RFP Checklist

There is no industry standard for what should be included in a digital front end, and there is no universal template that guides how much control the inkjet DFE should expose to an operator to permit changes in how a job will be processed. As we enter the 2020s, this is something that should change. It’s time for the buyers of inkjet presses to identify their expectations, list the features that make a difference to their operation, and categorize the challenges they may have with their current DFE.

According to research published in the Harvard Business Review, 97% of senior leaders said that “being strategic” was the leadership behavior most important to their organization’s success. However, a lot of executives don’t feel that they have time to be strategic. Inkjet purchases are a case excample where strategic intent is often marred by tactical execution. We can do better!

Inkjet Tip of the Week: Some inkjet devices come with valuable cost-saving features. Here are a few to look out for:

Pete Gjerness, long-time in-plant print executive, tackles the main questions that drive requirements for evaluating an inkjet press.

OEM executives and analysts offer balanced overviews of the pros and cons of the different print head technologies, but to understand which is best buyers need to look beyond the head technology itself and consider specific characteristics of each implementation of the technology. Here are the questions to ask.

Part Three in the Inkjet Economics series by Elizabeth Gooding. This time discussing how simple assumptions about timing can have a big impact on evaluation and profitability.

Part 1 of a 3 part series on inkjet economics. Part 1 begins with guidance on creating good assumptions for the basis of your inkjet evaluation.

Anilox coating systems apply a precisely measured and consistent level of coating to a printed surface. The process uses an anilox roll, which is a hard cylinder with metal core

…and what they can’t. I posted an open letter to inkjet OEMs last week and got some feedback on the specifications people find most important when comparing production inkjet technology.

Software requirements are critical to getting the most out of an inkjet solution. We recommend doing a thorough SW analysis before investing in hardware. Premium members can access the Inkjet Insight Software Requirements Worksheet here.

An in-house print operation at a large insurance organization may have very different requirements for soliciting bids for large equipment purchases than a privately-held, mid-sized printing firm.

Before you can effectively research your production inkjet options, you need to consider the features that are most important. That, of course, is dependent on the volumes you need to support, the types of applications those volumes represent and whether those volumes are existing business that needs to be transitioned or new business for your organization.