Real-Time Shopfloor Data From Printer's Equipment

Walsworth Publishing Company has selected Prism's QTMS iQ network shop floor data capture system (SFDC) to supply company-wide real-time data.

Walsworth Publishing Company, a publisher and printer of yearbooks, textbooks, catalogues and speciality publications, has selected Prism's QTMS iQ network shop floor data capture system (SFDC) to supply company-wide real-time data.

The QTMS iQ system is being installed on all of Walsworth's presses and bindery equipment for data collection within all of the company's production locations.

The first phase of the installation is now under way and includes integration of the generated operating data with the company's AS 400, its existing enterprise resource plan (ERP) system.

VTMs (virtual time managers) will also be installed on workstations throughout the company to collect additional data, such as time and attendance.

Walsworth's pre-press technology manager, Grant Fritch is the executive charged with leading the company's enterprise-wide technology initiative aimed at achieving advances in customer communications, internal workflow and systems integration.

His selection of QTMS iQ culminated a year-long evaluation of many of the data collection systems available in the marketplace.

He said: "Integration was high on our list of criteria.

We wanted the ability to communicate via JDF and XML - something with a standard plug.

The capability of integration with our existing and future ERP is really important to us.

QTMS iQ gives us that flexibility." Fritch also pointed out that Walsworth's criteria for system selection went beyond technology considerations.

And he explained: "It's important for us to have partnerships with our vendors.

We have strong relationships with Kodak, Creo and many of our other vendors.

The Prism people impressed us with their knowledge, experience and insights in to our requirements.

We were confident that the company would be a responsive partner in the planning and implementation of the advanced system that we consider critical to the future of our company.

It was clear that working with Prism would represent a win-win situation." Fritch expects QTMS iQ to deliver more accurate counts throughout Walsworth's operations and real-time access to work in progress.

Walsworth has several hundred work centres and the QTMS iQ system will enable the expedient capture of accurate data from each of them.

The company wants to be able to meet customers' required counts and also the total number of overs they allow.

Those numbers represent a particularly important target because they help assure that the full revenue potential of each job is realized.

From a customer's perspective, Fritch said the they are going to see increased accuracy in delivery of their products.

He commented: "They'll have faster turn-arounds because we won't have to go back on press to supply missing forms.

Customers who supply paper to us will especially appreciate that and we'll be better able to track waste and develop the most efficient workflow to meet individual customers' requirements." Leland Morgan, general manager of Prism-USA, said: "We are happy to welcome Walsworth Publishing as our newest partner.

The company will be working with the most recent release of Prism's QTMS iQ intelligent networked shop floor data capture system (SFDC) comprising machine monitoring modules and sensors for automatic collection of shop floor data." QTMS iQ is modular and claimed to have more 'intelligence' and user-friendly features, as well as new pallet-tracking modules using TCP/IP technology.

The system is also said to provide a level of highly accurate business management information and control to keep profitability and operational performance clearly in sight at every stage of production.

QTMS iQ and all other Prism MIS software support the JDF standard.

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