EyeC Case Study: Off-Line print inspection for complex pharmaceutical packaging
EMEGE IMPRESORES is a folding carton manufacturer based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. With 50 years of experience in cardboard box production for the pharmaceutical industry, the company thrives to provide the best quality and efficiency to its customers.
In partnership with the top-quality support from EyeC, the company implemented a tailor-made solution based on the EyeC Proofiler 1200DT series to ensure 100% quality control at every step of the process from prepress through press makeready all the way to the finished product.
The Right Tool to Streamline Processes, Reduce Waste, Save Costs, and Improve Quality
To prevent product defects, the company devoted a large number of personnel to strict manual controls and information checks, which proved time-consuming yet still not 100% error-free. This led to additional costs as well as unsatisfied employees and customers. Perhaps most important, it led to misalignment with the company’s overall business strategy. To optimize business performance and inspection processes and to rule out potential defects when dealing with non-standardized customer data, e.g. incorrect Braille embossing, the EMEGE IMPRESORES management team initially began looking for an automated solution in the pre-press stage that controls 100% of the sample content against a signed-off PDF file or printed sheet.
Finding The Most Cost-Effective Solution for High Requirements
After an extensive review of the market for electronic verification technology, Rafael Gómez, Chief Executive Officer at EMEGE IMPRESORES, learned about the EyeC inspection systems at the Drupa 2016 in Düsseldorf. “We considered our options carefully, and EyeC had the strongest product portfolio. They even offered a tailor-made solution that would integrate seamlessly into our current process”, states Gómez. “In addition to that, EyeC offers Spanish-speaking technical support which was, and still is, a huge plus", Gómez added.
Transformed Processes Due to Top-Notch Tech Support
Together with the team of experts from EyeC, EMEGE IMPRESORES is currently running an EyeC Proofiler 1200DT system. The system includes flatbed scanning technology, which makes it easy and safe to handle even large and/ or thin samples. It verifies the complete sample content as print-to-file or print-to-print against a signed-off PDF file or printed proof, in any language. Thanks to intelligent technology, the Proofiler also perfor quality. At the same time employees are able to keep track of inspection results. All of these functions were integrated into the final solution so that operators at EMEGE IMPRESORES could easily check deviations and ensure that the samples' quality met specifications.
Throughout the project, EyeC provided technical support remote and on-site in Spanish regarding the implementation and training. “Roy Jiménez, EyeC's Sales and Service Manager, played an important role in finding the right solution for us by asking the right questions and helping us to envision our business requirements,” says Goméz. “It was crucial to have someone who understood the application flow end-to-end, who could provide real-time feedback about what customization is feasible and what is not. Roy is getting a 10 out of 10", Goméz added.
Eliminating Costly Rejects
The main objective was to be able to control the assembly of thems a full and reliable inspection of Braille and 1D codes. Every time a job is completed, the system creates an inspection report, which certifies sheet with the adaptation of the artwork and then the printed sheet. The results, to increase the quality of the print inspections as well as the satisfaction of customers and employees, have been very successful.
To date, EMEGE IMPRESORES can successfully record significant manufacturing cost savings, significantly fewer rejects, and higher quality. This translates into less complicated handoffs and reduced time required to bring new folding cartons to customers and the market. "Since we installed the EyeC inspection system in our plant, we are more certain and confident that our work will have a good outcome which helps us strengthen our customer and partner relationships at the same time", says Goméz.
Resounding Success Driven by a Custom-Fit Inspection System
Several operators are now using the EyeC Proofiler 1200 DT as part of their daily work schedules in prepress and quality control. Every time a sheet is compared to an original pdf, the system is used to scan the printed sheet, barcodes, and Braille. Once a job is put on the press, the first sheet is checked, then every 3 thousand sheets after that. Goméz adds, “Thanks to the user-friendly interface, our operators use the system consistently because they feel supported to avoid mistakes with it. This enables us to ensure we can meet the complex requirements of our customers. The value the EyeC Proofiler provides us as a company of quality and superior security is undeniable. I would very much recommend it."