Print management apparatus and computer program product

Abstract

A printing management apparatus and a computer program product, the printing management apparatus (10) includes a CPU (11). In a case where the CPU (11) outputs, as an amount of waste paper, an area of a portion of a continuous paper, which is not used for a product manufactured using a printed matter corresponding to a job, in a case where a printing apparatus that performs printing on the continuous paper performs a print process on a job including a plurality of pages. The printing management apparatus and the computer program product of the present invention can grasp, as the amount of waste paper, a portion of the continuous paper, which is not used for the product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a printing management device and a computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a printing sequence determining device that determines the printing sequence of multiple printing operations for one unit of printing paper in a printing system having multiple printing settings or multiple post-processing settings. The printing sequence determining device includes: a waste amount storage unit that stores in advance the amount of paper waste generated when changing from one printing setting to another, or the amount of paper waste generated when changing from one post-processing setting to another; and an input data storage unit that stores multiple input data, including printing paper type, printing specifications, post-processing specifications, and printing image data. Furthermore, the printing sequence determination device includes a calculation unit that performs steps a), b) and c) on multiple paper-general input data of the same type of printing paper among multiple input data, thereby determining the printing sequence of multiple printing jobs generated from the multiple paper-general input data. Step a) is a step of obtaining the paper waste amount from the paper waste amount storage unit for a printing sequence of multiple paper-general input data, based on the printing settings of the printing system corresponding to the printing specifications of each of the two adjacent paper-general input data, or the post-processing settings of the printing system corresponding to the post-processing specifications of each of the two paper-general input data. Step b) is a step of calculating the total paper waste amount, which is the sum of the paper waste amounts in the multiple paper-general input data. Step c) is a step of performing steps a) and b) on multiple printing sequences of multiple paper-general input data to calculate the printing sequence with the minimum total paper waste amount.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an image forming apparatus that provides information related to the intended use of continuous paper for the execution of accompanying operations. The image forming apparatus includes: a conveying unit for conveying continuous paper; an image forming unit for forming an image on the continuous paper conveyed by the conveying unit; a job selection unit for selecting a job to be performed; and a control unit for calculating the image forming distance required for the execution of the selected job, which is the length of the continuous paper in the conveying direction, and displaying the calculated image forming distance on a display unit.

[0004] [Existing Technical Documents]

[0005] [Patent Literature]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 5770580

[0007] [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-207597 Summary of the Invention

[0008] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0009] Furthermore, in printing apparatuses that print on continuous paper such as roll paper, during the printing process, a portion of the continuous paper that is not used in the final product is generated (hereinafter referred to as "waste paper"). However, the amount of waste paper generated is not monitored.

[0010] The purpose of this invention is to provide a printing management device and computer program product that can control the amount of waste paper as the portion of continuous paper that is not used for finished products.

[0011] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0012] To achieve the aforementioned objective, the printing management apparatus of the first embodiment includes a processor that, when a printing apparatus for printing on continuous paper performs printing processing on the continuous paper for a job comprising multiple pages, outputs the area of ​​the portion of the continuous paper that is not used to manufacture an article using the printed matter corresponding to the job as the amount of paper wastage.

[0013] Furthermore, in the second embodiment of the printing management device, which is the same as the first embodiment of the printing management device, the amount of paper wastage includes the area of ​​the portion corresponding to the control page other than the operation.

[0014] In addition, the printing management device of the third embodiment is the same as the printing management device of the first or second embodiment, wherein the amount of paper waste further includes the area of ​​the portion between pages as specified by the cutting position, which is the position where the multiple pages are cut using a post-processing device connected to the printing device.

[0015] Furthermore, in the printing management device of the fourth embodiment, when the continuous paper printing cutting mark is controlled by a printing control device that controls the operation of the printing device, the processor obtains printing information including the cutting mark from the printing control device and determines the cutting position based on the obtained printing information.

[0016] Furthermore, in the printing management device of the fifth embodiment, when the job includes a cutting mark, the processor obtains the position of the cutting mark included in the job from the printing control device that controls the operation of the printing device, and determines the cutting position based on the obtained position of the cutting mark.

[0017] Furthermore, in the printing management apparatus of the sixth embodiment, when the continuous paper is paper with a cutting process, the processor obtains the position of the cutting process in the continuous paper from the printing control device that controls the operation of the printing apparatus, and determines the cutting position based on the obtained position of the cutting process.

[0018] Furthermore, in the printing management device of the seventh embodiment, when the post-processing device has cutting information, the processor directly obtains the cutting information from the post-processing device or obtains the cutting information via the printing device, and determines the cutting position based on the obtained cutting information.

[0019] Furthermore, the printing management device of the eighth embodiment is the printing management device of any one of the second to seventh embodiments, wherein the processor calculates the amount of paper wastage for each corresponding job.

[0020] Furthermore, in the printing management device of the ninth embodiment, in any one of the first to third embodiments, the amount of paper waste further includes the area of ​​a portion corresponding to the adjustment printing operation, wherein the adjustment printing is printing for adjusting the printing device or for adjusting the operation of the printing device by a printing control device.

[0021] Furthermore, in the printing management apparatus of the tenth embodiment, which is the same as that of the ninth embodiment, the processor establishes a correspondence between the amount of paper wastage and the subsequent operation of the adjusted printing job to calculate the amount of paper wastage.

[0022] Furthermore, in the printing management apparatus of the eleventh embodiment, the amount of paper wastage includes the area defined by the location of the continuous paper when the power supply of the printing control device controlling the operation of the printing apparatus is disconnected, and the location of the continuous paper when the power supply of the printing control device is turned on.

[0023] Furthermore, the printing management device of the twelfth embodiment is the same as the printing management device of the first embodiment, wherein the amount of paper wastage includes the area of ​​the portion transported by actions other than printing of the printing device.

[0024] Furthermore, in the printing management apparatus of the thirteenth embodiment, when the action other than the printing action is the continuous paper conveying action, the area of ​​the portion is the area of ​​the portion defined by the location where the continuous paper conveying begins and the location where the continuous paper conveying ends.

