Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager
The SmartStream Production Center and Indigo Print Care 2.0 software-based production management systems from HP are now available worldwide.
Both systems are designed to help increase productivity and efficiency for print service providers (PSPs) across the entire print production operation.
First seen as a prototype at drupa 2012, SmartStream Production Center is designed to address the challenges of efficiently receiving, producing and delivering high volumes of short run print jobs. The system helps PSPs meet customer deadlines by improving job status visibility, identifying and eliminating bottlenecks, and monitoring production.
It manages a high number of jobs received from multiple sources, including web portals, MIS systems, and prepress tools. It automatically routes them to multiple production platforms.
The software tracks print jobs from start to finish in real time using job definition and job messaging formats (JDF/JMF), barcode scans or manually entered data. Customised dashboards display a view of the print production status and highlight urgent requests or errors to production managers and press operators. The system batches print jobs together and balances loads between devices to optimise production.
Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager, said, ‘PSPs today manage a high volume of short run jobs that incorporate multiple web to print storefronts, various presses and finishing equipment. HP SmartStream Production Center streamlines and automates these increasingly complicated workflows to open the management bottleneck, reduce print production times and make PSPs more profitable.’
Another tool designed to increase efficiency and productivity on the production floor is the Indigo Print Care 2.0, a toolset said to provide fast, accurate diagnostics, troubleshooting and maintenance tools to maintain effective operations.
The software offers on-press diagnostic and remote support tools to keep press operations on track and assist PSPs with technical problems. Press operators working independently are guided through automated or manual processes, and can also access live support from HP’s remote support centers.
