HiFlow Solutions Debuts Software with Industry 4.0 Features

May 21, 2023 Off By Sebastian Reisig

HiFlow Solutions has released HiFlow 4.0, a software package embracing Industry 4.0 practices and integrated the platform with Esko Automation Engine.

Jack J Lafler, VP of sales and technical services, explained the move. “Our partnership with Esko and integration of Automation Engine offers a more powerful solution to our joint customer base by seamlessly linking a wide variety of customer-facing and prepress activities to the MIS system with bidirectional exchange of information and data.” HiFlow is in the process of installing this integration in two locations, one in Europe and one in North America.

HiFlow manages business and production processes beginning with customer inquiries to shipping and invoicing. Esko Automation Engine is a key workflow integrator between brands, converters and suppliers, establishing links between color management, artwork implementation, prepress and workflows onto both digital and conventional presses, as well as automating quality assurance systems.

By integrating HiFlow 4.0 with Esko’s Automation Engine, label and packaging operations can automate data transfer and sharing of files. This enables customer service and prepress personnel to have a single point of access to all relevant job data, including product format, imposition plan, color management, management of substrates, and status updates on all production and finishing operations. It eliminates the need to re-enter information into multiple systems, reducing opportunity for error and making employees across the organization more efficient.

Lafler concluded, “Industry 4.0–the automation of manufacturing and industrial processes with smart technology–and integration with world-class industry partners, have long been development goals for us. With HiFlow 4.0, we’ve added layers of user interface that make the software more intuitive and easier to use. Those include a web-browser interface, a packaging design and imposition module, and visual dashboards. We deepened data collection in our MES and upgraded our barcoding solution. HiFlow 4.0 can now operate either in the cloud or on premises. Integration with Esko Automation Engine takes the HiFlow experience to another level by bringing the customer and prepress seamlessly into the workflow.”