The four types of AI

Before I discuss how the print industry uses AI from Xerox today, let’s agree on some terms and concepts. The definition of AI is generally accepted to mean the ability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior. Admittedly, this definition is an umbrella term for a broad spectrum of technology so the industry coined four types of AI:

1. Reactive machines: the most basic functionality of AI where the machine can only react to current scenarios, with no ability to use experience to inform decisions.

2. Limited memory: the machine can make observations about its environment to inform a decision i.e. the technology behind self-driving cars.

3. Theory of mind: at this point, AI becomes more futuristic. To fall into this category, AI must have the ability to understand thoughts and emotions, and use this to react to the world around it.

4. Self-aware AI – the most advanced type of AI and requires the machine to have its own consciousness, something that does not exist, yet.

Five examples of AI for the print industry

There may be a lot of hype and speculation around the latter two categories, but in reality it’s the AI that falls into the ‘reactive machines’ and ‘limited memory’ categories which the printing industry should care about. This AI has the potential to open up lucrative new revenue streams for print businesses by improving the effectiveness of the end-to-end printing process, from print job creation through to continuous production and machine service optimisations.

For most, producing personalised catalogues on digital presses is too costly, and manually adding personalisation into static catalogues is cumbersome (and forget about creating digital versions for the web and mobile). Xerox’s Personalised Catalogue Solutions change this:

Printers use AI to automate tasks that were previously bottlenecks in the printing process, increasing the business’ daily output. Alternatively, you might decide to offload some of the more routine work to a machine in order to enable your team to focus on more strategic work. A few examples:

• Smart algorithms in Xerox FreeFlow software figure out different document layouts, such as optimising imposition in order to minimise printed waste.
• In direct mail and catalogues, as more data about the mail recipients becomes available, you can now use that data to create even more relevant mailings by automatically customising the job content for the recipient.
• In job submission, Xerox FreeFlow smart software can monitor which presses are busy and route new jobs to available presses.
• Self-monitoring presses, like the iGen 5, constantly check themselves with many sensors. They use this information to make real-time in-process adjustments for things like paper alignment and image quality. This automation provides the best possible printing outcomes without human intervention.
• Data about the press can be sent back to Xerox where our people use tools and algorithms to analyse it, compare it to expected performance, and identify software updates or adjustments that a technician should make. Predictive analytics that determine the need for service before the machine fails are closer than you might think.

All of this means that creating more complex jobs is becoming more automated, which increases the volume and value of the pages. At the same time, the presses are becoming more productive and can be serviced faster.

What AI does for printers today

In the spirit of coming down to earth, printing companies have a very real opportunity to take advantage of existing software and equipment to bring AI to their businesses. AI gives print shops a huge opportunity to employ online data, or create targeted print catalogues or newsletters based on which pages the customer views.

So what are you waiting for? Step back, look at your current processes and see where you could use this revolutionary technology to unlock even greater value.

A portion of this article was first published on Document-Manager.com

ALTRON BYTES DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS (+27 11) 928 9111 xerox@bdsol.co.za https://www.xerox.com/digital-printing/enza.html

The reason for this is because in a time when print volumes and margins are under pressure, cross-media marketing provides an opportunity to turn the tide. It also enables you to offer services that help your customers meet communication goals more effectively, making them come back for more. If you haven’t already, here are a few cross-media marketing trends you should get a jump on soon:

1. Design for mobile first

It’s time to face facts: we live in the age of the smartphone. These little devices have become so ingrained in our lives that one study found over 50% of smartphone users actually reach for their smartphone immediately upon waking up (1). Our smartphones almost never leave our hands, and it shows. In 2016, mobile web traffic actually surpassed desktop traffic (2). Additionally, one can’t afford to treat mobile as an afterthought anymore. It needs to be front and centre — an integral part of your campaigns.

2. Leverage interactive print

Any marketer looking to engage and build long-term relationships with their customers should consider interactive print to increase response rates and return on marketing investment (ROMI). A simple place to start is by adding PURLs or QR codes to personalised print pieces, allowing you to drive recipients to more valuable information. Augmented reality apps provide another opportunity to make the customer experience even more unique and memorable. And don’t forget about personalised, targeted sales offers, which help to enhance the customer experience and brand perception.

