Diagraph's Blog

by Michelle Chamberlain

Marking and coding products correctly is an essential part of the supply chain. Consumer packaged goods must meet packaging compliance to adhere to global and government regulations and retailer standards for product safety. Managing the printing of product codes remotely - with the right tools and software - not only eliminates waste associated with reduced time and motion along with reduced defects from key stroke errors, but also minimizes physical interaction risk to workers. You can monitor and manage your print production remotely by automating your marking, coding and labeling process. Centralized printer management software like NEXTConnect from Diagraph can help you with this.

Without NEXTConnect, each printer must be updated manually. However, with NEXTConnect software to monitor and manage your printers remotely, the need to physically touch the printers is removed - a huge benefit during Covid-19.
 

Common challenges manufacturers experience with production in normal circumstances are compounded during a disaster. These include:

• Managing three or more production lines with dedicated coding equipment on each line
• Applying product identification codes on your primary products and secondary cases while managing 20 or more product SKUs
• Manually entering production run and message information
• Automating production changeover processes, including print message selection
• Product scrappage or rework and significant organizational risk in the event of a recall due to coding errors

4 major attributes of centralized printer management software, like NEXTConnect, that facilitate remote work

• Remotely manage and monitor print production
• Receive printer status change notifications and advance reminders
• Synchronize production changeovers across all marking and coding equipment
• Share print messages across similar marking and coding equipment

Some other benefits of centralized printer management software include:

• Eliminating Coding Errors: Directly populate print messages with your ERP’s product and job information, virtually eliminating product identification errors.

• Streamlining Processes: Robust API enables connectivity to automate communication between your coding operations and your enterprise and factory automation systems. Batch print message changes and deploy them across all your marking and coding equipment with one click, greatly simplifying the coding side of your production changeover process.

• Continuous Oversight: Achieve constant visibility through a simple-to-use interface on your laptop, tablet, smartphone or other device and oversee your product identification process in real-time with direct access to your operational history.

With the NEXTConnect app, you can manage and monitor print production right from your smartphone, desktop or tablet. NEXTConnect works with iOS, Android and Windows.

Keeping production in essential industries is crucial and minimizing the risks of exposure to Covid-19 is equally important during this challenging time. Using a centralized printer management software suite that will allow you to control the process remotely is a vital tool to stay both safe and productive now and in the future.

Want to know more? Contact us to schedule a demonstration of NEXTConnect.