Ink waste >3%
Recurring losses from jerry cans and manual pouring.
Analytical Case Study
INKFILLER: the automatic system for digital ink distribution and refilling
How Grupo Lamosa reduced over 3% of ink waste, automated 52 refilling points and improved process stability and quality at the Guanajuato plant.
Lamosa and the complexity of production in a multi-brand plant.
Grupo Lamosa is the world’s second-largest tile producer, with plants in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Spain.
The Guanajuato plant is among the group’s largest: 13 production lines, digital machines from different manufacturers installed in different years. A technologically advanced context, but not standardized.
Machines from different brands, installed in different eras, all sharing a common weakness: manual ink refilling.
Managing 52 ink tanks manually across 13 digital machines.
All machines used the same CMYK base inks (4), but with one common critical issue: fully manual refilling.
Manual filling of 52 tanks, use of jerry cans, the need to shake, transport and pour by hand. A hidden process, but an extremely costly one.
High human error
Inconsistency between machines, contamination, imprecise dosing.
Labor and downtime
Frequent cleaning cycles and high cost of dedicated staff.
The diagnosis: structural inefficiency of the distribution process.
During the plant visit we analyzed: real ink consumption, jerry-can losses, operator times, line layout.
The analysis was clear: the problem was not the ink or the machines, but the distribution method. A centralized, automatic solution was needed.
| Parameter | Previous solution | New solution |
|---|---|---|
| Feeding | Manual | Automatic |
| Waste | >3% | <0,5% |
| Errors | Possible | Zero |
| Labor | High | Minimal |
| Continuity | Discontinuous | Constant |
INKFILLER: intelligent automatic distribution.
A system designed to centralize inks, automate distribution and guarantee uniformity across all lines.
Same ink, same quality on every machine, complete elimination of manual intervention.
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Centralized distribution
Simultaneous feeding of all lines from a single point.
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Smarty tanks
Optimized positioning for large-volume IBC loading.
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Full automation
Elimination of all manual interventions on the ink circuit.
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Process uniformity
Same ink, same quality, same behavior on every machine.
From the pilot run to full deployment.
Installation took place in two phases.
Phase 1, installation on 4 lines, validation of operational results.
Phase 2, extension to the remaining 9 lines, full coverage of the plant. Positive feedback from the pilot drove investment for the rest of the facility.
In the Field
Photo gallery of the project
Real numbers after months of production.
Before
>3%
Ink waste
After
<0,5%
Waste reduced
Following implementation, the Lamosa plant in Guanajuato recorded tangible benefits in quality, operational efficiency and cost. Waste reduced, human errors zeroed, a stable and continuous printing process.
| Metric | Result | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | Ink uniformity | Decoration stability, first choice rate |
| Efficiency | Operational printers | Reduced downtime and cleaning cycles |
| Cost | Waste elimination | Lower labor and maintenance |
| Maintenance | Filters and spares reduced | Lower printer consumables usage |
What this case demonstrates
The INKFILLER Lamosa case demonstrates three fundamental principles of the Inter Ser method applied to an industrial process often underestimated: ink distribution.
01
Strategic automation
Don't optimize the manual process, eliminate it. The lever isn't making what exists more efficient; it's replacing it.
02
Standardization
Aligning lines of different brands and generations improves overall plant quality.
03
Operational value
Cutting waste and errors in a "hidden" process like ink distribution generates immediate, measurable ROI.
Next step
Got a similar situation?
If you manage multiple digital lines with manual ink feeding, the problem isn't production, it's the distribution system. INKFILLER turns a hidden cost into a competitive advantage.
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