3. Embrace marketing automation

Marketing automation has gone from hot buzzword to critical business tool. Not only does it enable massively individualised, relevant dialogues across different media channels —improving the customer experience with better targeting — it can also include on-demand printing. And it gives you the gift of time, taking the burden of overly repetitive tasks out of your hands and allowing you to focus on more complex and meaningful work. It’s no wonder that 91% of the most successful users agree that marketing automation is ‘very important’ to the overall success of their marketing across channels (3).

4. Use personalised video

Video has a unique place in the marketing mix, as it is easily digestible and ideal for communicating complex details in a simple manner. In fact, 51% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI (4). Combine the power of video with the benefits of personalisation and virtually all types of customer data can be displayed creatively to produce the most relevant viewer experience. This can include cinematic-quality visual effects through variable text, personalised still images, special effects and animated video. Consider investing in or partnering with a video production house, then applying your personalisation expertise to video.

5. Offer cross-media marketing campaigns that can be ordered via a web portal

Web-to-print provides a host of benefits for print providers:

• Business generation during off hours.
• Stronger customer relationships.
• Better brand control.
• Expanded market reach.
• Centralised administration.
• Maximum efficiency.

Through these benefits, PSPs are able to offer their customers more — guaranteeing production of what they need and when they need it.

6. Push the limits of Variable Data Printing (VDP)

You’re probably familiar with VDP by now. A lot of print providers offer some type of VDP service and have for quite a while. But customers today expect more from their personalisation. More fields. And deeper understanding. A VDP solution from a leading software provider such as XMPie will allow you to work with familiar design tools and file formats, and utilise simple data files, while pushing personalisation to the extreme. The result? Clever, relevant pieces that get noticed.

Opéra De Montréal is already taking advantage of these trends using XMPie software, which allows marketers to leverage customer data to create relevant, personalised one-to-one marketing campaigns with variable text, styles and images across print, web, email and mobile platforms.

Blindly chasing trends is never a great idea. But if you pay attention to the way cross-media marketing is developing, you’ll quickly see why this is an important area to invest in if you want to stay ahead of the competition.

(1) https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/mobile-marketing-statistics-for-2016
(2) http://bgr.com/2016/11/02/internet-usage-desktop-vs-mobile/
(3) http://www.emailmonday.com/marketing-automation-statistics-overview
(4) http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/03/08/video-marketing-statistics

ALTRON BYTES DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS (+27 11) 928 9111 xerox@bdsol.co.za https://www.xerox.com/digital-printing/enza.html

The applications for cards that can be developed are expansive and include: small (name cards, Lomo cards and hang cards); big (holiday cards, post cards and wedding cards), creased (invitation cards, crease name cards and greeting cards); perforated (receipt cards and coupons); strips/creased strips/perforated strips (tags, coupons and book girth); four side trim (leaflets and posters); four side trim and creases (leaflets, flyers and book covers) as well as double direction partial perforated (special coupons).

Features include:
• Touch screen control.
• Fully programmable slitter and cutter.
• Stripbox to accept paper waste.
• Cross slide-in tools (crease die and cross perforate die).
• Linear tools (slitter, perforator, kiss cutter, scorer).
• Barcode system.

Entrance to the expo is free. For more information, and to pre-register online, visit: https://africaprintexpo.com/cape-town/

TRISAVE +27 21 447 7030 www.trisave.co.za

Label technology has become one of the mainstays of the contemporary printing industry, with established printing businesses as well as manufacturers investing in label presses to deliver on the packaging and labelling needs of the modern consumer.

Labels are vital, and in many instances, labels save lives. It is therefore non-negotiable that labelling use the highest possible quality of ink, adhesion and substrate, to ensure that consumers are accurately informed of the contents and usage directions of products.

Food products need to include contents labels, as well as warnings for possibly allergenic ingredients. The volume of the contents must be indicated, their sell-by and use-by dates,  as well as preparation instructions to avoid food poisoning and other health risks.

