ENews

Amplify Print Sets Itself Apart with On-The-Floor Programs and Demonstrations

April 23, 2025

By Jeff Peterson, FSEA executive director

Amplify Print, the print finishing and embellishment event, a collaborative venture of WhatTheyThink and the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA), will take place June 10-12, 2025, at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont (Chicago), IL. The Amplify experience includes a unique aspect to its event that sets it apart from many other shows and conferences. As part of its exhibits and overall programming, Amplify Print has created a Technology Zone on the event floor, surrounded by the exhibit booths. At the upcoming Amplify, seven finishing/embellishment machines/accessory equipment will be on display and running in the Technology Zone, and another 20+ machines and accessory equipment pieces will be on the exhibit floor.

All the equipment within the Technology Zone will have a specific programming/demonstration time and will take place during expo hours of the three-day Amplify event. The programs are spaced throughout the day, which provides additional time for the equipment to run for attendee demonstrations.

“The Technology Zone provides something exciting on the event floor where programming takes place right on the machines,” explained FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “This helps keep attendees engaged and creates excitement throughout the day.”

“It is an excellent addition to our entire Amplify programming and sets us apart from other events,” continued WhatTheyThink CEO Thayer Long. “We have many of the leading machine suppliers in the finishing industry involved with the Technology Zone.”

The following is a rundown of the Technology Zone programs attendees can expect to see:

Breit Technologies Cast and Cure™ Unit

A full program by Breit Technologies will demonstrate its recently redesigned Cast and Cure™ finishing unit retrofitted on the Sakurai MS-80DDS cylinder screen press. The presentation will showcase the use of the unique Cast and Cure process that provides a clear holographic finish, matte and/or textured effects to print through a specialized Cast and Cure™ film material that casts surface effects into UV varnishes and coatings. The “casting” process allows the film material to be reused several times, saving overall material costs. Also, since the film is used just to emboss the surface of the varnish, there is no transfer of material to the substrate. This allows the package’s recyclability to be unaffected by the Cast and Cure™ process. With its small footprint, it can be installed inline with screen printing units, offline coating equipment and offline digital/inkjet UV varnish presses.

Fujifilm REVIROA PRESS™ SC285S

A program will take place on the new Fujifilm REVORIA PRESS™ SC285S, demonstrating Fuji’s new technology for both digital print and digital embellishments. The Revoria press can handle a variety of media from small cards to long banners, including specialty, metallic and synthetic substrates. Today, people are looking for print that is super-special, meaning the addition of customized CMYK+ embellishments and hyper-targeted personalization – without slowing the process or adding undue costs. See the Revoria demonstrate inline embellishment capabilities and market-leading software options to help customers do it with ease. FUJIFILM’s print servers and integration-ready workflow automation software will be discussed and will showcase how it simplifies processes, reduces errors and enhances productivity. The REVORIA PRESS™ SC285S also includes sustainability features with its energy-efficient components and waste-reducing workflows. The REVORIA PRESSTM SC285S program and presentation will take place June 11^th at 10:30 a.m. on the show floor.

Signature Folder Gluer with Leary Glue System and IMPACT Packer

This program will include several participants, including Signature Folder Gluer, W.H. Leary, IMPACK and Capital Adhesives, showcasing a fully integrated finishing line designed to optimize efficiency and quality in packaging production. The Signature Compact Folder Gluer’s key features include its carton aligner to ensure perfect alignment with each carton, variable speed on transfer, and an ejector system to automatically remove defects – all in a condensed footprint to maximize floor space. W.H. Leary will showcase its advanced gluing and quality assurance solutions with the Leary Array controller and Monet operating software. Leary will demonstrate precise cold glue and hot melt application utilizing the Sempre-i Cold Glue valve and CleanStart technology. It also will demonstrate the next generation LearyVIEW Flex solution for the inspection of glue, carton flaps/handles and skewed cartons. IMPACK will display its ERGOSA compact packer that facilitates fast, efficient and ergonomic horizontal packing of straight-line and certain small to medium-sized 4/6 corner cartons, allowing increased productivity even in tight spaces. It is designed for fast and easy changeovers to accommodate the packing of a wide range of packaging formats and sizes. Capital Adhesive will present its range of cold and hot melt adhesives, highlighting its products for optimal performance with the Leary gluing and detection system on the Signature Folder Gluer line.

KAMA ProCut 76 Finishing Machine

The KAMA ProCut 76 Foil Stamping, Embossing and Finishing Machine will be on display in the Technology Zone, where a program and demonstration will take place. The ProCut 76 is an extremely flexible machine, providing diecutting, creasing, perforating, braille, hot foil stamping and holograms for security. It can convert from diecutting to hot foil stamping in just a few minutes and vice versa. The foil guide, the special KAMA heating system and pneumatic tool locking make this flexibility possible. The servo main drive for the ProCut 76 increases the performance of the hot foil stamping, increasing output by as much as 50%. The KAMA ProCut program and demonstration will take place Tuesday, June 10^th at 11:30 a.m. on the show floor.

Sakurai Screen Coater with Foil Unit

A program and demonstration will take place on the Sakurai Maestro MS-80DDS cylinder screen press for spot UV coating with its ScreenFoil LQM-105 hot foil stamper. The fully automated, labor-saving DDS press was designed for easier operation and a scratch-free conveying function, even for difficult materials. New features to improve operability and efficiency include a larger LCD touch screen operating panel, a presetting mechanism for sheet size and plate positioning, and a remote access function to simplify operation and maintenance. Sakurai’s exclusive CCD optical camera registration system checks register marks for sheet alignment to improve productivity and performance. The ScreenFoil LQM-105 hot foil stamper improves productivity and allows both screen coating and hot foil technology as an optional processing function in one system. High accuracy of registration with the foil on multiple impositions will be on display and discussed. The Sakurai Screen Coater program and demonstration will take place June 10^th at 3:30 p.m. on the show floor.