[0025] Furthermore, the printing management apparatus of the fourteenth embodiment is, in the printing management apparatus of the twelfth or thirteenth embodiment, when the operation other than the printing operation is the replacement operation of the continuous paper, the area of ​​the portion is the area of ​​the portion defined by the movement of the seam when the continuous paper is moved from one end to the other end in the conveying direction of the printing apparatus to the seam connecting the continuous paper to the next continuous paper to be replaced.

[0026] Furthermore, in the printing management apparatus of the fifteenth embodiment, when the continuous paper is a roll, the amount of paper wastage further includes the remaining amount of the continuous paper after it has been replaced by the replacement operation, in the case that the continuous paper is a roll.

[0027] Furthermore, in order to achieve the aforementioned objective, the computer program product of the sixteenth embodiment includes a printing management program that causes a computer to perform the following function: when a printing apparatus that prints on continuous paper performs printing processing on the continuous paper for a job containing multiple pages, the area of ​​the portion of the continuous paper that is not used to manufacture an article using the printed matter corresponding to the job is output as the amount of paper wastage.

[0028] [The effects of the invention]

[0029] According to the first embodiment and the sixteenth embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the portion of continuous paper that is not used for the finished product can be controlled as the amount of wasted paper.

[0030] According to the second embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the area of ​​the control page other than the operation can be used as the amount of paper wastage to control the amount of paper wastage.

[0031] According to the third embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the area of ​​the portion between pages specified by the cutting position of the post-processing device can be used as the amount of paper waste.

[0032] According to the fourth embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the cutting position can be determined based on the printing information including the cutting mark.

[0033] According to the fifth embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the cutting position can be determined based on the cutting marks included in the operation.

[0034] According to the sixth embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the cutting position can be determined based on the cutting process of the continuous paper.

[0035] According to the seventh embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the cutting position can be determined based on the cutting information possessed by the post-processing device.

[0036] According to the eighth embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the amount of paper wastage can be determined for each operation.

[0037] According to the ninth embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the area of ​​the portion where the printing operation is adjusted can be used as the amount of paper wastage.

[0038] According to the tenth embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the amount of paper wastage can be controlled for adjusting printing operations.

[0039] According to the eleventh embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the area corresponding to the disconnection and connection of the power supply to the printing control device can be used as the amount of paper wastage.

[0040] According to the twelfth embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the area of ​​the portion transported by actions other than printing can be used as the amount of paper wastage.

[0041] According to the thirteenth embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the amount of paper loss during the conveying action, which is an action other than the printing action, can be controlled.

[0042] According to the fourteenth embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the amount of paper wastage during replacement actions other than printing actions can be controlled.

[0043] According to the fifteenth embodiment, the following effect is achieved: the remaining amount of the replaced continuous paper can be controlled as the amount of wasted paper. Attached Figure Description

[0044] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of the printing management system according to the first embodiment.

[0045] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the electrical structure of the printing management device according to the first embodiment.

[0046] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of the printing management device according to the first embodiment.

[0047] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow performed using the printing management procedure of the first embodiment.

[0048] Figure 5 This is an example diagram showing a job management screen for an implementation method.

[0049] Figure 6 This is an example of a screen showing the basic information editing capabilities of an implementation method.

[0050] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the method for calculating the paper loss area according to the first embodiment.

[0051] Figure 8This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow performed using the printing management procedure of the second embodiment.

[0052] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating the method for calculating the paper loss area according to the second embodiment.

[0053] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating another example of the process performed using the printing management procedure of the second embodiment.

[0054] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating yet another example of the processing flow performed using the printing management procedure of the second embodiment.

[0055] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating another method for calculating the paper loss area in the second embodiment.

[0056] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating yet another example of the processing flow performed using the printing management procedure of the second embodiment.

[0057] Figure 14 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow performed using the printing management procedure of the third embodiment.

[0058] Figure 15 This is a front view showing an example of an adjustment printing setting screen for an implementation method.

[0059] Figure 16 This is a diagram illustrating the method for calculating the paper loss area in the third embodiment.

[0060] Figure 17 This is a diagram illustrating the method for calculating the paper loss area according to the fourth embodiment.

[0061] Figure 18 This is a diagram illustrating the method for calculating the paper loss area according to the fifth embodiment.

[0062] Figure 19 This is a diagram illustrating another method for calculating the area of ​​paper loss according to the fifth embodiment.

[0063] Figure 20 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the user interface (UI) display in the sixth embodiment.

[0064] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 10: Printing Management Device

[0066] 11: CPU

[0067] 11A: Operations Input Department

[0068] 11B: Device Control Unit

[0069] 11C: Operations Management Department

[0070] 12: ROM

[0071] 13: RAM

[0072] 14: I / O

[0073] 15: Storage Department

[0074] 15A: Printing Management Procedures

[0075] 16: Display Section

[0076] 17: Operations Department

[0077] 18: Ministry of Communications

[0078] 20: Printing control device

[0079] 30: Printing apparatus

[0080] 31: Paper Counter

[0081] 40: Post-processing equipment

[0082] 90: Printing Management System Detailed Implementation

[0083] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0084] [First Implementation Method]

[0085] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of the printing management system 90 according to the first embodiment.

[0086] like Figure 1 As shown, the printing management system 90 of this embodiment includes: a printing management device 10, a printing control device 20, a printing device 30, and a post-processing device 40.

[0087] The print management device 10 is connected to the print control device 20 via a network. For example, the network could be the Internet, a Local Area Network (LAN), or a Wide Area Network (WAN). The print management device 10 accepts job inputs and instructs the print control device 20 to print the corresponding jobs. A job, as described here, refers to a print processing unit. For example, a job represents the print data for printing a document. A document can contain more than one page and is arbitrary. That is, a document corresponding to a job can contain, for example, one page or 1000 pages. The number of pages in a document can be preset or set by the user.

[0088] The printing control device 20 is connected to the printing apparatus 30 via a network. The connected printing apparatus 30 can be one or more units. The printing control device 20 has the function of controlling the printing process of the printing apparatus 30.

