Heidelberg AI chat turns hours of print OEE reporting into single natural-language prompts

GERMANY – Heidelberg has added an AI Performance Chat to its Heidelberg Portal, enabling Print Shop Analytics customers to query production metrics including OEE, makeready times, productivity and waste using natural language, with results returned as tables, charts and written explanations.

The feature, available worldwide in more than 18 languages, builds on the Insights App that Heidelberg has offered for approximately four years. 

Rather than navigating dashboards and filters, users can ask questions directly in a conversational format and receive immediate, context-rich answers. 

The tool allows querying of machine-level performance trends, shift comparisons and production deviations over specific time periods, with relevant information available within seconds.

How Print Shop Analytics Users Move from Hours of Reporting to Instant Contextual Insights

Heidelberg’s Print Shop Analytics platform aggregates key metrics including Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), productivity, makeready times, and waste, making production performance transparent through customizable dashboards and real-time machine views. 

The new AI Performance Chat eliminates manual navigation by analyzing production data on demand and delivering results in immediately understandable formats. 

Jürgen Grimm, head of software at Heidelberg, said that with the Heidelberg AI Performance Chat, the company was making the handling of production data significantly more intuitive. 

He explained that customers could ask exactly the questions that mattered in their day-to-day operations and get immediate, meaningful answers.

What Pilot Users Report: Single Prompts Replacing Multi-Hour Data Preparation

Pilot users report significant time savings in preparing management reporting. 

Marcel Willnow, authorized signatory at LUC Medienhaus in Selm, said that when preparing for quarterly or shareholder meetings, he did not just need numbers but also context. 

He explained that in the past, that often took several hours, but with the Heidelberg AI Performance Chat, a single prompt was all it took today to get the information needed, including clear interpretation. 

Christoph Affentranger, managing director of Swiss Printex AG, noted that he was using the Heidelberg AI more and more often, whether for troubleshooting, calibration or as a daily support tool, and that it simply made his work easier.

Why AI-Driven Operational Intelligence Addresses Labor Shortages and Complexity

The launch reflects a broader trend toward AI-driven workflow optimization in print production, where real-time data analysis is becoming increasingly critical to improving efficiency, reducing waste and maintaining competitiveness. 

The new feature addresses key industry challenges such as increasing time pressure, complex production environments and the growing shortage of skilled workers. 

The goal is to further simplify data-driven decision-making and sustainably increase efficiency in print production.

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