Personalization is gaining ground in the folding carton industry. Faced with the multiplication of versions, languages and limited campaigns, converters are looking to reduce changeover times and automate their digital production workflows. Belgian manufacturer Agfa and British publisher Hybrid Software have announced a technical partnership to address these issues.
The integration of Hybrid Software's prepress and workflow software with the SpeedSet Orca single-cylinder digital press and Agfa's Asanti software to produce packaging with texts, graphics or visuals that change from one box to the next.
The partnership is based on the integration of SmartDFE, developed by Helix, Hybrid Software's OEM business. This digital front-end supports complex variable-data production directly online.
SmartDFE uses patented artificial intelligence functions that automatically adjust production parameters in real time, to maintain production pace even on heavily versioned jobs.
It also integrates color management tools from ColorLogic, a subsidiary of Hybrid Software, to ensure brand color consistency between different versions and different media.
For Agfa, "this collaboration reflects a shared desire to help folding carton producers manage the transition from analog to digital production, especially as demand for versioning and customization continues to grow." says Michael Dupré, Software Digital Printing Systems Manager at Agfa.
