3 Tips When Implementing an Automation Solution

Andrew Smith, Founder | MD, ZenSmart

One of the barriers to automation is the fear of change.?Your manufacturing method may not be perfect or the most efficient but you have done it a particular way for a long time.? So, deciding to implement a brand new, shiny new automation method that is making all sorts of claims about big lifts in efficiency, profit and productivity is uncomfortable.

So the key question is how do you implement change where you know 100% that 1) the solution is proven in your site and 2) there is no risk to your workflow and SLA performance and 3) you are not risking any $.

We have 3 tips to guide you through the automation journey……..

Tip 1: Create staged proof points

1. Implement end to end automation of a single product or small group of products
2. Scale it up to the Department or Product Category level
3. Go whole plant live

By doing it this way you 100% validate that your workflow does everything that you need it to do and then increase the scope of the implementation.? What you are doing is making sure there are no edge cases that need management.? If there are rules that are not applied correctly - you find them out early and small in scope.

Tip 2: Align commercials with the journey - keep your costs as aligned as possible with the implementation.

There are two broad approaches to implementing an automation solution.? Big up front fees and big commitment (will it work out 100%?) - the big bang approach and a far more pay as you go, SaaS type model - where you license by the month and pay as you go.? This means you control your financial risk.? The SaaS type model gives you far more control over the rate of spend.

Tip 3: Bring your team on the journey

Automation has many benefits for the team - it removes repetitive tasks and enables effort to be focussed on high valued added/competitive advantage type tasks, information can be shared with the team in real time so they understand their role and place in what the business is achieving.? It’s important to sell the benefits of automation to the team rather than it being seen as change that is imposed on them.

By applying these 3 tips - the net result is total validation before you risk your workflow and no capital at risk with known return on investment and a team that embraces and drives change.

Go well, Andrew

The Benefits of Just-in Time Imposition

Samuel Brent, Director and CIO, Zensmart

Managing print workflows efficiently in print on demand has always been central to cost control and production reliability. ? One key process in this is imposition—how jobs are arranged on a sheet, roll or object to optimize material use and streamline finishing.?

In most workflows, impositions are created at the job submission stage, a method suited to long-run print but misaligned with the agility of digital print production.

What is Imposition?

Imposition is the process of arranging multiple pages, labels, or cards onto the substrate to reduce both time and materials waste and simplify finishing. Traditionally, this involved fixed layouts prepared before production, often requiring automated rotation, trim marks, registration marks, and other adjustments to optimize output.

ZenSmart takes this further. In addition to standard imposition tasks, ZenSmart integrates barcoding, job instructions, variable data, and finishing settings directly into the workflow. This allows for process-specific modifications, such as image mirroring for dye sublimation or skew adjustments for material stretch compensation.

The Challenge with Traditional Imposition

Historically, print jobs were imposed well in advance. Operators queued files in the press controller, preparing them for a fixed press and finishing setup. This worked when print runs were long, predictable, and tied to a single press-finishing combination.

However, modern print production requires greater flexibility.? What happens when:

• A B2 press fails, requiring a shift to an SRA3 format?
• An automated cutter goes down, forcing a switch to a manual guillotine?
• A surge in demand makes it more efficient to route jobs across multiple presses?
• You want to swap a job from DTG to DTF

If impositions are locked in early, adapting to real-time conditions can disrupt production flow, increase downtime, and generate waste.

ZenSmart’s Approach: Just-in-Time Imposition

ZenSmart eliminates this rigidity with real-time, late-stage imposition. Instead of setting impositions at job submission, incoming work is queued dynamically, grouped with similar jobs according to site-defined business rules.

When a press operator is ready to print, they:

1. Select a batch from ZenSmart’s batch management system.
2. Choose a press and finishing combination based on current conditions.
3. Let ZenSmart automatically generate the optimal imposition for that specific setup in real time.

This ensures:

• Dynamic adaptation to last-minute press or finishing changes.
• Optimal sheet layouts, incorporating trim marks, barcodes, finishing instructions, and press-specific adjustments.
• Seamless execution, reducing operator workload and the need for manual intervention.

Key Benefits of Just in Time Imposition

1. Flexibility

Operators can adjust press and finishing choices on the fly, ensuring production aligns with real-world conditions.

2. Efficiency

By imposing at the last possible moment, ZenSmart ensures maximum sheet utilization, minimal waste, and improved production efficiency.

3. Simplicity

Operators focus on running the press, while ZenSmart handles batching, layout optimization, and workflow logic, removing complexity from day-to-day production.

4. Integrated Press Fleet

Presses and finishing devices become interchangeable assets, rather than rigid workflows tied to a specific device. This improves capital utilization, allowing businesses to maximize output while reducing bottlenecks.

Conclusion

ZenSmart’s real-time imposition model replaces outdated, static workflows with a dynamic, agile production system. By ensuring impositions are always optimized for real-time conditions, businesses can reduce production costs, improve SLA performance, and increase overall efficiency.

For print providers operating in highly variable, digital environments, late-stage imposition isn’t just an optimization—it’s a competitive advantage.