific requirements.
Debra Hobden, sales and marketing manager, PrintFactory, agrees that software compatibility remains a concern in the wide-format print sector, saying the company works closely with partners to ensure compatibility and smooth integration with a wide range of hardware and software tools. “Print service providers often use a combination of software applications from different vendors and ensuring seamless integration and compatibility between these tools can be a challenge. PrintFactory addresses this by providing a centralized cloud-based software platform that integrates all the essential applications.”
At Mimaki Europe senior product specialist Mustafa Okanovic identified three continuing pain points in software development and integration for the wide-format digital inkjet print sector - complex software interfaces, workflow optimization and compatibility challenges.
“Complex software interfaces may hinder productivity and lead to errors. To address this pain point, we keep improving our software and products, focusing on simplicity and ease of use. One example of this is our latest Rip software, RasterLink7, which features increased processing speed, usability and productivity,” he says. “Another example is our Mimaki Printer Controller (MPC) software which is available on our printers, such as the JFX600. This combines machine setup, printer operation and job control via a large user-friendly touch panel.
“Workflow optimization can be a concern too. To address this, we develop software solutions that can streamline or automate these workflows. For example, with the release of our RasterLink6 Plus, we simplified the process of 2D multilayer printing by enabling the Rip software to automatically create up to 17 layers based on just one grayscale image.
“Because printers, software applications and other components of digital print workflows may come from different manufacturers, which can lead to compatibility challenges, in addition to making our software more compatible across various devices and platforms, we also simplify the integration process of our printers into print production workflows - through features like MDL commands and Mimaki Job Controller for example. We also ensure that our software is compatible with a range of popular technologies and devices from other companies commonly used in the market. For instance, our RasterLink Rip software allows the creation of cutting crop marks from popular third-party companies like Fotoba. This enables customers to directly process the printed media on third-party cutters.”
Another production pain point according to Phil McMullin, head of sales for commercial and industrial, Epson UK, is how to quickly and efficiently manage a wide range of short runs and customised applications. “One way this can be improved is with nesting software. In fact the Keypoint Intelligence 2022 Wide Format Applications and Utilization Report found the use of nesting software has been on the rise. It reported 92% of wide format PSPs are utilising nesting and ganging software for capacity optimisation. Epson Edge Print Pro is a Rip software with intuitive interface that also helps with custom spot colour libraries, pattern repeats, and more. It enables features such as step and repeat, tiling, copy, and trimming too, and works alongside other Epson software such as Control Dashboard, which allows users to set up custom print settings.”
From a print production management perspective, Jane Rixon, business development manager for signage and decoration at HP, acknowledges a problem area for PSPs can be having to tussle with several different Rip solutions driving various printers. She highlights HP PrintOS, a workflow solution that enables PSPs to get the most out of their printing hardware. The latest functionality in HP PrintOS allows customers to increase their management control, allowing them to better monitor and optimise printing workflows.
“One of the most significant developments with HP PrintOS that has helped HP customers all around the world is HP PrintOS Mobile, which enables users to remotely monitor printer status and jobs. HP PrintOS users can also benefit from Print Beat, another remote tool for monitoring production and data analytics while on the go,” says Rixon. “Within this there are two new core applications in the form of HP Live Production and HP Jobs API. HP Live Production allows users to remotely control printer jobs queues. This can be made available to a number of staff to enhance coordination across the business, reduce dependencies on certain team members and improve accuracy on job queue estimations. HP Jobs API transfers a printer’s data to an ERP or MIS system, streamlining production setup. Printer data is transferred automatically with no limit on the number of API recalls.”
The last word - for now - goes to Chris Schowalter, global sales director, Fiery, who says: “What we are seeing is that our customers and, more importantly, our customer’s customers, continue to be very critical on colour accuracy and overall print quality, which obviously is a strong suit of Fiery digital front ends. But our customers are also seeing a lot of price pressure and the ask is not ‘only’ to provide the best possible results but do so in a highly automated manner. This forces the industry to invest in higher productivity equipment. Investment in higher productivity equipment means that process steps need to be automated and touch points either need to be removed completely or moved further upstream in the workflow to allow the print operator to focus on ‘feeding the beast’ so to speak.
“We at Fiery have been preaching a high grade of automation for years and are heavily invested in integration in sophisticated workflows through JDF or other means. As we see the industry mature, the need for automation is expanding to the smaller print providers. We identified this need early on and focus on a solution approach where we can provide entry-level workflow tools like Fiery JobFlow (PDF to PDF workflow) or Fiery Prep-it (True shape nesting layouts) without forcing the user into our own ecosystem. All solutions are completely independent and play well with any other Rip vendor for example.
“In a nutshell, we are bridging the gap between entry-level automation solutions and highly sophisticated custom integration without PSPs losing the flexibility to be able to pick and choose what tools fits their needs best.”