Kodak boosts AI capability in Prinergy

Kodak has extended its partnership with German AI developer PerfectPattern in a deal it says will enable “unmatched” levels of automation in its Prinergy On Demand workflow.

The two companies been working together since drupa 2016. Kodak uses PerfectPattern’s sPrint One system as the engine for its Dynamic Print Planning module.

Kodak is now taking a licence to use the source code for sPrint One within Prinergy, with Kodak integrating it into its latest cloud-based Prinergy On Demand Workflow.

PerfectPattern says sPrint One works with conventional and digital printing, moving away from “rigid, block-based planning” by creating dynamic print plans for changing production parameters typical of printers.

Kodak said the tighter integration would enable printers improve profitability by boosting production efficiency and cutting production and material costs.

Todd Bigger, vice-president of software at Kodak, said: “This step will enable Prinergy On Demand to utilise innovative AI technology more easily and more directly than ever by providing an integrated platform with Industry 4.0 and automation features unmatched throughout the printing industry.”

The sPrint One is already the engine for the optional Kodak Dynamic Print Planning Service for automatic, optimised job ganging and press planning in a single processing step, taking account of numerous printer-specific parameters.

Kodak says the tighter integration of sPrint One into Prinergy On Demand will help printers achieve even more highly automated workflow processes, greater production efficiency, even lower production and material costs and hence improved profitability.