CARTES JDS Digital Foil Embellishment Technology

The CARTES JDS Digital Foil Embellishment Technology will be showcased during a Technology Zone program at Amplify. It can apply up to 240 microns in a single pass, allowing companies to create multi-layer effects such as spot coating, complex tactile raised effects and braille printing, as well as very detailed foil and metallic doming transferring. In just one step, labels can be personalized and beautified with no tooling costs, instantaneous start-up and no material waste. Materials that are embellished with the CARTES Technology do not need to be varnished or treated, eliminating the possibility of distorting the “texture” of the material. CARTES offers many different types of Digital Foil Embellishment Solutions as well as complete Digital Laser Diecutting Solutions. The innovative digital finishing technology offers amazing results for films, standard paper and special textured face stocks, which makes it very difficult to implement added-value finishing. The CARTES program and demonstration will take place June 10^th at 1:00 p.m. on the show floor.

Sharp BP-1200S 6-color Digital Print and Embellishment Press (program in booth #4511)

Sharp is set to provide a full program and demonstration on the BP-1200S 120-page-per-minute (PPM) 6-color press, featuring the latest FS600 Pro codebase for the powerful NX series BP-PE12 Fiery print server. This cutting-edge combination enhances the capabilities of Sharp’s high-speed press, delivering unmatched quality in digital printing. With stunning 4-color imaging that can be expanded with up to two specialty colors – such as metallics, vibrant pink, and now specialty white and clear toners – printers can push the boundaries of creativity. These enhancements offer graphic designers greater flexibility to produce high-impact visuals while enabling print providers to capture higher margins through premium embellishments. The ability to deliver striking finishes and enhanced textures makes the BP-1200S an ideal solution for brands looking to elevate their print materials and stand out in competitive markets. As a bundled turnkey solution, the integration of Color-Logic and Touch7 software will be discussed that ensures seamless metallic and fluorescent embellishments, setting a new industry standard. The Sharp presentation will take place during Amplify hours on the event floor.

In addition to the Technology Zone programs, there will be over twenty additional pieces of finishing/embellishment equipment on the exhibit floor, as well as all of the leading suppliers of consumables and other services in the graphic finishing/embellishment industry. Other equipment will include B&R Moll Digi-MollPAK System In-line Folder/Gluer, Diversified Graphic Machinery’s SCS DCH 200 Die-cutter/Foil Stamper, Duplo DuSense DDC-8000 B2 Raised Spot UV Coater, Duplo DSM-1000 B2 Platen Die Cutter, IMPACK GenieCut In-line Window Patcher, Nobelus Komfi Amiga 52 Laminator with Sleeking Unit, Plockmatic’s Morgana DigiFold, Plockmatic’s ColorCut Digital Packaging/Label Cutter, Rollem’s Insignia 6H PLUS Rotary Diecutter, Skandakor’s LAMpro Cheetah Photo S15 and Skandakor’s FINISHpro 1523 Max Diecutter.

To learn more about Amplify Print, including registration, exhibitors and the full schedule of speakers and programs, visit www.amplifyprint.org.

Top 5 Lighthearted Animated Films that Cover Serious Workplace Safety and Health

June 14, 2024

By Liz Stevens, writer, Post Press

The Napo Film Consortium is a source for short, animated, lighthearted videos on a variety of workplace health and safety topics. The films are applicable for a wide range of industries and manufacturing operations. They were created for viewers of all backgrounds and for speakers of all languages.

In these videos, Everyman Napo and his co-workers humorously illustrate pitfalls, risks and hazards on the job as well as measures for preventing and mitigating harm to employees. Napo often is the hapless worker who ignores safety and health precautions and who then reaps the painful rewards of his willful ignorance. In Napo’s world, everyone speaks the same language – an expressive mumbling, accompanied by gestures, that is immediately understandable.

Written and directed by Eric Scandella for Via Storia, with 3D animation produced by Fabrice Barbey for Protozoaire, and original music composed by Henri Muller, this series premiered in 1998 and now features 40 animated videos ranging from two to 12 minutes.

As described on the Consortium’s website, “The films are not designed to provide comprehensive coverage of a topic, nor should they be seen as training or teaching films. The role of Napo and his friends is to provide an appetizer to OSH through their engaging characters, amusing story lines, and their humorous and light-hearted approach.”

Each film is co-produced by a number of European Institutions. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work in Bilbao, Spain has funded the development of the website. The Napo Consortium currently comprises AUVA (Austria), CIOP (Poland), DGUV (Germany), EU-OSHA (Bilbao, Spain), INAIL (Italy), INRS (France) and TNO (Netherlands).

The Consortium has generously made the copyrighted video series available for use in limited circumstances. Individual scenes, for example, may be used in PowerPoint presentations and on company intranet sites, but may not be used on internet sites. Scenes and entire films may be downloaded for use on a company’s internal intranet sites, and the URL for the Napo films site may be shared on a company’s website. See the Napo website for complete information on the use of the videos.

A sampling of the most recent videos includes:

Napo in…too hot to work (2023, duration 1:39)
It’s 2023 and Napo et al are experiencing the effects of a changing climate. “Climate change has risen up the political and social agenda. Napo’s new film is designed to raise awareness of the impact of climate change on the working environment.”