[0089] The printing apparatus 30 is a so-called continuous invoice printer that prints on continuous paper, such as roll paper. The printing apparatus 30 includes a paper counter 31. When continuous paper is fed in the paper transport direction, the paper counter 31 measures the distance from the transport start point (count value = 0m) using the transport start point as a reference. In this embodiment, the printing control device 20 and the printing apparatus 30 are configured separately, but they can also be configured as an integral unit.

[0090] Furthermore, in the printing apparatus 30, to ensure stable image quality during printing, the process waits until the continuous paper feed speed reaches a predetermined speed before commencing printing. Therefore, unused portions of the continuous paper are generated and become losses. Additionally, when printing stops, the continuous paper is still fed a predetermined distance due to inertia after the stop instruction. This also results in losses. In other words, structurally, the printing apparatus 30 generates losses both before and after printing.

[0091] The printing control device 20 is connected to the post-processing device 40 via a network. The connected post-processing device 40 can be one or more units. The printing control device 20 has the function of controlling the post-processing operations of the post-processing device 40.

[0092] The post-processing apparatus 40 includes, for example, a processing device, a post-processing device, and a cutting device. The processing device, for example, performs the following processing: to suppress the adhesion of defects or dirt, it applies a clear varnish to the printed surface of the recording medium (hereinafter referred to as "sheet") printed by the printing apparatus 30. The post-processing device, for example, performs the following processing: binding the sheets of text folded in a page-by-page order together and attaching a cover to form a booklet. The cutting device, for example, performs the following processing: cutting off the blank portions of the bound booklet to a predetermined size. Furthermore, the post-processing apparatus 40 can also be connected to the printing apparatus 30 via a network.

[0093] The printing management device 10 receives various information related to the operation of the printing apparatus 30 via the printing control device 20, and manages the operating status and processing capacity of the printing apparatus 30. In addition, the printing management device 10 sends various instructions to the printing apparatus 30 via the printing control device 20, such as operation instructions, stop instructions, and setting instructions for setting the operation of the printing apparatus 30.

[0094] In addition, the printing management device 10 receives various information related to the operation of the post-processing device 40 via the printing control device 20, and manages the operation status and processing capacity of the post-processing device 40. Furthermore, the printing management device 10 sends various instructions to the post-processing device 40 via the printing control device 20, such as operation instructions, stop instructions, and setting instructions for the operation of the post-processing device 40.

[0095] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the electrical structure of the printing management device 10 according to the first embodiment.

[0096] like Figure 2 As shown, the printing management device 10 of this embodiment includes: a central processing unit (CPU) 11, a read-only memory (ROM) 12, a random access memory (RAM) 13, an input / output interface (I / O) 14, a storage unit 15, a display unit 16, an operation unit 17, and a communication unit 18.

[0097] The printing management device 10 in this embodiment is, for example, a general computer device such as an application server computer or a personal computer (PC).

[0098] CPU 11, ROM 12, RAM 13, and I / O 14 are connected via a bus. I / O 14 is connected to various functional units, including a storage unit 15, a display unit 16, an operation unit 17, and a communication unit 18. These functional units can communicate with CPU 11 via I / O 14.

[0099] The control unit is composed of CPU 11, ROM 12, RAM 13, and I / O 14. The control unit can be configured as a sub-control unit controlling the operation of a part of the printing management device 10, or as part of a main control unit controlling the overall operation of the printing management device 10. Part or all of each block of the control unit can be integrated circuits such as Large Scale Integration (LSI) or integrated circuit (IC) chipsets. Each block can use individual circuits, or circuits integrating part or all of the blocks. The blocks can be arranged as a single unit, or a portion of the blocks can be arranged separately. Furthermore, a portion of each block can be arranged separately. The integration of the control unit is not limited to LSI; dedicated circuits or general-purpose processors can also be used.

[0100] The storage unit 15 can be, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a flash memory. The storage unit 15 stores a printing management program 15A for implementing the printing management functions of this embodiment. Alternatively, the printing management program 15A can also be stored in the ROM 12.

[0101] The print management program 15A can also be pre-installed in the print management device 10, for example. The print management program 15A can also be implemented by storing it in a non-volatile, non-temporary storage medium or distributing it via a network, and is suitable for installation in the print management device 10. Examples of non-volatile, non-temporary storage media include compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), magneto-optical disk, HDD, digital versatile disc read-only memory (DVD-ROM), flash memory, memory cards, etc.

[0102] The display unit 16 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescent (EL) display. The display unit 16 may also integrate a touchscreen. The operation unit 17 may include, for example, input elements such as a keyboard and mouse. The display unit 16 and the operation unit 17 receive various instructions from the user of the printing management device 10. The display unit 16 displays various information such as the results of processing performed corresponding to the instructions received from the user and notifications regarding the processing.

[0103] The communication unit 18 is connected to networks such as the Internet, LAN, and WAN, and can communicate with the printing control device 20 via the network. The communication via the network can be wired or wireless.

[0104] Furthermore, when using continuous paper such as roll paper, controlling the amount of wasted paper is useful for cost management in printing companies. However, in the case of printing operations, the portion of continuous paper that is not used for finished products is not controlled as wasted paper.

[0105] Therefore, the CPU 11 of the printing management device 10 in this embodiment writes the printing management program 15A stored in the storage unit 15 into the RAM 13 for execution, thereby serving as... Figure 3 The components shown perform their functions. The CPU 11 is an example of a processor.

[0106] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of the printing management device 10 according to the first embodiment.

[0107] like Figure 3 As shown, the CPU 11 of the printing management device 10 in this embodiment functions as a job input unit 11A, a device control unit 11B, and a job management unit 11C.

[0108] In this embodiment, the work input unit 11A inputs the work that has been accepted by the work manager (operator).

[0109] In this embodiment, the device control unit 11B communicates with the printing control device 20 and controls the operation of the printing control device 20. The device control unit 11B obtains various information (hereinafter referred to as "paper waste information") from the printing control device 20 to calculate the amount of paper waste. The paper waste information includes, for example, the paper size, the number of control pages, and the paper type, as described later.

[0110] In this embodiment, the job management unit 11C outputs the amount of wasted paper in the continuous paper when the printing apparatus 30 processes a job containing multiple pages using continuous paper. Wasted paper, as described here, refers to the portion that is not used to manufacture an article using the printed material corresponding to the job and thus becomes a loss; it is also called broken paper. Furthermore, the amount of wasted paper is expressed as the area of ​​the portion that becomes a loss. The amount of wasted paper varies depending on the printing conditions of the job (e.g., color, black and white, printing speed, presence or absence of post-processing, etc.), and therefore is not uniform across different jobs.

