Should You Lease or Buy a Collator? What’s Cheaper?
November 13, 2025
Choosing to lease or buy a collator is a crucial decision. One that will influence your financial results and affect operational effici...
Col-Tec Overseas
Downtime is a major issue in high-volume printing. It not only disrupts production but also significantly impacts profitability. Whether it is breakdowns, slow workflows, or maintenance delays, the result is always lost time and resources. Yet, smart industrial automation solutions are reducing downtime and improving operational reliability.
Businesses are reducing downtime with technologies like:
These automation solutions are streamlining print operations. They create smoother workflows, reduce stoppages, and boost profitability.
In this article, we discuss how smart automation can upgrade your print facility. So you can minimise downtime and enhance long-term efficiency.
Research shows that broken machinery costs UK manufacturers about 3% of their working days. This results in significant annual losses for the sector.
Downtime is often caused by several key issues, including:
Smart industrial automation solutions address these challenges directly by providing proactive measures. With predictive maintenance, machines are continuously monitored for signs of wear and tear. As a result, the UK printing industry is actively embracing automation technologies. This shift aims to enhance efficiency and fill ongoing skills gaps in the sector. This way, when an issue is detected early, it can be addressed before it leads to a breakdown.
With real-time diagnostics, operators can quickly find and fix faults. This reduces delays and helps avoid costly disruptions. Automated fault detection also cuts down human error. It ensures that minor issues are addressed before they escalate into bigger problems.
Predictive maintenance continuously tracks machine performance. It is a key element of smart industrial automation solutions as it helps to prevent unplanned downtime. It does this by predicting machine failures before they occur. To achieve this, it relies on real-time data and advanced analytics to find early signs of wear and tear. This allows businesses to schedule maintenance at the right time, rather than reacting to breakdowns.
This proactive approach reduces the likelihood of unexpected machine failures and costly downtime. Tackling issues early lets facilities save time and money. It also ensures machines run at their best. This proactive approach reduces the likelihood of unexpected machine failures and costly downtime.
By tackling issues early, facilities can save time and money. This helps machines operate efficiently. In fact, McKinsey & Company found that predictive maintenance can lower machine downtime by as much as 50% and extend machine life by 20-40%.
Real-time diagnostics play a critical role in ensuring print operations run smoothly. Real-time diagnostics give operators continuous feedback on machine performance. This helps them spot faults as soon as they occur. This enables swift action to be taken, preventing minor issues from escalating into costly downtime.
Digital transformation in the UK print sector has accelerated the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. This includes real-time connectivity systems that help with data-driven decisions and advanced automation.
With remote monitoring, print facilities can stay ahead of any potential disruptions. This feature is excellent for multi-site operations. Centralised control simplifies monitoring and maintaining machines at various locations. The result is a significant reduction in downtime and more efficient use of resources.
Automated fault detection systems are essential for identifying machine issues early. These systems operate 24/7. They monitor machine performance and send immediate alerts to operators when a fault is detected. Since 2023, print operations have actively turned to AI and automation tools. The integration of this technology is improving equipment monitoring and maintenance scheduling. This enables production teams to take swift action, often before the issue impacts operations.
Automated fault detection enables businesses to address issues promptly and effectively. This way, downtime stays to a minimum. These systems can suggest ways to resolve the issue, allowing production to continue without significant delays.
Our collating films show how automation in fast printing helps improve operations:
By observing, businesses can learn how to utilise smart industrial automation solutions in their print operations.
Integrating smart automation into your print operations cuts downtime and boosts reliability. Ready to optimise your print operations and want help keeping your workflows smooth?
You can prevent expensive disruptions with:
At Col-Tec, we specialise in smart collators and automation solutions. They are designed to enhance high-volume printing operations. Our tailored systems help businesses minimise downtime, improve efficiency, and drive increased profitability.
Call +44 ( 0 ) 1425 627755 or arrange a consultation to discover how we can help improve your production reliability.
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