Napo in… robots at work (2022, duration 4:50)
Animation meets automation in this video. “This film provides an introduction to workplace robotics safety, and describes some of the emerging robotic technologies, the types of accidents associated with robotics, the main hazards and more.”

Napo in Lighten the Load (2021, duration 6:19)
In this video, “Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common work-related health problem in Europe, despite significant efforts to prevent them, with backache and upper limb pain being the most prevalent.” (MSDs are, of course, not restricted to Europe.)

Napo in…dust at work (2018, duration 7:50)
Napo faces off with dust in this video. “Dust is a potential problem in the workplace in two different but significant ways: respiratory problems and dust explosions.”

Napo in… working together (2012, duration 9:24)
What happens when plant owners talk the talk but don’t walk the walk on workplace safety? “All is not what it appears as the factory owner gives a media interview about the production and safety records of the company. On different levels, unsafe work practices, a failure to follow…”

As a Top 5 bonus, this additional Napo film is from early in the series. It remains as relevant now as it was nearly 20 years ago.

Napo in stop that noise (2005, duration 7:57)
“Noise at work affects thousands of workers. The film is designed to illustrate some of the main causes of hearing loss and to emphasize the need to control noise at the source.”

Laughter, they say, is the best medicine. When it comes to workplace health and safety, the humorous touch of the Napo videos can bring the message home while keeping the mood light.

For more information, visit www.napofilm.net/en.

AWT Labels & Packaging Acquires ASL Print FX

July 11, 2023

Minneapolis, Minnesota-based AWT Labels & Packaging, Inc., a provider of custom labels, flexible packaging and precision converting solutions for healthcare, consumer brands and technology companies, announced the acquisition of ASL Print FX, headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, and with locations in Napa, California, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Operating for over 50 years, ASL provides print solutions to beverage, consumer packaged goods, envelope and promotional markets across North America. The acquisition complements AWT’s key end markets with an expanded geographic footprint, printing and embellishment capabilities and an enhanced portfolio of print solutions.

“We are grateful and thrilled with the opportunity to have the ASL Print FX team become a part of AWT Labels & Packaging,” said Bruce Hanson, CEO of AWT. “The cultures at both AWT and ASL emphasize trust, expertise, collaboration and customer partnership. We are excited for all our employees. The geographic fit between our two organizations, along with the strong leadership team in place should allow us to unlock customer value immediately.” Learn more at www.awtlabelpack.com.

Top 5 Ways to Turn Failure into Advantage

June 13, 2023

By Liz Stevens, writer, PostPress

“The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing” – Henry Ford

Trying, failing and succeeding are part of the business environment. No one succeeds without trying, and no one ever tried without failing at least occasionally. Here are tips for finding value in the inevitable failures experienced by those trying to succeed.

In every new environment and each growth stage

A new business and a growing business must go through trial and error to advance. A new business always is going out on a limb; will the limb hold or fail? A business wading into a new market can get nowhere without taking the first risky step.

In all endeavors, there is potential achievement and the risk of failure. The odds often initially favor defeat, but they trend toward success with repeated enlightened attempts. This advice from the Forbes article, “11 Essential Next Steps for Business Leaders After a Setback,” ¹ applies to established businesses and new businesses alike.

Make adjustments to prevent future mistakes
When starting a business, one is literally walking into the unknown with uncertainties haunting every business move. With that said, expect a lot of mistakes as the business evolves. Continual failure is necessary for learning and future success. Leaders must adapt, take notes, adjust to protect the business and put measures in place to mitigate these mistakes from reoccurring. – Tian Derose, EAMA, Inc.

Failure is valuable

Every experience has value but sometimes it takes effort to identify it, especially when it comes to the value of failure. While not welcoming failure, successful businesspeople know that it will occur; they do not fear it or avoid reflecting on it. They know that failure can be a valuable and necessary aspect of learning, growing and improving.

In his article, “The smart way to learn from failure,” ² author David Robson described the “ostrich effect” that some people employ to avoid facing bad news, disappointment or failure. “Devaluing the source of your disappointment is just one way your mind may avoid coping constructively with failure,” wrote Robson. “Another coping mechanism is to hide your head in the sand, shifting your attention away from the upsetting situation so that you don’t have to process it.” To illustrate this, Robson recounted a study by university researchers to gauge people’s memory of positive and negative experiences.

The people were asked to choose one of two answers to identify objects, and then were told of their hits and misses – a chance to learn from success and failure. In a second round of identifying objects, the participants had learned from their hits but scored no better on their earlier misses. To delve deeper, the researchers conducted another study, asking new participants to review the earlier study participants’ hits and misses, and then to identify the same objects. These people consistently scored higher – they had learned from another person’s hits and from their misses. The takeaway: people often forget their own mistakes but are quite able to learn from someone else’s mistakes.

How, then, to help people recall failures rather than forgetting them? Choosing to view failure as a learning experience rather than as a loss is a good starting point. Approaching failure as an opportunity to learn why the failure occurred and to then apply those lessons moving forward can remove the stigma of defeat. The Forbes article ¹ offers a valuable suggestion:

Approach failure like an experiment
… how we handle failure sets the tone for our culture. We focus on the outcome, do our best to avoid shaming our colleagues and approach it almost empirically like a science experiment. Consider what variables you need to change to achieve a different result.– Brian Shore, elevēo

Own failure and seek feedback

Successful business leaders know that failures will happen and that value can be derived from examining them; they openly own their failures and ask for honest feedback. Two things manifest by owning failures and welcoming reactions: leaders model a valuable trait for others to emulate, and leaders receive helpful input for addressing the cause of the failure.