[0111] Specifically, when a job is initiated by the job input unit 11A, the job management unit 11C calculates the amount of paper wastage based on the paper wastage information obtained from the device control unit 11B. In this embodiment, the amount of paper wastage is expressed as the area of ​​the portion corresponding to the control page outside the job. The control page referred to here is a page inserted before or after a job, or between jobs, also known as an update page or a separation page. For example, the control page may be a page printed with test patterns containing four colors (Cyan Magenta Yellow Black, CMYK), a white paper page, or the like.

[0112] Then, referring to Figure 4 The operation of the printing management device 10 in the first embodiment will be explained.

[0113] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow performed using the printing management procedure 15A of the first embodiment.

[0114] First, if the printing management device 10 is instructed to output control pages other than those used in the job as the amount of paper wastage, the printing management program 15A is started and the following steps are executed.

[0115] exist Figure 4 In step 100, the work input unit 11A inputs the work to the work management unit 11C. Here, as an example, the input work is processed through... Figure 5 The job management screen shown is used for management.

[0116] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing an example of the job management screen in this embodiment.

[0117] exist Figure 5 The job management screen shown registers jobs that have been assigned by the job assignment unit 11A and manages their status until the jobs are completed.

[0118] In step 101, the job input unit 11A notifies the job management unit 11C of the printing instructions for the job input in step 100.

[0119] In step 102, the work management unit 11C obtains the paper size, which is the size of the continuous paper, from the device control unit 11B. As an example, the paper size of the continuous paper includes the paper width, paper length, etc.

[0120] In step 103, the job management unit 11C obtains the number of control pages (excluding job content) from the device control unit 11B. Here, as an example, the paper size and the number of control pages are obtained through... Figure 6 The basic information is managed through the editing screen shown.

[0121] Figure 6 This is an example of a basic information editing screen for this embodiment.

[0122] exist Figure 6 The basic information editing screen shown registers and manages the paper size and number of control pages obtained from the device control unit 11B.

[0123] In step 104, the work management unit 11C calculates the area of ​​paper waste based on the paper size obtained in step 102 and the number of control pages obtained in step 103. Specifically, for example, if the paper width is W mm and the number of control pages is N, the area of ​​paper waste is calculated as W mm × L mm × N sheets. However, here the size of the control pages (W mm × L mm) is set to a pre-defined size.

[0124] In step 105, the job management unit 11C takes the area of ​​paper wastage calculated in step 104 as the amount of paper wastage, sums it up for each corresponding job, and outputs the summation result to the display unit 16, for example, and then ends the series of processes performed using this printing management program 15A.

[0125] Then, referring to Figure 7 The method for calculating the paper waste area when the control page is used as the paper waste area is explained in detail.

[0126] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the method for calculating the paper loss area according to the first embodiment.

[0127] exist Figure 7 In the example, it represents the case where multiple operations A and B are applied to continuous paper P, and multiple control pages are inserted between operations A and B.

[0128] The point at which the continuous paper P begins to be transported is set as the point where the count value of the paper counter 31 included in the printing apparatus 30 is 0 (zero). The waste paper from the start point of continuous paper P transport to the start point of printing in operation A constitutes the waste paper before printing begins. The amount of waste paper before printing begins is calculated based on the measurement result of the paper counter 31. The amount of waste paper generated by control pages outside of operations is calculated based on the paper size and the number of control pages. The waste paper from the end point of printing in operation B to the end point of continuous paper P transport constitutes the waste paper after printing ends. The amount of waste paper after printing ends is calculated based on the measurement result of the paper counter 31.

[0129] The total paper waste is calculated by summing the amount of paper wastage before printing begins, the amount of paper waste generated by the control pages, and the amount of paper waste after printing ends. In this case, for example, the total paper waste is allocated proportionally to operations A and B as the paper waste amount for each operation.

[0130] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the control pages used outside of the work process are defined as portions not used in the finished product. Consequently, the area corresponding to the portion of the control pages used outside of the work process is used to determine the amount of paper wastage.

[0131] [Second Implementation]

[0132] In this embodiment, the case where the portion between pages defined by the cutting position in the post-processing is considered as waste paper will be described.

[0133] In this embodiment, the device structure of the printing management device 10 described in the first embodiment is also applied. The amount of paper wastage in this embodiment is expressed as the area of ​​the portion between pages defined by a cutting position, which is a position corresponding to the cutting of multiple pages using a post-processing device 40 connected to the printing apparatus 30.

[0134] When the printing control device 20, which controls the operation of the printing device 30, controls the cutting marks for continuous paper printing, the operation management unit 11C of this embodiment obtains printing information including the cutting marks from the printing control device 20 and determines the cutting position based on the obtained printing information.

[0135] Then, referring to Figure 8 The operation of the printing management device 10 in the second embodiment will be explained.

[0136] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed using the printing management procedure 15A of the second embodiment.

[0137] First, if the printing management device 10 is instructed to output the area of ​​the portion between pages as specified by the cutting position in the post-processing as the amount of paper waste, the printing management program 15A is started and the following steps are executed.

[0138] exist Figure 8 In step 110, the work input department 11A inputs work to the work management department 11C.

[0139] In step 111, the work input unit 11A determines whether the work operator has received an instruction to set the cutting mark. If the instruction to set the cutting mark is received (affirmative determination), the process proceeds to step 112; if the instruction to set the cutting mark is not received (negative determination), the process proceeds to step 119.

[0140] In step 112, the work input unit 11A sets the cutting mark for the work management unit 11C.

[0141] In step 113, the job input unit 11A notifies the job management unit 11C of the printing instructions for the job input in step 110.

[0142] In step 114, the operation management unit 11C obtains the paper size of the continuous paper from the device control unit 11B.

[0143] In step 115, the operation management unit 11C obtains printing information containing cutting marks from the device control unit 11B.

[0144] In step 116, the work management unit 11C determines the cutting position based on the printing information obtained in step 115.

