Screen Shots
PrintPlan - Scheduling Tools
This is the full planning screen used by the planner. Here we are looking at line 24 and looking at all the passes that are planned to run from 7am on Friday 22nd April. You can see the orders and pass numbers in the second column, the routing in the third, and the design in the fourth. The right hand column is set to show promised date and sheet size but can also show customer, machine hours, drawing number, rollers, etc.
The space between these two zones shows when each job will run. You can see that PrintPlan paints a pale background green or pink on each line. If an operation strays into the pink zone then that operation is behind its ideal schedule. Since the bright blue line shows when each operation is due to run, most of these passes are early, but look at the orders with an orange background in the left hand-column. These operations have moved so far into the pink zone that they are forcing the whole order to be late.
The green bars to the left of the blue lines, show that the previous operation has finished; and the yellow bars to the right, show how much time will elapse before the next operation expects to start. This gives the planner an indication of how any pass can move forwards or backwards without having a knock-on effect on the rest of the order.
The space between these two zones shows when each job will run. You can see that PrintPlan paints a pale background green or pink on each line. If an operation strays into the pink zone then that operation is behind its ideal schedule. Since the bright blue line shows when each operation is due to run, most of these passes are early, but look at the orders with an orange background in the left hand-column. These operations have moved so far into the pink zone that they are forcing the whole order to be late.
The green bars to the left of the blue lines, show that the previous operation has finished; and the yellow bars to the right, show how much time will elapse before the next operation expects to start. This gives the planner an indication of how any pass can move forwards or backwards without having a knock-on effect on the rest of the order.
PrintPlan - Recording Production on the Shop Floor
On the shop floor, operators record their activities into PrintPlan. This information updates orders and time sheets and keeps the forward plan accurate.
Activities include -
- Set ups and registrations for an operation including line speeds, oven temperatures, film weights, gauges and viscosity.
- The start of an operation. When the run is complete and the number of sheets and waste produced.
- Changes of coating, lacquer and varnish batches.
- Line stoppages, reasons and durations.
- Partial reprints and other unplanned passes.
- Shift changeovers.
PrintPlan - Recording Print Order Information
At the heart of PrintPlan's database lies all the information needed to build print orders, with data coming in from a wide variety of input screens including
- Designs, composite designs, CTP
- Films and colour books
- Ink mixes
- Drawing and rollers
- Lithos, racks, common plates
PrintPlan - Reporting and Alerts
PrintPlan has a wide variety of reports and notificaton screens keeping everyone up to date with information as and when it is needed.
Current status of the print and coating lines on the shop floor.
Before you can even start thinking about making plates or mixing inks, you must have some fundamental things on site. Up to 2 weeks before a job is planned, the Preperation department use reports to list colour books or films that are not on site.
They will use these reports to chase these items until they are received.
Pop-ups notify the next person in the chain that there are tasks waiting for them.