In his TIME article, “Why Your Team Needs a Failure Philosophy,” ³ author Roi Ben-Yehuda noted that most organizations “are hyper-focused on end results, have a low tolerance for experimentation, and provide little time for reflection, all of which create an environment incompatible with learning.” One way to make the most out of failure is to have a business culture with a healthy failure philosophy. During interviews, ask about candidates’ attitudes toward failure. During onboarding, describe the company’s positive philosophy toward failure. In team meetings, acknowledge errors, then search for teachable moments.

Ben-Yehuda had another tip. “Creating rituals around your failure philosophy – a practice adopted by some of the world’s most innovative teams – also helps make failure feel less lonely and more instructive.” In a final point about leaders owning their failures, Ben-Yehuda quoted Navy Seal Team 6 Commander Dave Cooper: “The most important words a leader can say are, ‘I screwed that up.’” For leaders with the courage to freely admit screwups, wrote Ben-Yehuda, “the question isn’t ‘Will we fail?’ but rather, ‘How will we learn from our failures?’”

Analyze failure

Before the “do’s,” here’s an important “don’t” from Steven L. Blue’s Industry Week article, “6 Important Business Lessons I Learned from Failure.” ⁴

Don’t analyze success
Don’t ever waste time on why something went right. Of course, you should always analyze how you might have done better, but that should not be your focus. You should always do a deep dive on your failures for the lessons they hold.

To learn from failure, examine it closely with a post-failure audit, including analyzing the variables and their weaknesses as a scientist would do following an experiment. Here is how Christian Busch, director of the global economy program at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs, described deriving value from failure in Suvarchala Narayanan’s Strategy+business article, “Connecting the dots in an uncertain world.” ⁵

Conduct project funerals
When a project – for example, a new technology that was brought to market – doesn’t work out, the respective project manager “lays it to rest” in front of colleagues from other divisions and reflects on why it did not work out and what can be learned from it. This is not about celebrating failure – it’s about celebrating the learning from failure. What often happens is that people in the audience “coincidentally” connect it to a project that they are working on, and elements of the project are then unexpectedly repurposed for another use.

Limit retrospection

Accept the inevitability of failure, own it, acknowledge its value, find its lessons. Then carry on. This Forbes article excerpt ¹ wraps it up and puts a bow on turning failure into advantage:

Reflect but do not wallow
After a failure in business, honest reflection is essential to unlock any valuable lessons that can be learned. Then, quickly move on. Do not wallow; instead, examine the situation with an honest eye, adapt and move forward. Leaders who strive to create an environment that normalizes openly discussing failure gain valuable insights and allow for greater opportunities for success the next time around. – Ronke Komolafe, Integrated Physical & Behavioral Health Alliance

References

Forbes Business Council, “11 Essential Next Steps for Business Leaders After A Setback.” March 27, 2023. Forbes.com. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/03/27/11-essential-next-steps-for-business-leaders-after-a-setback/?sh=1708567362cf.
David Robson, “The Smart Way to Learn from Failure.” October 21, 2022. BBC.com. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20221019-the-smart-way-to-learn-from-failure.
Roi Ben-Yehuda, “Why Your Team Needs a Failure Philosophy.” August 8, 2022. TIME.com. https://time.com/charter/6204322/failure-philosophy/.
Steven L. Blue, “6 Important Business Lessons I Learned from Failure.” April 20, 2023. Industry Week. https://www.industryweek.com/leadership/strategic-planning-execution/article/21264377/failure-is-the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving.
Suvarchala Narayanan, “Connecting the Dots in an Uncertain World.” September 16, 2020. Strategy+business. https://www.strategy-business.com/article/Connecting-the-dots-in-an-uncertain-world.

Top 5 Tips for Approaching a Big Data Project

April 19, 2023

Technological change is in the air and the buzzwords are as thick as mosquitos on a summer night. Industry 4.0. Machine learning. Artificial intelligence. Digital twins. Analytics. Edge computing. Here are five nuggets of information and suggestions for exploring big data as a foray into digital manufacturing.

1. Big Data Makes for a Good Foundation

In the article, “Digital Transformation on a Small-Business Budget: It Can Be Done,”(1) author Ethan Karp, president & CEO of MAGNET, states that, after watching manufacturers for years, he understands their hesitance to jump on the cutting edge technology bandwagon.

“Most small- and medium-sized businesses believe they’re at a fundamental disadvantage when it comes to Industry 4.0,” Karp said, “largely due to the resources at their disposal. They get overwhelmed, then stuck, putting off tech for a future day.”

Since no one can grasp, absorb and implement all of the new technologies at once, it makes sense to pick a logical starting point that can be built upon later with additional layers of technology. Karp suggests that analytics and big data can be a good first step on a Fourth Industrial Revolution journey. With big data, as with all of the Industry 4.0 advances, said Karp, “You’ll gain a much deeper understanding of the tools and machinery making up your factory floor, with analytics and insights that can be turned into actual business value.”

Implementing big data initiatives offers some rapid results. “When it comes to monitoring real-time data,” Karp said, “the initial return on investment will come quickly. You’ll capture (even) deeper insights as you have more data to pull from, but installing sensors throughout your operation to track and analyze performance will provide immediate upside.”

Sensors give insight into factors such as vibration patterns, pressures, temperature and cooling rates, all of which can be compared to benchmarks or history to see how equipment is performing. That insight can lead to options for finetuning plant operations and launching proactive maintenance procedures. “Start by installing sensors to make your manufacturing operation trackable,” said Karp, “and you may spend just a few thousand dollars while giving yourself access to analytics that will take money off your expense line.”

