High-End Profiles Thanks to Industrial Digital Printing with Integrated smart2i Process Optimization
Surface-Magazin 2026, S. 48-50
Commitment to Quality
“Our focus is on delivering robust quality based on comprehensive and rigorous process optimization,” emphasizes Christian Horn, Managing Partner of the company. “Every product leaving our facility reflects not only our years of experience but also our continuous efforts to improve efficiency and enhance product reliability. For us, quality means constant improvement, carefully selected materials, and an unwavering commitment to providing customers with products they can depend on,” he summarizes.
A Challenging Production Process
This commitment is driven by a holistic production concept that includes highly professional color management, well-trained employees, sophisticated décor development, and expert décor reproduction. The latter, in particular, has proven to be a critical success factor:
“Anyone can digitally print colorful fantasy images. Reproducing our flooring customers’ décors with precise color consistency and outstanding print quality through professional color management is what demonstrates our exceptional technical expertise,” says Christian Horn.
With its JUPITER digital printing technology and strong system partners such as Cruse (scanning technology) and COLORGATE (software), Hymmen has enabled Horn2Horn to master the complex world of industrial digital printing. To respond quickly and flexibly to customer requirements, a continuous and disruption-free production flow is essential. This requires effective process and quality monitoring, which is where smart2i comes into play.
smart2i – The Industry Intelligence Solution for Demanding Process and Quality Requirements
smart2i enables the digital transformation of manufacturing processes. By automatically capturing all machine-generated data, the system eliminates the need for error-prone and inaccurate manual records. Temperatures, pressures, quantities, and numerous other process parameters are digitally recorded, enabling second-by-second analysis of the most common causes of production errors and downtime.
Horn2Horn uses smart2i in its daily production environment and realizes measurable benefits in the areas of transparency, energy analysis, cost calculation, predictive maintenance, process optimization, and future readiness.
Connecting Multiple Data Sources for a Holistic View
To create a comprehensive picture of the entire production process, smart2i combines machine data, energy consumption data, and ERP data. This enables energy consumption and energy costs to be allocated directly to specific production orders.
In addition, key performance indicators such as energy consumption and energy costs per printed paper sheet or finished product can be calculated and analyzed.
Data-Driven Production Optimization
The data collected through smart2i creates maximum transparency and serves as the foundation for informed decision-making and continuous improvement. Historical production data is used to continuously optimize setup parameters, while proven settings can be efficiently reused for recurring jobs.
Product-specific settings can be refined systematically, reducing waste and conserving resources. As a result, the company benefits from more stable processes and improved product quality.
Precise Cost Calculation for Optimal Pricing
Accurate knowledge of actual energy and process costs enables cost-based pricing strategies and significantly improves product and job costing. This leads to more realistic quotations, reliable post-calculations, and stronger margin protection.
At the same time, potential cost savings become visible, creating opportunities for further economic optimization.
Predictive Maintenance and Anomaly Detection for Quality Assurance
Machine components, such as printheads, are monitored in detail. In addition, all relevant production parameters are analyzed in real time. If smart2i detects irregularities, such as a gradual increase in required operating voltage, the system automatically issues a notification.
This allows potential failures to be identified early, helping prevent costly and unplanned machine downtime.
Data Foundation for Future Sustainability Requirements
Topics such as sustainability, CO₂ transparency, and the Digital Product Passport are becoming increasingly important. By linking machine, energy, and ERP data, smart2i already provides the necessary data foundation to efficiently meet future regulatory and customer requirements.
As a result, Horn2Horn considers itself ideally prepared for upcoming developments and rising market expectations.
Easy to Use, Anytime and Anywhere
smart2i is also available on tablets and smartphones, providing mobile transparency and worldwide access. Decision-makers can access production data anytime and from anywhere.
Production KPIs, machine status information, and current developments are available in real time, presented through user-specific dashboards that support fast and informed decision-making.
Conclusion
In summary, smart2i has provided Horn2Horn with complete transparency over its production processes and energy consumption. The integration of machine, energy, and ERP data creates entirely new optimization opportunities.
The benefits are evident from both cost and quality perspectives. Energy costs can be assigned directly to individual orders and products, while more accurate costing leads to reliable pricing and improved margins. Early detection of anomalies helps prevent expensive machine downtime. Historical data supports the optimization of setup processes and contributes to a sustainable reduction in waste.
At the same time, smart2i stands out for its ease of use. Mobile accessibility provides location-independent access to production information, while customizable dashboards ensure that each user has quick access to exactly the data needed for decision-making and process improvement.
“With smart2i, we now make decisions based on reliable data rather than assumptions. The transparency across our production processes helps us use energy more efficiently, continuously improve our operations, and strengthen our competitiveness for the long term,” concludes Christian Horn.