Graphics Network
Print & Graphics
Volume 25
No. 8
August 2004

Pressroom Report
By John Snyder

Increase pressroom productivity with computerized scheduling

Printers are always looking for solutions that make their pressrooms more productive. Faster presses and prepress systems, all-digital workflows, and even enhanced material handling solutions can all improve productivity. However, one commonly overlooked area that's still a source of inefficiency in most printing plants is the job scheduling system.

While digital technology has made its way into virtually every aspect of the print production process, job scheduling is often still a manual process. These manual systems typically involve a large display board with moveable placeholders that represent current and prospective jobs. These placeholders often carry only basic information about a job - the customer and project name, quantity, stock type, ink colors, status, and perhaps subsequent operations such as folding or binding.

Operation of the board usually requires the input of several people involved with the scheduling, planning and production of all work coming in and going out of the plant. The scheduling manager gathers their input, creates tags for the placeholders and places them appropriately to "reserve" time on each machine in the plant. In many companies, staff is assembled each morning - and perhaps more frequently depending on the amount of jobs in the plant - to collectively determine the day's schedule. The schedule is then distributed, often verbally, to department managers and press operators.

A flawed system

There are several flaws inherent with such a system, chief among them the need to constantly update the scheduling board by physically moving the placeholders as projects progress and new ones arrive.

In most printing plants, the status of projects can - and will - change at a moment's notice. An error is caught on-press, an incoming project becomes delayed, or a job simply isn't running as fast as the schedule demands - any one of these situations can render a carefully-constructed schedule obsolete the minute it's issued. In addition, maintaining the flow of real time information from the sales department, the press, the loading dock or the prepress department and incorporating it into the daily schedule is difficult and labor intensive.

A computerized scheduling system based on the principles of Material Resource Planning (MRP) can passively monitor job status and material logistics while instantly communicating schedule changes via online reports and alerts. A properly implemented MRP system can yield tremendous gains in productivity. Additionally, computerized scheduling can eliminate many of the time-consuming steps of a manual scheduling operation as well as increase the accuracy of the schedule since it is utilizing real time information.

The instant access advantage

The airline industry has created a terrific model for real-time, on-the-fly scheduling and logistical adjustments. Airlines must be prepared to immediately reschedule complex tasks and assignments during delays or other disruptions. Even more important, this information must be communicated instantly to airport administrators, ground crews and passengers. The goal is to provide people the information they need to make necessary adjustments without losing valuable time. For example, an incoming flight may need to be rerouted to a new gate if flight schedules change.

Imagine an airport without monitors for people to check gate or baggage claim information. Imagine being handed an out-of-date hard copy of your flight information when you check in only later to find out about a gate change through word of mouth from a baggage handler. A manual scheduling system could never keep up with the constant state of change at an airport.

Manage for productivity

The pressroom can benefit greatly from this business approach. Time and money are lost every time a job waits either in the prepress department - or even on press - while specifications are communicated or supplies are located. By implementing a fully computerized system with terminals located in key production areas, trained staff members can effectively manage the logistics and focus on maximum productivity.

Computerized scheduling systems can be programmed to direct press crews and other personnel only when all specifications and materials have been received. For that reason, computerized systems allow for jobs to be placed in a staging area that offers instant access to the job details prior to it becoming a live project.

Printing operations also need preventative maintenance. A computerized scheduling system can be programmed to allocate a set number of hours per month for maintenance. The result is the elimination of confusion and unproductive downtime.

Plus, automated systems can make it easier to manage people, the great variable in every workplace. Computerized scheduling systems make it easier to manage the number of man-hours each project requires. It also provides an historical reference as well, allowing printers to track their efficiency and productivity per employee. This information can then be used to overhaul estimating systems and to ensure the utmost accuracy, even for complex projects.

HBP's computerized scheduling system is customized for our pressroom environment. One of the things we find valuable is the ability to track the status of jobs in real time. For example, the scheduling system tracks when a job has been plated and when ink and paper have been issued to the press. Our managers can quickly glance at the schedule and know whether a job is ready to print or not. This allows supervisors and others with scheduling responsibility to concentrate on making the schedule happen.

Such a system could also be used to inform customers of their job's status. Companies could elect to give customers access to a portion of the scheduling system, allowing them to track a job's progress remotely. This can reduce phone calls and emails currently exchanged between printer and customer to relay this information, freeing up internal resources for other uses.

Increased revenue in the printing industry is often tied to the amount of time sold on presses and other machines. Computerized scheduling allows you to maximize that time. Transitioning from the "big board" to a small screen may have its learning curve, but by reducing confusion and scheduling chaos, printing firms can begin to see growth - in real time and real dollars.

John Snyder is President/CEO of HBP, Inc., a full service communications solutions provider located in Hagerstown, MD. In addition to offering a full complement of digital printing services, HBP offers offset printing, Web development, information distribution services and more. John can be reached at 800-638-3508, or johns@hbp.com.

HBP Inc. • 952 Frederick St., Hagerstown, MD 21740 • 800-638-3508 • 301-733-2000 • FAX 301-733-6586