2. Take Your Pick of Data

Diving into the big data pool is imminently doable. “Manufacturers have data,” said Simon Floyd, industry director, Manufacturing & Transportation, Google Cloud, in Jessie MacAlpine’s article, “What to Do with All That Factory Data? Google Has an Answer.”(2) “The challenge,” Floyd continued, “is contextualization and learning what to take from that data. Companies need to learn how to use data to inform their decision making.”

A single production machine can generate massive amounts of data. Manufacturers can find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer volume of data available, finding it and the cloud computing tools for dealing with it to be much more complex than they expected.

MacAlpine quoted Ford Motor Company’s Jason Ryska, director of Manufacturing Technology Development, who offers clear-eyed advice for avoiding data overload. “First and foremost,” said Ryska, “there is a lot of data that’s available and a [word of] caution in this space [is] that simply because you can collect data on everything, doesn’t mean that you should.” At Ford, Ryska said, they start with a clear problem statement and develop new competencies around that one issue. “Once you get the system and the platform and the tools in place,” said Ryska, “(then) you can scale that to other problems.”

Targeting a straightforward, known problem as a starter project allows manufacturers to focus their attention on a manageable volume of data, to learn the ropes and see the benefits of data analytics.

3. It Takes Skill to Make Sense of Data

Big data can be a big asset, but only if someone has a big understanding of the new trove of data. In his article, “The Importance of Data Literacy And Data Storytelling,” author Bernard Marr cited a data literacy survey which reveals an unrealistic expectation on the part of company leaders.(3) The study was carried out by Forrester Consulting and surveyed 2,000 manager and employers. Based on survey results, wrote Marr, “82% of leaders expect all employees to have basic data literacy, and 79% of leaders say teams are equipping workers with critical data skills – but only 40% of employees say they are being provided with the data skills their employers expect.”

If eight out of 10 company leaders expect data literacy but only four out of ten employees are being trained on that topic, company leaders will never reap the full rewards of big data. Literacy, in this context, includes skill in working with, interpreting, and making decisions based on data. But literacy also extends to knowing how to collect, store and manipulate data, knowing how to assess data’s significance in the small picture and the large picture, and especially how to translate data and its meaning in ways that workers and leaders can understand. Training team members in data literacy will give them the skills to identify valuable data, gather data and convert it as needed, and effectively relay the news – good or bad – that the data shows about, for example, a machine’s condition, the efficiency of a process or the active/idle ratio of a plant’s array of equipment.

4. Choose a Big Data Project Wisely with Smart Input

Ford Motor Company’s Jason Ryska shared more big data initiative advice in Dennis Scimeca’s article, “How Ford Motor Company Handles Big Data.”(4) When making a choice about where to apply big data technology, Ryska suggested turning to a company’s experts for advice on which issues are most amenable to big data solutions. “Don’t let non domain experts or industry define the problem for you,” said Ryska, “because you’re going to get lost in the implementation and data collection. Engage the domain experts and let them define the problem.”

Along with choosing the target area, it also is critical to decide on the scale of the project. While it might be tempting to plan a broad rollout — plant-wide or even across several plants — it might make more sense to pick just one type of equipment or one segment of an operation with which to explore, try out, finetune and implement a big data project. Ryska offers valuable input about starting out modestly. “Start with that domain knowledge and collect realistically what you know with your expertise are the significant variables and parameters,” Ryska said.

It isn’t necessary to collect and analyze all of the available data. Focus on the data that will help solve an identified concrete problem and keep the additional data in mind for addressing other problems later. Ryska suggested choosing the data to include by separating the clearly relevant data from the obviously off-target data and the only potentially useful data. Ignore the off-target data and eliminate the “might be useful” data in favor of the clearly relevant data. More data and variables can be added in later, after analysis of the slam-dunk data.

One last bit of valuable advice from Ryska: get a leg up by learning from others. “If it’s a technology where other companies or other industries are implementing with success, and it’s documented,” said Ryska, “then you should be able to set up clear metrics along the way to guide the team and ensure that you’re achieving similar or better results.”

5. Lean on Big Data

Another approach to tackling a big data project is to use the principles of lean to narrow the scope, to manage the stages of the initiative and to empower a leader to take it from an idea to a pilot project and to ultimate implementation.

In “Drowning in Raw Data? Lean Principles Can Help,”(5) author Torey Penrod-Cambra explored how lean principles can be used to help optimize data collection and prepare it for analysis. “The same lean manufacturing concepts that have transformed manufacturing over the past three decades also apply to data management,” wrote Penrod-Cambra. He focuses closely on purpose, process and people, noting that determining purpose is a great way to start a big data project that will be manageable and successful.

“A lean initiative should target a customer value, such as price, quality or product availability,” Penrod-Cambra wrote. “Information production is no different. Manufacturers should think about who and what their data is serving. Different customers within the organization need access to this information to solve a variety of issues.” Defining the purpose in terms of the customer and the issue to be solved gives a project a tight focus.

Turning to process can facilitate the “how-to” planning of a big data project. “In lean manufacturing,” wrote Penrod-Cambra, “we refer to this as value-stream mapping, which typically involves product and process development, fulfillment and product/customer support.” Process in a big data project entails mapping the flow of data, creating a streamlined and timely data flow, and factoring the “pull” of the project into its design so that data recipients get what they need when they need it.

No amount of purpose identification or process intelligence negates the need for the people – and especially the point person – who will animate the project. Penrod-Cambra explained that a big data project needs a leader who can act as a manager, a champion and an intercompany liaison.

Each of the articles cited here contains more valuable insight and advice for manufacturers who would like to see how big data can improve operations and who want to approach a big data initiative with a plan, confidence and enthusiasm.

