Day3_18

GraphExpo_ShowDaily_September_27_2016

Introducing the Improvement Professional in Print Certifi cation Program Developing and implementing continuous improvement techniques are constant challenges for an ever-evolving industry such as print. It takes a skilled individual to determine what process improvement methods and lean manufacturing practices work best for an organization and apply them in an effective manner. The new Improvement Professional in Print (IPP) certifi cation program launched earlier this year by the Printing Industries of America (Booth 1425) aims to recognize those individuals who can effectively apply the principles of increasing customer satisfaction and speed production, while simultaneously reducing costs and waste. An Improvement Professional in Print has not only developed their expertise in continuous improvement and lean manufacturing principles but has also successfully implemented such programs in their own organizations. “The idea behind the IPP certifi cation program is to validate those printing industry professionals who are making a signifi cant impact on how we do business,” says Julie Shaffer, Vice President of Education and Marketing Strategies at Printing Industries of America. “Our industry is faced with the struggles of doing less with more each day, and recognizing those individuals who are successful in doing so is important.” Among the fi rst to demonstrate their continuous improvement mastery and become IPP Certifi ed is a team of fourteen Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A print solutions analysts and managers. Dawn Nye, Marketing Manager, Production Print Solutions and Services at Konica Minolta (Booth 1801), states, “Konica Minolta wants to be the fi rst to take part in the IPP certifi cation program because we believe that the application of process improvement is a cornerstone of a sound and profi table printing business.” To become a certifi ed Improvement Professional in Print one must meet certain prerequisites. In order to be eligible to take the IPP exam, it is required that an individual must have at least two years of experience working for a printing services company and be able to cite at least one specifi c example of how they have implemented Test Drive the Phoenix Kirk-Rudy (Booth 1771) is demonstrating the Phoenix, one of the fastest production inkjet printing systems in the world, at its booth in Deliver—The Mailing & Fulfi llment Center. The latest model is capable of producing high quality output in excess of 40,000 pieces per hour. The Phoenix is a piezo inkjet system optimized by Kirk-Rudy’s engineers and capable of running aqueous, solvent and UV inks. The latest technological advances in UV printing has allowed Kirk-Rudy to develop the Phoenix to print on virtually any substrate including high gloss coated, varnish, and even plastics. In a recent case study featuring 1st Class Mailing Service in Kennesaw, Georgia, owner Al Kessler stateds “I have never seen anything run like the Phoenix”. He replaced two thermal inkjet technology (TIJ) machines that use HP ink cartridges with the Phoenix. This resulted in reduced labor and increased production. And because overall ink costs are lower with the Phoenix’s bulk ink supply compared to using ink cartridges, he noticed a signifi cant savings with ink costs. Within six months they purchased another Phoenix and are producing more volume of mail with a faster turnaround than ever before. Modular by design, the Phoenix can be added to existing inserting lines or brought together with folders, bump turns, turn-overs, and tabbing equipment producing a complete end-to-end solution. improvement in an organization. Printing Industries of America enlisted the top industry experts in the areas of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement to design the IPP certifi cation program and exam. The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions delivered online through the IPP Web testing portal. Successfully passing the exam with an 80% or better score requires signifi cant background and knowledge in quality improvement practices. A 25-question pre-test is available for those who wish to test their improvement know-how on continuous improvement terminology, tools and techniques. Based on the results, it may be recommended to further develop one’s knowledge prior to taking the full 100-question examination. As a companion piece to the IPP Certifi cation Program, Printing Industries of America has also compiled a body of knowledge to help individuals prepare to take the examination. This includes seven self-paced online classes delivered by industry experts John Compton, Dr. Malcolm Keif, and Dr. Kevin Cooper. The courses include: An Introduction to Lean Manufacturing, Understanding Variation, Visual Management and Kanbans, Standard Work and Total Production Maintenance, 5S and Teams, Makeready Reduction, and Seven Basic Tools for Process Improvement. It also includes three books, Lean Printing: Pathway to Success, Lean Printing: Cultural Imperatives for Success, and Setup Reduction for Printers. For more information about the IPP certifi cation program, visit the Improvement Professional in Print Website at www.printing.org/IPP or stop by the Printing Industries of America at Booth 1425 at GRAPH EXPO 16 to pick up an informational brochure and take the 25-question pre-test. A Breakthrough Installation at Pacifi c Daily News Gannett’s Pacifi c Daily News recently opted to place a FoldLine finishing system from manroland web systems (Booth 1119) on the end of its Kodak Prosper 5000 digital inkjet newspaper solution. With the addition of approximately 35,000 military personnel, the US Territory of Guam is undergoing a population boom. Along with the increased population and rising literacy rates is an increased need for printed information, and Pacifi c Daily News will be the primary printed news outlet for the island. Answering to the rising demand, Gannett Publishing Services made the decision to upgrade from the current older and less fl exible offset printing equipment in use at Pacifi c Daily News. They took into consideration the tabloid newspaper format, paging & throughput requirements, and pressroom space limitations, and determined that a digital inkjet press would best meet the needs of the Pacifi c Daily News’ circulation of 20,000. Additionally, the elimination of platemaking equipment through digital inkjet printing contributes to the economic effi ciency of the operation. However, in order to effectively communicate to its audience, Pacifi c Daily News’ entire circulation must be printed and fi nished (cut and folded) in four hours or less. The FoldLine from manroland web systems is the only digital fi nishing system currently in production which will perform at that speed, up to 1,000 feet per minute. “This is a breakthrough installation for manroland web systems. Gannett Publishing Services is a leader in the print industry, and they are embracing emerging technologies for newspapers. We believe this technology is a game-changer for newspapers in the future,” says Ron Sams, Vice President of Sales for manroland web systems. In order to select the right system for the needs of Pacifi c Daily News, the team from Gannett did signifi cant research, including reviewing customer references from current manroland web systems customers running the FoldLine system. Utilizing manroland web systems’ extensive engineering experience in folding and fi nishing, FoldLine, manufactured at the factory in Augsburg, Germany, currently has several successful installations around the world, including at the world’s fi rst 100% digitally printed newspaper, Swiss daily Walliser Bote. Kirk-Rudy Phoenix 18 | September 27, 2016 | GRAPH EXPO 16 Offi cial Show Daily | PrintingNews.com


GraphExpo_ShowDaily_September_27_2016
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