[0145] In step 117, the work management unit 11C calculates the area of ​​paper wastage based on the paper size obtained in step 114 and the cutting position determined in step 116. Here, refer to... Figure 9 The method for calculating the paper waste area when the portion between pages defined by the position of the cutting mark is used as the paper waste area is explained in detail.

[0146] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating the method for calculating the paper loss area according to the second embodiment.

[0147] exist Figure 9 In the example, continuous paper P is fed into operation A, which contains multiple pages. The product portion A1 corresponding to the first page of operation A is marked with cutting marks M11 to M14 (in...). Figure 9 In the example, the part marked with a "+" is cut off at the point where the product portion A2 on the second page is marked with cutting marks M21 to M24 (in the example). Figure 9 In the example, the area indicated by "+" is trimmed. These trimming marks M11 to M14 and M21 to M24 are controlled by the printing control device 20 during printing. Therefore, the printing information generated by the printing control device 20 includes the trimming marks M11 to M14 and M21 to M24. The trimming position is determined based on the trimming marks M11 to M14 and M21 to M24 included in the printing information. Figure 9 In the example, the portion between the cutting marks M11 and M13 on the first page and the cutting marks M22 and M24 on the second page is considered as waste paper. When the length of this portion is set to L mm, the area of ​​waste paper is calculated as W mm × L mm.

[0148] In step 118, the job management unit 11C takes the area of ​​paper wastage calculated in step 117 as the amount of paper wastage, sums it up for each corresponding job, and outputs the summation result to the display unit 16, for example, and then ends the series of processes performed using this printing management program 15A.

[0149] On the other hand, in step 119, the job input unit 11A notifies the job management unit 11C of the printing instructions for the job input in step 110, and then ends the series of processes performed using this printing management procedure 15A.

[0150] Here, when the job includes cutting marks, the job management unit 11C of this embodiment can also obtain the position of the cutting marks included in the job from the printing control device 20 that controls the operation of the printing device 30, and determine the cutting position based on the obtained position of the cutting marks. In this case, the printing control device 20 has an image recognition function, acquires image data including the cutting marks, and performs image recognition on the image data, thereby identifying the cutting marks.

[0151] Reference Figure 10 Another function of the printing management device 10 in the second embodiment will be explained.

[0152] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating another example of the process performed using the printing management procedure 15A of the second embodiment.

[0153] First, if the printing management device 10 is instructed to output the area of ​​the portion between pages as specified by the cutting position in the post-processing as the amount of paper waste, the printing management program 15A is started and the following steps are executed.

[0154] exist Figure 10In step 120, the work input department 11A inputs work to the work management department 11C.

[0155] In step 121, the job management unit 11C determines whether the job input in step 120 contains a cutting mark. Furthermore, whether a job contains a cutting mark is determined, for example, based on the image recognition result of the printing control device 20. If the job is determined to contain a cutting mark (positive determination), the process proceeds to step 122; if the job is determined not to contain a cutting mark (negative determination), the process proceeds to step 128.

[0156] In step 122, the operation management unit 11C obtains the position of the cutting mark from the device control unit 11B.

[0157] In step 123, the job input unit 11A notifies the job management unit 11C of the printing instructions for the job input in step 120.

[0158] In step 124, the operation management unit 11C obtains the paper size of the continuous paper from the device control unit 11B.

[0159] In step 125, the work management unit 11C determines the cutting position based on the position of the cutting mark obtained in step 122.

[0160] In step 126, the work management unit 11C calculates the area of ​​paper damage based on the paper size obtained in step 124 and the cutting position determined in step 125.

[0161] In step 127, the job management unit 11C takes the area of ​​paper wastage calculated in step 126 as the amount of paper wastage, sums it up for each corresponding job, and outputs the summation result to the display unit 16, for example, and then ends the series of processes performed using this printing management program 15A.

[0162] On the other hand, in step 128, the job input unit 11A notifies the job management unit 11C of the printing instructions for the job input in step 120, and then ends the series of processes performed using this printing management procedure 15A.

[0163] In addition, when the continuous paper is paper with cutting processing, the operation management unit 11C of this embodiment can also obtain the position of the cutting processing in the continuous paper from the printing control device 20 that controls the operation of the printing device 30, and determine the cutting position based on the obtained position of the cutting processing.

[0164] Reference Figure 11 Another function of the printing management device 10 in the second embodiment will be explained.

[0165] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating yet another example of the processing flow performed using the printing management procedure 15A of the second embodiment.

[0166] First, if the printing management device 10 is instructed to output the area of ​​the portion between pages as specified by the cutting position in the post-processing as the amount of paper waste, the printing management program 15A is started and the following steps are executed.

[0167] exist Figure 11 In step 130, the work input department 11A inputs work to the work management department 11C.

[0168] In step 131, the job input unit 11A notifies the job management unit 11C of the printing instructions for the job input in step 130.

[0169] In step 132, the operation management unit 11C obtains the paper size of the continuous paper from the device control unit 11B.

[0170] In step 133, the operation management unit 11C obtains the paper type of the continuous paper from the device control unit 11B.

[0171] In step 134, the work management unit 11C determines whether the continuous paper is paper that requires cutting processing based on the paper type obtained in step 133. If the continuous paper is determined to be paper that requires cutting processing (positive determination), the process proceeds to step 135. If the continuous paper is determined not to be paper that requires cutting processing (negative determination), the series of processes performed using this printing management procedure 15A ends.

[0172] In step 135, the operation management unit 11C obtains the position of the cutting process from the device control unit 11B.

[0173] In step 136, the work management unit 11C determines the cutting position based on the cutting processing position obtained in step 135.

[0174] In step 137, the work management unit 11C calculates the area of ​​paper wastage based on the paper size obtained in step 132 and the cutting position determined in step 136. Here, refer to... Figure 12 The method for calculating the paper waste area when the portion between pages defined by the cutting position is used as the paper waste area is explained in detail.

[0175] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating another method for calculating the paper loss area in the second embodiment.

