ePS has released CommandCore 2026.3, a major update to its packaging production platform, adding new business intelligence, machine monitoring, capacity management and integration capabilities.
The update is designed to help packaging manufacturers make greater use of operational data, with new tools providing information on production, machine performance and capacity.
“Most packaging manufacturers are sitting on more data than they have ever had, and less time than ever to look at it,” said Craig Tait, chief product officer at ePS. “The question we asked with 2026.3 wasn’t how to collect more data. It was how to put what we already collect in front of the person who can act on it, before the job is finished.”
A key addition is PackAI, an AI-powered business intelligence tool embedded in ePS’s Radius platform. Users can create dashboards and ask questions about their data using natural language, with the system generating proposed queries and visualisations. The company said the tool is based on a centralised data model intended to provide a consistent source for operational and business information.
Existing users of third-party BI platforms, including Power BI, can also connect to the same data model.
The update also adds machine monitoring and maintenance features through AC4D. Plant Manager now includes tools for scheduling and tracking planned maintenance, while a Performance Dashboard displays machine status, stoppages, production targets, shift totals and upcoming jobs.
PrintFlow 4D gains a new Capacity Management feature, providing a visual overview of machine, group and plant capacity across different time periods. Schedulers can view the jobs contributing to capacity levels and reserve capacity for committed work.
For corrugated manufacturers, CorrTrim is now available as a browser-based application. ePS said its redesigned trim engine can run up to 10 times faster than the previous version. Escada Syncro also provides a mobile, read-only view of corrugator status, order queues and alarms on devices connected to the plant network.
The release further expands integration between Metrics ERP and PrintFlow 4D through a new REST API. Jobs and production records can be exchanged between the systems, while finite-capacity schedules and shop-floor job tracking can flow back into the ERP system. Purchasing tasks and approvals are also being moved to the browser.
ePS provides ERP, MES and workflow software for packaging manufacturers across the corrugated, folding carton, label and flexible packaging sectors.