Not only must this information be printed on the product labels, it must be legible for consumers, and it must remain legible well beyond the expected life span of the products themselves. For instance, once a product passes its expiry date, it’s important that the label remains in place and readable, so that no one consumes the expired contents and becomes ill.

Ensuring this kind of longevity involves sophisticated ink, substrate and glue solutions. These must be long-lasting and durable, throughout transport, display, purchase and exposure to the elements. They must also not be damaging to the environment once they eventually biodegrade.

The most sustainable labelling solutions will be those using environmentally friendly toners and ink, media and glues while also retaining their integrity for months and even years. To ensure this is the case, a sophisticated testing industry has sprung up, testing and certifying the labels that are used in the packaging of many food products, as well as potentially hazardous materials.

In the shipping industry, there is also a requirement that goods have labels that can survive immersion in seawater and remain legible. After all, if goods are washed overboard during shipment, anyone who recovers them must know what the contents are and how they should be handled.

To ensure this is the case, internationally recognised standards have been established. Companies like Smithers Pira and others test labels for exposure to the marine environment and certify the products accordingly. At Konica Minolta, for instance, our AccurioLabel 190 and the bizhub C71cf presses recently attained a global quality certification after their labels passed Marine Immersion Test BS5609, Sections 2 and 3.

Labels provide a window into a package’s contents. They provide safety messages, but also marketing communication, information and usage directions. Modern barcode, QR code and augmented-reality technology also opens up vast new possibilities for expanded messaging. Labels can now present information, advertising and even entertainment content, and it’s no longer limited by what can physically fit within the borders of a label.

Label printing is not only indispensable. It saves lives, and it is now one of the most exciting areas in the printing industry. Technology is constantly advancing to better deliver on the numerous roles that product packaging plays.

Manufacturers and producers cannot afford to ignore the vast possibilities that label-printing technology now offers – as safety mechanism, marketing tool and business driver.

While printing companies are well positioned to deliver on these labelling capabilities, label printers are now compact and versatile and can easily be incorporated into a company’s manufacturing set-up. This obviates the need for an external printing supplier and has significant efficiency and cost advantages for manufacturers.

With its wide range of abilities, labelling also relates to a company’s health-and-safety, marketing as well as its sales function. Labels are no longer simply cosmetic, they are an integral part of doing business.

KONICA MINOLTA SOUTH AFRICA +27116619000  leonm@kmsa.com http://www.kmsa.com

But it is also due – in part at least – to the fact that players in the label printing industry have been willing to embrace change and pioneer new printing and converting methods. The result in recent years has been an increasing number of label types and variety of labels in the industry.

So, is that set to continue? And should we look to the label industry as a weather vane for the packaging industry overall? Here we look at four key trends in the labelling industry and the potential impact these may have.

1. The integration of digital and analogue

The label sector has clearly been an early adopter of digital printing. Digitally-printed labels have boomed in recent years, driven by market demands for shorter runs, more customised packaging, greater sustainability and the need to help products stand out even more.

The rest of the packaging market is following. Indeed, we have recently seen a tipping point in the industry with more new narrow web digital press installations than flexo presses. Beyond labels, analysts expect a strong growth in digital for corrugated, folding carton and flexibles applications.

The capabilities of digital printers and presses are increasing, but such breakthrough innovations can take more time than expected to become mainstream. Digital represents an entirely new way of processing jobs, from the file to the end product, and step-by-step, it will enable companies to reach new frontiers in quality, productivity and overall workflow. In addition, the online ‘digital product’ is growing in importance; sophisticated software is enabling more of the design, approval and marketing process to be completed using the digital product. This will change the working dynamic between converters / printers and brand owners as they will share a more digitised cooperation throughout the workflow.

2. The rise of customisation and premium labels

Analogue printing is well suited for mid-to-long applications and will continue to contribute to a large percentage of global production. Meanwhile, demand is evolving rapidly towards more customisation and promotion, which means smaller runs, greater cost constraints and eventually the transformation of the entire digital workflow. Being able to produce results with maximum flexibility and to an optimum economical value will give digital printing a huge foothold in all sectors.