References

Karp, Ethan. “Digital Transformation on a Small-Business Budget: It Can Be Done,” Industry Week. February 2, 2023. https://www.industryweek.com/technology-and-iiot/article/21259371/industry-40-what-are-manageable-steps-for-smaller-manufacturers
MacAlpine, Jessie. “What to Do with All That Factory Data? Google Has an Answer,” Engineering.com. May 29, 2022. https://www.engineering.com/story/what-to-do-with-all-that-factory-data-google-has-an-answer
Marr, Bernard. “The Importance Of Data Literacy And Data Storytelling,” Forbes. September 28, 2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2022/09/28/the-importance-of-data-literacy-and-data-storytelling/?ss=enterprisetech&sh=590417ec152f
Scimeca, Dennis. “How Ford Motor Company Handles Big Data,” Industry Week. July 14, 2022. https://www.industryweek.com/technology-and-iiot/article/21246494/how-ford-motor-company-handles-big-data
Penrod-Cambra, Torey. “Drowning in Raw Data? Lean Principles Can Help,” Industry Week. September 1, 2022. https://www.industryweek.com/technology-and-iiot/article/21249974/drowning-in-raw-data-lean-principles-can-help

Spiral Binding Highlights James Burn EX610 High-Speed Automatic Punch

March 14, 2023

Spiral Binding, headquartered in Totowa, New Jersey, offers the James Burn EX610 automatic large format binding punch, with punching speeds up to 125,000 sheets per hour. The EX610 has an 18-inch-thick stack feed table capacity. The control panel walks operators through the quick job setup that can be completed in approximately 10-15 minutes. It offers a variety of punching dies that can be changed out in as quickly as 2 minutes. Learn more at www.spiralbinding.com.

Top 5 Smart Recycling Efforts

March 14, 2023

When we humans put our minds to it, it seems that the sky is the limit for our imagination. Some enterprising people recently dreamed up these top five really smart recycling efforts. Read on, and be inspired.

Where Do Defunct Billboards Go?

Billboard Vinyls, an online entity, is in the business of rehoming defunct billboard vinyls, from lots and lots of defunct billboards. As described online: “Each of our vinyls was once posted high in the sky alongside a freeway. Once their lives as advertising billboards are over, billboard tarpaulins can be re-purposed for a wide range of applications.”

The tarps, made of waterproof, weather-resistant, anti-mildew PVC, range in size from 5′ x 11′ to 20′ x 60′. Yankee ingenuity has led them to be recycled to cover lumber piles and hay bales, RVs and trailers, boats and autos, roofs, floors, agricultural crops, and baseball fields. They also have been reborn as pond liners, hockey rink liners and slip ‘n’ slides.

They might not be quite as sexy as old movie posters, but this company has found a way to make them functional even in their old age. To get the scoop, visit www.billboardvinyls.com.

Recycling for Bicycling

Frank Blase is one of those guys who can’t stop innovating, even when he’s on vacation. On a beach-side holiday, he chatted with a bike rental company’s proprietors and learned that bike rental at the shore is a tough business because sand, wind and salt water wreak havoc on bicycle parts. Maintaining and replacing rental bikes simply gobbles up time and money.

Blase saw an opportunity in the bike rental business woes and with his company, igus, has developed a robust, durable urban bike that is made entirely of plastic. The company’s recycled version will be mostly created from recycled single use plastics. Taking inspiration from the plastic parts used in mountain bikes and e-cargo bikes, igus even makes lubrication-free plastic gears and bearings. These bikes are ready for anything the seashore can throw at them.

Read more about the recycled plastic bicycle at www.dpaonthenet.net/article/191122/Recycling-cycling–World-s-first-urban-bike-made-from-recycled-ocean-plastics-launched.aspx.

E Beam: Creator and Destroyer

Electron beam is a commonly used energy source for curing inks, coatings and plastics. Having helped create the plastic detritus that pollutes the planet, E beam now is coming to the rescue as a destroyer (read “dismantler”) of the same castoffs.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is collaborating with experts across the globe to address the plastic pollution problem. One area of R&D for the IAEA is ionizing radiation techniques for affordable reprocessing and recycling.

“If we can use this technology in industrial applications to gain new features in plastics, there is nothing stopping us also using irradiation to reform and restructure plastic to improve its recyclability and reduce the amount of plastic disposed,” said Celina Horak, Head of the Radioisotope Products and Radiation Technology Section at the IAEA.

The IAEA-affiliated researchers are looking at cross-linking, chain scission, grafting and other ways to modify surfaces. Chain scission makes polymers more brittle and, thus, easier to be ground into very fine polymers. Grafting involves “growing” a short polymeric chain on another polymer to modify its properties. Grafting might be used to combine polymers that are otherwise incompatible.

For more on this ambitious project, visit www.iaea.org/bulletin/plastic-pollution-recycling-with-radiation-to-protect-the-environment.

The Nature of Books

Kate Kato, a British artist trained in graphic design with an emphasis on bookmaking and print, turns recycled books into nature-inspired works of art. Kato uses books, paper, found objects, wire and thread to create intricate life-size paper sculptures of insects and plant life.

Kato’s art-from-recycled-books include butterflies, bees and honeycombs, mushrooms and fungi, wildflowers, seashore flora and fauna, feathers, birds’ nests and eggs, and more.

To be amazed and inspired, take a look at Kato’s website at www.kasasagidesign.com/ or see her work on Instagram at www.instagram.com/kasasagi.design/.