[0176] exist Figure 12In the example, continuous paper P is fed into operation A, which contains multiple pages. Alignment and cutting processes H11 and H12 (in...) Figure 12 In the example, the positions of multiple square holes are used to cut the product portion A1 corresponding to the first page of operation A and the product portion A2 corresponding to the second page. The position information of these cutting processes H11 and H12 is maintained by the printing control device 20. Therefore, the cutting position is determined based on the positions of the cutting processes H11 and H12. Figure 12 In the example, the portion between the first and second pages is considered waste paper. When the length of this portion is set to L mm, the area of ​​waste paper is calculated as W mm × L mm. Furthermore, the cutting processes H11 and H12 can also be, for example, pinholes, needle holes, etc.

[0177] In step 138, the job management unit 11C takes the area of ​​paper wastage calculated in step 137 as the amount of paper wastage, sums it up for each corresponding job, and outputs the summation result to the display unit 16, for example, and then ends the series of processes performed using this printing management program 15A.

[0178] In addition, when the post-processing device 40 has cutting information, the operation management unit 11C of this embodiment can also obtain the cutting information directly from the post-processing device 40 or obtain the cutting information via the printing device 30, and determine the cutting position based on the obtained cutting information.

[0179] Reference Figure 13 Another function of the printing management device 10 in the second embodiment will be explained.

[0180] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating yet another example of the processing flow performed using the printing management procedure 15A of the second embodiment.

[0181] First, if the printing management device 10 is instructed to output the area of ​​the portion between pages as specified by the cutting position in the post-processing as the amount of paper waste, the printing management program 15A is started and the following steps are executed.

[0182] exist Figure 13 In step 140, the work input department 11A inputs work to the work management department 11C.

[0183] In step 141, the job input unit 11A notifies the job management unit 11C of the printing instructions for the job input in step 140.

[0184] In step 142, the operation management unit 11C obtains the paper size of the continuous paper from the device control unit 11B.

[0185] In step 143, the operation management unit 11C determines whether the post-processing device 40 has cutting information. If it is determined that the post-processing device 40 has cutting information (positive determination), the process proceeds to step 144. If it is determined that the post-processing device 40 does not have cutting information (negative determination), the series of processes performed using this printing management procedure 15A ends.

[0186] In step 144, the operation management unit 11C obtains the cutting information of the post-processing unit 40 from the device control unit 11B.

[0187] In step 145, the operation management unit 11C determines the cutting position based on the cutting information obtained in step 144.

[0188] In step 146, the work management unit 11C calculates the area of ​​paper damage based on the paper size obtained in step 142 and the cutting position determined in step 145.

[0189] In step 147, the job management unit 11C takes the area of ​​paper wastage calculated in step 146 as the amount of paper wastage, sums it up for each corresponding job, and outputs the summation result to the display unit 16, for example, and then ends the series of processes performed using this printing management program 15A.

[0190] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the portion between pages defined by the cutting position in the post-processing is determined as paper waste. Thus, the area of ​​the portion between pages defined by the cutting position in the post-processing is used as the amount of paper waste.

[0191] Alternatively, the first and second embodiments can be combined, and the portion between the control pages other than the operation and the pages defined by the cutting position in the post-processing can be determined as waste paper.

[0192] [Third Implementation Method]

[0193] In this embodiment, the case where the portion used for adjustment printing that differs from normal printing is determined as paper waste will be described.

[0194] In this embodiment, the device structure of the printing management device 10 described in the first embodiment is also applied. The amount of paper wastage in this embodiment is expressed as the area of ​​the portion corresponding to the adjustment printing operation. The adjustment printing mentioned here refers to printing used for adjusting the printing apparatus 30, or adjusting the printing control device 20 that controls the operation of the printing apparatus 30. In this adjustment printing, for example, test patterns containing CMYK colors are printed.

[0195] Reference Figure 14The function of the printing management device 10 in the third embodiment will be explained.

[0196] Figure 14 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow performed using the printing management procedure 15A of the third embodiment.

[0197] First, if the printing management device 10 is instructed to output the area of ​​the adjusted printing portion as the amount of paper waste, the printing management program 15A is started and the following steps are executed.

[0198] exist Figure 14 In step 150, the work input department 11A inputs work to the work management department 11C.

[0199] In step 151, the job input unit 11A (or job management unit 11C) determines whether the job input in step 150 is a print adjustment job. If the job is determined to be a print adjustment job (positive determination), the process proceeds to step 152; if the job is determined not to be a print adjustment job, i.e., a regular printing job (negative determination), the process proceeds to step 157. Here, as an example, from... Figure 15 The adjustment printing settings screen shown will be used to perform adjustment printing.

[0200] Figure 15 This is a front view showing an example of the adjustment printing settings screen in this embodiment.

[0201] Figure 15 The print setup adjustment screen shown is the screen displayed during print setup adjustment, and it differs from the screen displayed during regular printing. That is, the order in which print setup adjustment and regular printing jobs are initiated is different. Therefore, if a job is initiated from the print setup adjustment screen, it is determined to be a print setup adjustment job; otherwise, it is determined to be a regular printing job.

[0202] In step 152, the job input unit 11A notifies the job management unit 11C of the printing instructions for the adjustment printing job that has been input in step 150.

[0203] In step 153, the operation management unit 11C obtains the paper size of the continuous paper from the device control unit 11B.

[0204] In step 154, the job management unit 11C obtains the number of pages for the adjusted printing job from the device control unit 11B. Furthermore, the number of pages for the adjusted printing job uses a predetermined setting value, but this setting value can be appropriately changed by the job manager (operator) or similar personnel.

[0205] In step 155, the work management unit 11C calculates the area of ​​paper wastage based on the paper size obtained in step 153 and the number of pages of the adjusted printing job obtained in step 154.

[0206] In step 156, the job management unit 11C takes the area of ​​paper wastage calculated in step 155 as the amount of paper wastage, establishes a correspondence with the next job of adjusting the printing job to sum up the amount of paper wastage, and outputs the summation result to the display unit 16, for example, and then ends the series of processes performed using this printing management program 15A.

[0207] On the other hand, in step 157, the job input unit 11A notifies the job management unit 11C of the printing instructions for the normally printed job that has been input in step 150, and then ends the series of processes performed using this printing management procedure 15A.

[0208] Then, referring to Figure 16 The method for calculating the paper waste area when the portion used for adjusting printing is considered as paper waste is explained in detail.

