This paper discusses the concept of the Smart Factory (SF), its background, elemental technologies used, and various solutions proposed for the printing industry. The recent spread of the Internet of things (IoT) technology and the trend toward networking have led to major changes in the manufacturing process. On the other hand, in the printing industry, it is necessary to discuss business transformation and approaches such as automation and efficiency as a manufacturing industry. The proliferation of the Internet and smartphones is accelerating the move away from paper media, and the theme of reimagining the value of print is tremendously important. While clearly defining the role of printed materials in modern society, their purpose, and the issues they solve, it is hoped that there will be a discussion on Smart Factoryization as a means of adding value.
In the printing industry, the SF has been realized by combining upstream systems such as Management Information System (MIS), Manufacturing Execution System (MES), and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) with devices that support Job Definition Format (JDF), which is a standardized format. The domestic printing industry faces several issues that are obstacles to the realization of the SF, specifically: (1) A lack of alliances between manufacturers required for data collection, (2) a lack of human resources with the know-how to build a SF, (3) reasons preventing the process from proceeding as planned due to original business customs, and (4) as human judgment is required everywhere, the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) does not progress. The SF in the domestic printing industry will develop in a style in which equipment and people cooperate. Simultaneously, it is important to make the automation level flexible by switching the production line according to the number of printed items, delivery date, and required quality level, etc., and to utilize sensing technology such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. is developing an automatic layout generation system for graphic design magazines utilizing AI methods. In this system, when images or texts are input as the content to be placed in layouts, an appropriate layout is automatically generated in consideration of the content and design. The layout generation process is performed by randomized processing in accordance with a rule set of minimum conditions that must be satisfied for layouts (minimum condition rule set) where a large number of candidates are generated. An evaluation of the appearance, style, design, and composition of candidates is combined with an evaluation of their diversity. Top candidates for the combined evaluation are returned. Automation makes the layout creation task performed by users, such as graphical designers, significantly more efficient. It also allows the user to choose from a wide range of ideas to create attractive layouts. In this article, we introduce the background, mechanism, current performance evaluation results, and future prospects of this system.
A SF is one in which every process is digitized for the purpose of being unmanned, automated, and laborsaving. It is possible to create new values with the data obtained in this study. The automation of media production is not limited to the use of IoT equipment and facilities, but should also incorporate human work. The tacit knowledge of human work includes the creator's habits, edit history, and information that can only be obtained during the production process. The infrastructure capable of collecting these data will contribute to the realization of SFs. In recent years, the rapid progress of digital technology for various natural language processing has led to a great deal of attention in the field of writing operations.
Due to labor shortages, it has been difficult to secure and train workers to succeed in specialized skills. Therefore, the SF concept, which enables labor-saving and non-skilled operations using IoT and robotic technology, is extremely important. In addition, production and specification planning from the finishing process requirements are also important. We will introduce some case studies.
In order to maintain stable printing and avoid printing troubles during UV (Ultra-Violet) curable printing, it is important to understand the curing reaction both on the surface and within the ink films. In this study, the depth profile of offset printing ink films (with a thickness of a few micrometers) on coated paper was analyzed non-destructively from the surface side using confocal Raman microscopy (CRM). Spatial resolution of 0.2 um was obtainable using an oil lens. As a result, the structure of offset ink layers could be evaluated in detail. In addition, the UV curing reaction of overlapping multicolor offset inks could be estimated using CRM techniques. Moreover, the three-dimensional distribution of ink components in multicolor offset printing could be also visualized.