Brands, large and small, are promoting so-called ‘targeted campaigns’, where the labels alone can enhance the apparent quality of a product. Different print effects – such as hot foil stamping, cold foil stamping and gravure printing – are used to embellish the labels to give them a more ‘premium’ appearance, as are tactile or haptic effects using processes like spot varnishing. Some of these enhancements can even be done digitally.

We will likely see a better fit in the industry between conventional flexo, Extended Colour Gamut (ECG) and digital printing technologies, all used optimally to meet the increasing demand for labels.

3. Demand for better colour control – from file to finished product 

Understandably, brand owners have a great demand for colour consistency. They know that their customers subconsciously look to the packaging and the label for cues about quality, so any discrepancy issues with brand colours can lead to a negative perception.

The increasing demand for colour consistency is leading the drive towards the Extended Color Gamut (ECG). ECG printing uses three additional ink colours – orange, green and violet (OGV) – on top of the conventional colours of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK), making for a total of seven (CMYKOGV). Printing with a traditional CMYK blend only matches approximately 60% of the Pantone – but when printing with a CMYKOGV blend, it is possible to match 90%+ of the Pantone. Again, in this domain, innovation will be at the forefront to improve ink while increasing the Pantone reach.

What the industry needs to see is repeatability and consistency. Now, the digitisation of colour matching has made 100% colour conformity with the job master request a reality. Brand owners want to achieve colour conformity on a global scale, irrespective of where their printing suppliers are located in the world. Converters have been pleasantly surprised by the outcomes that will enable them to deliver on this request. They also recognise the immediate advantages in flexibility and time-to-market when using the ECG technology in combination with digital automation in flexo presses.

4. Increasing automation and Internet of Things (IoT)

The growing demands on label printers for shorter print runs, faster turnaround, and greater flexibility and customisation is driving the industry towards higher levels of automation across digital and analogue printing methods.

Ultimately, this will likely lead towards integrated workflows optimising time to market and increasingly satisfying consumer demands. Already, systems can link to Cloud applications and monitor machines and productivity.

Higher levels of automation of course have an impact on the type of personnel needed. Human errors are the biggest reason for product recalls; step-by-step, new solutions will significantly reduce this risk. A more important role will be taken by the pre-press specialist and the supply chain people, ensuring there are no bottlenecks, but rather a smooth automated flow.

BOBST provides a wide range of solutions for the labels and flexible packaging industry, from digital presses to digital flexo, traditional UV flexo and multi-process printing units. All the solutions deliver best value for quality and combine digitalisation, automation and connectivity innovations.

By connecting all the systems that relate to production, IoT solutions allow users to monitor the performance of equipment along the value chain. BOBST solutions also mean a truly global service and comprehensive technical support, which is becoming more and more connected, fully equipped with online controls, with web portal access and round the clock service support.

So, as label printing continues to grow, BOBST will increase its position, supplying innovative solutions to satisfy the most demanding brand owners and converters.

BOBST www.bobst.com

The event is a platform for visitors to get their fingers on the pulse of this vibrant, ever-evolving industry. It will inform your digital technology investments and allow you to research product diversification as well as new ideas for next-level business growth and profitability. Speak to product experts on how to best meet your customers’ demands and remain competitive.

The expo will allow visitors to explore the latest technologies and trends in digital printing presses, binding equipment, digital packaging solutions, screen printing, digital textile printing, finishing equipment, ink, software, pad printing, paper and board, litho print solutions, encapsulating/laminating and digital label printing, right in their own city.

Printers are invited to join the movement with Printing SA, which will be hosting a members forum at the event from 9am-10am. The forum is free and non-members are welcome to attend and sign up as members.

Learn more about how Printing SA can assist with:

• Industry level representation.
• Dispute resolution.
• Management consulting.
• Industry communication.
• Training and development.
• PIFSA finance.
• Investment subsidies.
• B-BBEE consulting and advising.