[0209] Figure 16 This is a diagram illustrating the method for calculating the paper loss area in the third embodiment.

[0210] exist Figure 16 In the example described above, a readjustment printing operation (hereinafter referred to as "reading adjustment operation") is performed on the continuous paper P for adjusting the printing apparatus 30 or the printing control device 20.

[0211] The point at which the continuous paper P begins to be transported is set to the point where the count value of the paper counter 31 included in the printing apparatus 30 is 0 (zero). The period from the start of the continuous paper P transport to the start of the printing operation is considered the waste paper before printing begins. The amount of waste paper before printing begins is calculated based on the measurement results of the paper counter 31. The amount of waste paper generated by the printing operation is calculated based on the paper size and the number of pages in the printing operation. The period from the end of the printing operation to the end of the continuous paper P transport is considered the waste paper after printing ends. The amount of waste paper after printing ends is calculated based on the measurement results of the paper counter 31.

[0212] The total paper waste is calculated by summing the amount of paper wastage before printing begins, the amount of paper waste generated by the adjustment printing operation, and the amount of paper waste after printing ends. In this case, it is ideal, for example, to first establish a correspondence between the total paper waste and the next operation following the adjustment printing operation. Alternatively, if the next operation is performed immediately after the adjustment printing operation, a section corresponding to the next operation is inserted between the section corresponding to the adjustment printing operation and the paper waste after printing ends.

[0213] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the portion used for adjusting printing is determined as the portion not used in the finished product. Consequently, the area of ​​the portion used for adjusting printing is used to determine the amount of paper wastage.

[0214] Alternatively, the first, second, and third embodiments can be combined, and the control pages outside the operation, the portions between pages defined by the cutting positions in the post-processing, and the portions used for adjusting printing can be determined as waste paper.

[0215] [Fourth Implementation Method]

[0216] In this embodiment, the case where the portion transported during the period when the power supply to the printing control device has been disconnected is described as paper waste.

[0217] In this embodiment, the device structure of the printing management device 10 described in the first embodiment is also applied. The amount of paper wastage in this embodiment is expressed as the area of ​​a portion defined by the location of continuous paper when the power supply to the printing control device 20, which controls the operation of the printing device 30, is turned off, and the location of continuous paper when the power supply to the printing control device 20 is turned on.

[0218] Figure 17 This is a diagram illustrating the method for calculating the paper loss area according to the fourth embodiment.

[0219] exist Figure 17 In the example, consider the scenario where the power supply to the printing control device 20 is disconnected, and continuous paper P is being transported from the printing device 30. However, the power supply to the printing device 30 is always on, allowing continuous paper P to be transported. In this case, a paper counter 31 is used to count the location of continuous paper P when the power supply to the printing control device 20 is disconnected, and the count value is stored. Subsequently, the paper counter 31 is used to count the location of continuous paper P when the power supply to the printing control device 20 is on, and the count value is stored. When there is a difference between the two count values, continuous paper P was transported during the period when the power supply to the printing control device 20 was disconnected, and the portion corresponding to the difference is designated as waste paper. When the length of this portion is set to L mm, the area of ​​waste paper is calculated as W mm × L mm. Conversely, when there is no difference between the two count values, continuous paper P was not transported during the period when the power supply to the printing control device 20 was disconnected, and therefore no waste paper is generated.

[0220] [Fifth Implementation Method]

[0221] In this embodiment, the case where the portion transported by actions other than printing is determined as waste paper will be described.

[0222] In this embodiment, the device structure of the printing management device 10 described in the first embodiment is also applied. The amount of paper wastage in this embodiment is expressed as the area of ​​the portion transported by actions other than printing operations of the printing apparatus 30. Specifically, when the action other than printing is a continuous paper transport operation, the area of ​​the transported portion is the area defined by the location where the continuous paper transport begins and ends. Furthermore, the power supply to the printing control device 20 is turned on.

[0223] Figure 18 This is a diagram illustrating the method for calculating the paper loss area according to the fifth embodiment.

[0224] exist Figure 18 In this example, consider the case where a continuous sheet of paper P is being transported to the printing apparatus 30 without printing. In this case, a paper counter 31 is used to count the points where the transport of the continuous sheet of paper P begins and stores the count value. Similarly, the paper counter 31 is used to count the points where the transport of the continuous sheet of paper P ends and stores the count value. The portion corresponding to the difference between the two count values ​​is designated as wasted paper. When the length of this portion is set to L mm, the area of ​​wasted paper is calculated as W mm × L mm.

[0225] In addition, when the action other than printing is the replacement of continuous paper, the area of ​​the conveyed portion is represented by the area of ​​the portion defined by the movement of the seam when the printed continuous paper is conveyed from one end to the other in the conveying direction of the printing apparatus 30, connecting the next continuous paper to be replaced.

[0226] Figure 19 This is a diagram illustrating another method for calculating the area of ​​paper loss in the fifth embodiment.

[0227] In (S1), we assume the continuous paper P1 is a roll of paper. The continuous paper P1 is fed from one end of the printing apparatus 30 to the other end and printed. The printed continuous paper P1 is then wound up by the take-up roller 32. The remaining unprinted continuous paper P1 is cut when its remaining amount reaches a predetermined value and replaced with the next continuous paper. The remaining amount of continuous paper P1 after the replacement operation is defined as wasted paper. The amount of wasted paper at this time is calculated, for example, by the winding diameter of the unprinted continuous paper P1.

[0228] In step (S2), the remaining continuous paper P1 is replaced with the next continuous paper P2, which is the replacement target. At this time, the printed continuous paper P1, which has been wound by the take-up roller 32, and the next continuous paper P2 are connected by a conveyor belt. In terms of quality, it is ideal to remove the seam between continuous paper P1 and continuous paper P2 from the printed object. Therefore, the seam is conveyed from one end to the other end in the conveying direction of the printing apparatus 30 and sent out to the outside of the printing apparatus 30. The portion conveyed through the seam is defined as waste paper. When the length of the portion is defined as L mm, the area of ​​waste paper is calculated as W mm × L mm.

