In-House Printing Solutions Print Labels On-Site and Increase Efficiency

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Disposing of outdated labels, considering minimum order quantities, waiting for deliveries. Traditional print logistics often cost time, money and nerves. This is where digital in-house printing solutions come in, by only producing exactly what is needed.

Industrial printing is an important process step in modern manufacturing. Labels, technical documentation and safety instructions are necessary for almost all products. Today, labels in particular are brand ambassadors, a source of information and a sales argument all in one. However, media disruptions and manual intermediate steps lengthen throughput times and increase the risk of errors.

One solution is a digital print-on-demand printing process, which is implemented in-house directly in the production environment. Digital printing systems provide the necessary flexibility and precision. Short production times and limited series in individual designs avoid the expensive storage of document stocks.

Modular solutions such as "COM!PRINT" from Konica Minolta offer an integrated, automated platform for the specific printing requirements of the manufacturing industry. Such solutions are scalable, from stand-alone solutions to full integration into existing business systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Manufacturing Execution System (MES) or Warehouse Management System (WMS).

Efficiency Gains Along the Entire Production Chain

Production-related printing applications offer various advantages:

• Time savings through automation: Labels, instructions and documents are generated automatically on the line, in the warehouse or in shipping, directly from existing systems and without manual processing.
• No warehousing, no waste: print products are created on-demand, in the required quantity and always with up-to-date content and flexibly, even in small print runs. This saves storage space, reduces errors and conserves resources.
• Versatile applications: Whether technical documentation, labeling of safety-critical parts or batch marking, all orders from industrial processes are executed directly.
• Error-free system integration: A print solution like this communicates seamlessly with IT systems. As a result, data is automatically transferred accurately, up-to-date and without media discontinuity.
• Cost efficiency and sustainability: Optimized printing processes lead to fewer rejects and waste, shorter routes and reduced material stocks. Outdated print stocks that have to be destroyed are a thing of the past. The more efficient use of resources protects budgets and contributes to greater sustainability.
• Future-proof and flexible: Expandable, modular solutions offer printing options for small production sites through to highly automated production lines, similar to a construction kit.

Customized Label Printing for International Markets

The benefits can be seen in various industries and fields of application: The product range of the Austrian herb and spice specialist Sonnentor includes over 900 items of organic herbal and fruit teas as well as spices in sustainable packaging. Each product has an unmistakable identity and high recognition value thanks to its own label. With the in-house print shop, which was implemented by Konica Minolta, Sonnentor can react flexibly to customer requests and produce small print runs. Recipe cards, posters for retailers, foreign-language labels or advertising materials, such as English-language price lists and other materials for around 50 countries, can be produced easily. The modular printing system offers options for scaling and adapting to product changes at any time.

While Sonnentor uses the advantages primarily for a wide range of products and high flexibility, the added value of digital printing solutions in automotive supply is particularly evident in the precise adaptation to different customer requirements: There, the same components are supplied to different OEMs. Thanks to a modular internal printing solution, labeling and invoicing can be flexibly adapted, directly with the appropriate storage location assignment for each customer specification. This ensures that every part can be correctly assigned, labeled and delivered without delays.

Save Costs and Produce According to Demand with In-House Printing

Another example comes from the field of energy technology. With two in-house printing lines, Centrotherm Systemtechnik GmbH has succeeded in realizing potential savings in the internal production of all assembly and operating instructions. Previously, printing was carried out externally, with all the classic issues such as minimum order quantities, timeliness, warehousing and subsequent disposal. Due to text changes, printed materials with a value in the five-digit euro range had to be disposed of every year.

Centrotherm now prints the instructions directly in production. The result: walking distances have been drastically reduced, 18 plate storage spaces have been saved and demand-driven production makes stocktaking superfluous. The printing lines allow Centrotherm to respond flexibly to its customers' wishes, especially during the sampling phase.

In-House Printing Solutions for Greater Efficiency

With digital in-house printing as an integrated part of the production process, companies can produce labels, documentation or other production-related documents economically in many formats and even in small print runs. Modular solutions offer modular digital printing systems that meet all the requirements of the manufacturing industry - including the automotive sector. The automated printing process is completely on-demand, less error-prone and faster than commissioning external service providers. This reduces costs, saves storage space, is sustainable and conserves resources and increases the flexibility of manufacturing companies.

Josephine Feldberg is Content & Campaign Manager, Svenja Schulz is Supervisor Portfolio & Offering Management Professional Printing. They both work at Konica Minolta Business Solutions.