More than 300 printing industry professionals from nearly 30 countries gathered for two days at Shift 2026 on October 6 and 7 in Germany. At this summit focused on digitization and organized by the German manufacturer Heidelberg, attendees learned about new applications of artificial intelligence, software, and robotics in the automation of print production, both in offset and digital printing.
The presentations focused, in particular, on the use of AI to plan production, automatically consolidate orders, and determine the most cost-effective printing method?offset or digital.
Jürgen Grimm, head of the Prinect business unit and AI coordinator at Heidelberg, provided details on the applications developed by the manufacturer, such as Prinect Touch Free.
Automation as a Response to the Decline in Order Value
The Swiss printing company Schmid-Fehr presented a concrete example of how it is used.
"While the average value of a printing order was still around 2,800 euros in 2015, it is now only 800 euros." , says Matthias Schmid, CEO of Schmid-Fehr.
To maintain profitability, the printer has gradually automated its processes. Schmid-Fehr now uses the Prinect Touch Free workflow, combined with a Jetfire 50 digital inkjet press and a Speedmaster XL 75 offset press.
The Prinect Touch Free software automatically determines the production workflow for jobs based on the defined data and economic parameters. This hybrid management system allows orders to be distributed between the two printing processes.
Heidelberg also showcased its artificial intelligence agents designed for administrative and industrial processes. A chatbot integrated into the Heidelberg portal is already answering users' questions about production workflows.
This automation is a response, in particular, to the increase in the number of orders, even as print runs are shrinking. Discussions also focused on business models that enable medium-sized printing companies to compete with online printers, particularly through a platform-based structure, niche production, or local services.
Humanoid Robots and the Labor Shortage
Robotics also played a significant role in the discussions at this event. Andreas Reichert of the German startup Lunes Robotics presented the potential applications of humanoid robots in 3D printing workshops.
This technology is still in its infancy, but its development could accelerate as a result of labor shortages. According to figures cited by Andreas Reichert, there could be a shortage of 6.1 million workers in the United States and 7 million in Europe in the coming years.
The second day took place at the Home of Print, at Heidelberg?s Wiesloch-Walldorf site in Germany. There, the manufacturer demonstrated the integration of the Jetfire 50 into a production environment combining digital and offset printing, controlled by Prinect Touch Free.