From Sow’s Ear to Silk Purse: Making Diamonds from Plastic

A global research team led by researchers at Germany’s University of Rostock and France’s École Polytechnique stumbled upon an improbable but spectacular use for recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) while experimenting to replicate the interior of ice planets.

On the hunt for insight into what goes on inside highly pressurized icy planets like Neptune, the team aimed intense laser flashes at a thin sheet of PET plastic. As described by the researchers, “The strong laser flashes that hit the foil-like material sample briefly heated it up to 6000 degrees Celsius and thus generated a shock wave that compressed the matter to millions of times the atmospheric pressure for a few nanoseconds.” The scientists found that tiny diamonds, nanodiamonds, formed under this extreme pressure.

In addition to gaining knowledge about the likely interior makeup of ice planets, this experiment yielded a new way to create nanometer-sized diamonds which are used in abrasives and polishing agents, and which may someday be used in quantum sensors, medical contrast agents and reaction accelerators.

To learn more about plastic-to-diamonds, visit https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-successfully-create-diamonds-out-of-bottle-plastic/.

Booklist: Putting the “Pro” in Procrastinate

February 13, 2023

By Dianna Brodine, vice president, editorial, PostPress

It’s 6:56 p.m. I started this article much earlier this afternoon. Well, I opened a new document in Microsoft Word, wrote the title, made sure my byline looked good…

And then time got away from me. The office phone wouldn’t stop ringing, there were questions about the contract for an upcoming event and we added four pages to this magazine, which required some rearranging. Then there was a text from one of my daughters, I remembered to call the bank and I talked my coworkers into volunteering at a community event later this week. When I finally re-opened the tab for this article, it was time to go home. Deadlines, however, wait for no woman, so here I am with a laptop on my legs while a football game plays on the tv in the background. The topic for this page seemed obvious.

In this issue’s Booklist, I’ve (finally) organized three books about why we procrastinate and what we can do about it. I hope you make the time to pick one up. Oh… and don’t forget to call the bank.

Immediate Action: A 7-Day Plan to Overcome Procrastination and Regain Your Motivation
Author: Thibaut Meurisse
Published: July 7, 2021

Even the most productive people procrastinate. But if you find yourself procrastinating more than is good for you, it might be time to do something about it. In this short practical guide, you’ll discover how to deal with procrastination more effectively. More specifically, learn how to pinpoint the precise reasons you procrastinate (it’s not always what you think); develop a simple action plan to overcome your natural tendency to procrastinate; eliminate distractions and build laser-sharp focus, and much more. You’ll be provided with simple exercises to help you understand procrastination better and overcome it. At the end of the seven days, you’ll be equipped with a simple yet effective system to help you complete your most important tasks.

Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
Author: Brian Tracy
Published: April 17, 2017

There just isn’t enough time for everything on our to-do list – and there never will be. Successful people don’t try to do everything. They learn to focus on the most important tasks and make sure those get done. They eat their frogs.

There’s an old saying that if the first thing you do each morning is eat a live frog, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’re done with the worst thing you’ll have to do all day. For Tracy, eating a frog is a metaphor for tackling your most challenging task. Eat That Frog! shows you how to organize each day so you can zero in on these critical tasks and accomplish them efficiently and effectively.

The Science of Getting Started: How to Beat Procrastination, Summon Productivity, and Stop Self-Sabotage
Author: Patrick King
Published: May 18, 2019

The Science of Getting Started is a deep dive into our tendency to push things until the last minute possible. It uncovers the biological and evolutionary science behind procrastination, and how we can beat these instinctual drives to triumph in our career and personal life. Best of all, it’s a book of scientific solutions boiled down to everyday usefulness. King’s writing draws of a variety of sources, from scientific research, academic experience, coaching, and real-life experience. He’ll provide a scientific and biological overview of your procrastination habit; warning signs to monitor your work ethic; psychological tactics to trigger your brain to productivity; how to structure and schedule your life to safeguard against procrastination and more.

Resolutions for Workforce Development in 2023

January 17, 2023

Another year, another fresh start to develop the workforce and implement new technologies. The best workforce to develop is the workforce that is already on the payroll. The best technologies to implement are those with the highest likelihood of success and ROI. The best combination of workforce and technology is one that pairs an eager workforce with empowering technology. Here are a few tips for using the workforce to its best advantage and adding technology to benefit the company and workers alike.

Training: Keep the momentum going year-round

Some manufacturers view winter months as crunch time. Increased work orders for the holidays combined with employee absences during cold/flu season can make winter seem like a good time to pause workforce training. Not so, asserts Rob Bright, CEO of Cloud Assess, a learning management system provider.

“Choosing to pause vital training, even temporarily, is likely to pose challenges in the long-term,” said Bright. An interruption in training might well impact the plant’s productivity and output quality and could affect worker safety. “The challenge,” Bright said, “is ensuring this essential training is continued effectively and consistently, regardless of the demands of the business.”¹

Bright suggests that employers add micro-learning to their training strategy. With micro-learning, training is focused on delivering a single learning outcome in a short, sweet session – a viable option for maintaining a plant’s training headway during the winter. Micro-learning might recap/refresh topics from prior training or introduce topics to be covered in more depth when the regular training schedule resumes.

Automation infusion: Buy-in is pivotal

Robots, cobots and automation are attractive as tools to up output, enhance quality and reduce safety issues, but too much gushing about the wonders of technology can leave workers feeling like technology is the enemy and that there is no future for humans in manufacturing.

