Regulars / Andy Thomas-Emans column | 19Andy Thomas-Emans column Labelexpo Arena showcases automated futureLabelexpo Europe 2023 will feature the frst Automation Arena in fve years, allowing visitors to see a real-time exchange of machine data with an MIShe Automation Arena is set to return to Labelexpo Europe “There is a danger that these this year, showcasing the tremendous leap forward in capabilities since the last automation feature at Labelexpo Tportals become ‘closed’, without Americas back in 2018. The 2018 automation arena concentrated on what I would the ability to share machine data call ‘linear’ automation – setting up machinery remotely from in a standardized format”a centralized workstation. As was demonstrated at the time, there is a lot of information that can be transferred to presses and converting equipment developing problems.via JDF/JMF to reduce or eliminate manual intervention during These remote diagnostic systems have now morphed into machine setup. more user-friendly machine data collection systems, targeted at On the fexo side, we demonstrated that we can now automate delivering real-time actionable data to the operations manager as mechanical processes including printing pressure adjustment, much as remote engineering teams. cross- and machine-direction registration and tension control The information can be fltered and sent to different destinations depending on the substrate to be printed. These parameters can – for example, the factory/operations manager, press team and be saved for when that same job is run again, representing a kind managing director can be given different subsets of the data most of machine learning. relevant to their own tasks. At that time there was a roadblock to a more complete The goal is to improve press utilization and effciency, to help integration of fexo presses into factory management/MIS operation managers make immediate process adjustments, and systems. Most fexo press manufacturers used closed, or management to make strategic data-driven decisions, all resulting proprietary press operating systems, meaning a certain amount in waste reduction and higher effciency. of double keying had to take place for parameters like run length The Automation Arena at Labelexpo Europe 2023 will showcase and job description, with the consequent loss of effciency and real-time machine data collection, analysis and distribution, potential to introduce mistakes. centered around a Xeikon digital press, a Grafotronics converting MPS, however, did demonstrate MPS Talk to Me (now MPS line, Esko automated pre-press and Cerm MIS. Connect), which at the last automation arena was already The inclusion of the MIS element is an important one. able to communicate directly with a Cerm MIS and other All printing press and converting machinery manufacturers industry-standard MIS workfows to upload job information. are working on their own machine data collection systems and On the digital press side, automated setup and integration into setting up their own Cloud-based portals where factory managers MIS systems have been available for some time, since Digital Front and press teams can see their own machine data on a personalized End (DFE) systems were either directly provided by companies like dashboard. Esko, or were easily able to integrate with them. But there is a danger that these portals become ‘closed’, without The 2018 automation arena also demonstrated how the set-up the ability to share machine data in a standardized format with of fnishing systems could be automated from a central data point, MIS/ERP systems – or at least making it very diffcult to do so. and not only for PS labels but also for shrink sleeve processing. As label converters run machines from different manufacturers, The Automation Arena at Labelexpo Europe 2023 will focus would they then have to set up different Cloud portals for each on closing the data loop. This means not only being able to set machine, or for each group of machines?up machines remotely but also being able to retrieve real-time It is useful to start these debates now, while these Cloud portals production data from the press and converting machine and are still under development. returning that data via the Cloud to an MIS, where it is processed The Automation Arena will be a great place to see how data can and made available for distribution. be seamlessly exchanged between manufacturers’ machines and Machine monitoring technology has been developing quickly. an MIS - and what additional functionality can be achieved.During the Covid-19 pandemic, when it was impossible to send The Automation Arena will also look at implementing as out engineering teams to maintain machinery, there was a lot of much of a ‘lights out’ operation as possible – including on the progress in remote diagnostics systems able to monitor press or converting machine. converting machine performance and upload that data via a secure Cloud-based portal to remotely located engineering teams. This allowed predictive maintenance and fault-fnding programs The Automation Arena takes place at Labelexpo Europe to be run, increasingly making use of AI and machine learning 2023 in Brussels on Sept 11-14. For more information, algorithms to monitor machinery 24/7 and alert engineers to visit www.labelexpo-europe.comJan - Mar 2023