Missouri Book Publisher Taps Prism for Shop Floor Data Collection

Published: October 31, 2006

by Alex Woodie

Walsworth Publishing has selected Prism's QTMS iQ shop floor data capture software to supply data from printing equipment and work stations to its OS/400-based ERP system. When completed, the implementation is expected to help the company keep better track of its inventory and work in progress, cut costs, and improve customer satisfaction.

Walsworth Publishing is a 70-year-old, family owned company based in Marceline, Missouri. The publisher, which specializes in yearbooks, textbooks, and catalogs, employs more than 650 people at four locations, with a total of 329,000 square feet of manufacturing space and more than 100 workspaces.

Walsworth has invested in state-of-the-art color web and sheet-fed presses, bindery, prepress, and mailing equipment, not to mention an IBM AS/400 minicomputer to manage its business. But there wasn't much of a connection between the centralized OS/400 server and the equipment and workspaces in the press room, which was a problem.

"Integration was high on our list of criteria," says Grant Fritch, prepress technology manager at Walsworth. "We wanted the ability to communicate via JDF [Job Definition Format, a proposed end-to-end job ticketing standard] and XML--something with a standard plug," he says. "The capability of integration with our existing and future ERP is really important to us."

After a year of evaluating the various product, Fritch picked Prism's Windows-based QTMS iQ to serve as the data conduit between the equipment and workspaces and the OS/400-based ERP system.

The first phase of the installation is now under way, and includes integration of the generated operating data with the company's ERP system. In the future, Walsworth will install Prism's virtual time managers (VTMs) at the workstations to collect time and attendance data.

Fritch expects QTMS iQ to deliver more accurate counts throughout Walsworth's operations, and provide real-time access to work in progress. Customers will also benefit. "They'll have faster turnarounds because we won't have to go back on press to supply missing forms," he says. "Customers who supply paper to us will especially appreciate that. And we'll be better able to track waste, and develop the most efficient workflow to meet individual customers' requirements."