As Andreas Koenig of technology company ProGlove put it: “Robotics, artificial intelligence and automation are gifts, but if we just slap them upon our organizations, we do very little to reap their rewards. Instead, we may end up vilifying the blessings they may be able to deliver.”²

Rather than merely decreeing and installing automation, manufacturers can enlist workers to participate in the automation planning, listen to their experience-backed input and earn their trust for the new technologies. Having workers who drive automation improvements is better than having those who merely accept the improvements, while having those who only accept technological advances is better than having workers who resist or, worse yet, undermine what they view as threatening automation initiatives.

Hidden talent: generalists and the big picture

When manufacturers have generalists in the workforce, the thing to do is tap that general knowledge and experience, as opposed to insisting that a generalist buckle down in one specialized area.

A generalist’s understanding of a variety of market sectors, or of an array of manufacturing plant departments, or of a range of fabrication techniques is a boon. Not only can a generalist see a bigger picture than a specialist, but a generalist often can also speak many industry “languages,” making an employee of this caliber someone who can be a liaison between plant and customer, between plant and supplier, and among a plant’s departments.

The new hire who has scant experience in a plant’s production niche but who has worked in logistics, shipping and warehousing is a new hire who already can understand and speak three valuable languages. The new hire who doesn’t know squat about manufacturing but who climbed rungs in the engineering career ladder, has evaluated and installed software, and has an inquiring mind could be a great player on the project to upgrade the plant’s CAD/CAM system.

Automation infusion: robotics for zombie work,
humans for the squirrelly stuff

ProGlove’s Andreas Koenig has the chops to recommend robotics solutions, but he is just as strong when it comes to valuing the workforce. “The human worker,” said Koenig, “is probably the most underrated factor on the shop floor and in global supply chains.” Koenig noted some uniquely human qualities: a desire to learn, a willingness to collaborate and a work ethic to deliver that extra oomph to resolve issues quickly.

“All of this is instrumental to make operations work because we cannot run businesses only on technology,” Koenig explained. He stresses the importance of choosing automation projects thoughtfully, with an eye toward helping workers better interact with the machines – production machines and automation aids – that surround them.²

When manufacturers focus on implementing technology solutions to free up workers from boring, repetitive and strenuous jobs, those workers now are available to do more of what humans do so much better than machines. Only people can stay ahead of or on top of emerging production issues, jump into action or recruit help to solve a problem, and think about how to make their own jobs better while simultaneously improving operations and benefitting the company’s bottom line.

Hidden talent: Find the experts and let them share

In “Harnessing Unsung Employee Know-how,”³ consulting firm SUMMi7 founder Eric Strafel discussed the value of creating knowledge networks in manufacturing plants. Sprinkled throughout any company are individuals with an intense interest in and a deep understanding of a range of specialized topics. But if the company is unaware of this expertise, it remains a hidden talent that could otherwise have been tapped.

Strafel cited the topic of blockchain, posing the hypothetical situation of a customer expressing a keen interest in using this technology. The sales and service departments of the plant know nothing about blockchain, and they bump the request up to their managers. “The problem is, those middle managers probably know as much, if not less, about blockchain than the frontline workers,” Strafel wrote. “The manager might tell the customer something like, ‘I’m not sure that we can help,’ or they might promise to look into it, but never get around to it. The customer either never gets a solution or has to wait for it. The longer they wait, the more opportunity a competitor has to offer the customer what they need and snag their business.”

Somewhere in that company, though, there is a wonk who knows this topic inside and out. Strafel recommends that companies do a treasure hunt to find their hidden talent and their obscure experts, and then create a venue for sharing that knowledge. Managers can identify market trends and technology advances that are likely to be important to the business or its customers, survey the workforce for gurus, and then create a casual knowledge transfer occasion – maybe a “lunch and learn” – that uncovers hidden expertise and expands a company-wide network of knowledge.

For 2023, resolve to keep up with the training, implement rewarding automation initiatives and discover hidden talent. Best wishes for a prosperous new year.

References

Helen Sydney Adams. “How manufacturers can integrate training during the winter,” Manufacturing. October 13, 2022. https://manufacturingdigital.com/procurement-and-supply-chain/how-manufacturers-can-integrate-training-during-the-winter.
Andreas Koenig. “You Can’t Run a Business on Technology Alone,” Material Handling & Logistics. June 24, 2022. https://www.mhlnews.com/technology-automation/article/21245234/you-cant-run-a-business-on-technology-alone.
Eric Strafel. “Harnessing Unsung Employee Know-how,” Material Handling. November 26, 2021. https://www.mhlnews.com/labor-management/article/21181343/harnessing-unsung-employee-knowhow.

ENews

By Liz Stevens, writer, PostPress

In every new environment and each growth stage

Failure is valuable

Own failure and seek feedback

Analyze failure

Limit retrospection

References

1. Big Data Makes for a Good Foundation

2. Take Your Pick of Data

3. It Takes Skill to Make Sense of Data

4. Choose a Big Data Project Wisely with Smart Input

5. Lean on Big Data

References

Where Do Defunct Billboards Go?

Recycling for Bicycling

E Beam: Creator and Destroyer

The Nature of Books

From Sow’s Ear to Silk Purse: Making Diamonds from Plastic

By Dianna Brodine, vice president, editorial, PostPress

By Liz Stevens, writer, PostPress

1. It Might Have Just the Course that is Needed

2. It’s Widely Available

3. The Presenters are Professionals, and the Content is Valuable

4. The Course Tracking is Well Designed

5. Cross-indexing Leads to More Options

Training: Keep the momentum going year-round

Automation infusion: Buy-in is pivotal

Hidden talent: generalists and the big picture

Automation infusion: robotics for zombie work, humans for the squirrelly stuff

Hidden talent: Find the experts and let them share

References

Automation infusion: robotics for zombie work,
humans for the squirrelly stuff