For more information contact (+27 11) 287 1160 or info@printingsa.org

In-Depth CorelDraw WorkShop

Corel expert Mo Jogie will deliver a two day CorelDraw WorkShop for professionals covering topics for signage, screen print, wide format print, T-shirt printing, engraving and more.

Day 1 – Wednesday 5 June

10H30-11H30: Power Hour CorelDRAW 19 new release features part one.
11H30-15H30: CorelDRAW concept to production. A high level, in-depth, hands on workshop where you can create artwork for wrapping a vehicle door, a printed item on textile and a digitally printed large format poster.
13H30-14H00: light lunch will be served.

Day 2 – Thursday 6 June

10H30-11H30: Power Hour CorelDRAW 19 new release features part two.
11H30-15H30: CorelDRAW Concept to production. A high level, in-depth, hands on workshop where you can create artwork for an engraved item as well as printing on a T-shirt.
13H30-14H00: light lunch will be served.

R500 per day ex VAT. Includes a free 15 day download to trial CorelDRAW 17 and refreshments.

Book your seat online.

For more information about the expo, and to register online, visit: www.africaprintexpo.com.

Upcoming Africa Print Expo’s include:
• Johannesburg: 11-13 September 2019, Gallagher Convention Centre.

AFRICA PRINT EXPO http://www.africaprintexpo.com

Learn more about how Printing SA can assist with:

• Industry level representation.
• Dispute resolution.
• Management consulting.
• Industry communication.
• Training and development.
• PIFSA finance.
• Investment subsidies.
• B-BBEE consulting and advising.

For more information contact (+27 11) 287 1160 or akaterere@printingsa.org

You can also join the Printing SA Movement at the following Africa Print Expo’s:
• Johannesburg: 11-13 September, Gallagher Convention Centre.

For more information about the expo, and to register online, visit: www.africaprintexpo.com.

PRINTING SA (+27 11) 287 1160 www.printingsa.org

Day 1 – Wednesday 5 June

10H30-11H30: Power Hour CorelDRAW 19 new release features part one.
11H30-15H30: CorelDRAW concept to production. A high level, in-depth, hands on workshop where you can create artwork for wrapping a vehicle door, a printed item on textile and a digitally printed large format poster.
13H30-14H00: light lunch will be served.

Day 2 – Thursday 6 June

10H30-11H30: Power Hour CorelDRAW 19 new release features part two.
11H30-15H30: CorelDRAW Concept to production. A high level, in-depth, hands on workshop where you can create artwork for an engraved item as well as printing on a T-shirt.
13H30-14H00: light lunch will be served.

R500 per day ex VAT. Includes a free 15 day download to trial CorelDRAW 17 and refreshments.

Book your seat online.

AFRICA PRINT EXPO (+27 11) 450 1650 www.africaprintexpo.com

Printers are invited to join the movement with Printing SA, which will be hosting a members forum at the expo. The forum is free and non-members are welcome to attend and sign up as members.

Learn more about how Printing SA can assist with:

• Industry level representation.
• Dispute resolution.
• Management consulting.
• Industry communication.
• Training and development.
• PIFSA finance.
• Investment subsidies.
• B-BBEE consulting and advising.

For more information, contact (+27 11) 287 1160 or akaterere@printingsa.org

Entrance is free. To register for the expo online, visit: http://www.africaprintexpo.com.

Upcoming Africa Print expo’s include:

• Johannesburg: 11-13 September 2019, Gallagher Convention Centre.

Learn more about how Printing SA can assist with:

• Industry level representation.
• Dispute resolution.
• Management consulting.
• Industry communication.
• Training and development.
• PIFSA finance.
• Investment subsidies.
• B-BBEE consulting and advising.

For more information contact (+27 11) 287 1160 or akaterere@printingsa.org

You can also join the Printing SA Movement at the following Africa Print Expo’s:
• Johannesburg: 11-13 September, Gallagher Convention Centre.

For more information about the expo, and to register online, visit: www.africaprintexpo.com.

PRINTING SA (+27 11) 287 1160 www.printingsa.org