[0229] [Sixth Implementation Method]

[0230] In this embodiment, the method of displaying the amount of paper wastage using a UI (user interface) will be described.

[0231] In this embodiment, the device structure of the printing management device 10 described in the first embodiment is also applied.

[0232] Figure 20 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the UI display in the sixth embodiment.

[0233] In (S11), when printing is performed on operation A, paper waste L1 and paper waste L2 are generated before and after the printing of operation A. The total of paper waste L1 and paper waste L2 is denoted as x(m). 2 The UI displays the amount of paper wastage related to task A.

[0234] In (S12), after the power supply to the printing control device 20 is disconnected and the continuous paper is replaced, when printing is performed on operation B, paper waste L3 and paper waste L4 are generated before and after the printing of operation B. Paper waste L3 is α(m 2 ), the paper damage L4 is y(m 2 The total of the paper damage L3 and L4 is α+y(m) 2 The UI displays the amount of paper wastage related to tasks A and B.

[0235] In (S13), after the continuous paper is fed, when printing is performed on operation C, paper waste L5 and paper waste L6 are generated before and after the printing of operation C. Paper waste L5 is γ(m 2 ), the paper damage L6 is z(m 2 The total of paper loss L5 and paper loss L6 is γ+z(m). 2 The UI displays the amount of paper wastage related to tasks A, B, and C.

[0236] Thus, according to this embodiment, the portion of continuous paper not used for finished products is measured as waste paper. That is, the amount of waste paper other than finished products becomes readily apparent, thereby enabling appropriate cost management for printing companies and the like.

[0237] Furthermore, in the various embodiments described, the term "processor" refers to a processor in a broad sense, including general-purpose processors (e.g., CPU: Central Processing Unit, etc.) or dedicated processors (e.g., Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Programmable Logic Element, etc.).

[0238] Furthermore, the actions of the processors in the various embodiments can be performed not only by a single processor, but also by multiple processors located in physically separate locations working together. Additionally, the order of the processor's actions is not limited to the order described in the various embodiments and can be appropriately varied.

[0239] The printing management apparatus of the above embodiments has been described. The embodiments may also be configured as programs for causing a computer to execute the functions of each component included in the printing management apparatus. Alternatively, the embodiments may be configured as computer-readable storage media storing the programs.

[0240] Furthermore, the structure of the printing management device described in the embodiments is an example, and changes can be made according to the circumstances without departing from the main idea.

[0241] Furthermore, the process flow described in the embodiments is also an example, and unnecessary steps can be deleted, new steps can be added, or the processing order can be changed without departing from the main idea.

[0242] Furthermore, while the described embodiment illustrates the process of implementing the embodiment using a computer and a software structure by executing a program, it is not a limitation. The embodiment may also be implemented using a hardware structure, or a combination of hardware and software structures.

Claims

1. A printing management device, comprising a processor, In a printing apparatus that prints on continuous paper, when processing a job containing multiple pages, the processor outputs the area of ​​the continuous paper that is not used to manufacture an article using the printed material corresponding to the job as the amount of paper waste. The processor calculates the total amount of paper waste based on the amount of paper waste before printing begins and the amount of paper waste after printing begins. The amount of paper wastage includes the area defined by the location of the continuous paper when the power supply to the printing control device that controls the operation of the printing apparatus has been disconnected, and the location of the continuous paper when the power supply to the printing control device has been turned on.

2. The printing management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the amount of paper waste includes the area of ​​the portion corresponding to the control page other than the operation.

3. The printing management apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the amount of paper waste further includes the area of ​​the portion between pages as defined by a cutting position, the cutting position being a position corresponding to the plurality of pages cut using a post-processing device connected to the printing apparatus.

4. The printing management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the continuous paper printing cutting mark is controlled by the printing control device, the processor obtains printing information including the cutting mark from the printing control device and determines the cutting position based on the obtained printing information.

5. The printing management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the job includes a cutting mark, the processor obtains the position of the cutting mark included in the job from the printing control device, and determines the cutting position based on the obtained position of the cutting mark.

6. The printing management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the continuous paper is paper with a cutting process, the processor obtains the position of the cutting process in the continuous paper from the printing control device, and determines the cutting position based on the obtained position of the cutting process.

7. The printing management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the post-processing device has cutting information, the processor directly obtains the cutting information from the post-processing device or obtains the cutting information via the printing device, and determines the cutting position based on the obtained cutting information.

8. The printing management apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor calculates the amount of paper wastage for each corresponding job.

9. The printing management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the amount of paper waste further includes the area of ​​a portion corresponding to an adjustment printing operation, the adjustment printing being a print for adjusting the printing apparatus or the printing control device.

10. The printing management apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor establishes a correspondence between the amount of paper wastage and subsequent jobs of the adjusted printing job to total the amount of paper wastage.

11. The printing management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the amount of paper waste includes the area of ​​the portion transported by actions other than printing of the printing apparatus.

12. The printing management apparatus according to claim 11, wherein when the action other than the printing action is the continuous paper conveying action, the area of ​​the portion is the area of ​​the portion defined by the location where the continuous paper conveying begins and the location where the continuous paper conveying ends.

13. A printing management device, comprising a processor, In a printing apparatus that prints on continuous paper, when processing a job containing multiple pages, the processor outputs the area of ​​the continuous paper that is not used to manufacture an article using the printed material corresponding to the job as the amount of paper waste. The processor calculates the total amount of paper waste based on the amount of paper waste before printing begins and the amount of paper waste after printing begins. The amount of paper wastage includes the area of ​​the portion transported by actions other than printing of the printing apparatus. When the action other than the printing action is the replacement action of the continuous paper, the area of ​​the portion is the area of ​​the portion defined by the movement of the seam when the continuous paper is moved from one end to the other in the conveying direction of the printing apparatus to the seam connecting the continuous paper to the next continuous paper to be replaced.

14. The printing management apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, when the continuous paper is roll paper, the amount of wasted paper further includes the remaining amount of the continuous paper after being replaced by the replacement action.

15. A computer program product, comprising a printing management program, the printing management program being configured to cause a computer to perform the following functions: when a printing apparatus for printing on continuous paper processes a job comprising multiple pages on the continuous paper, outputting the area of ​​the portion of the continuous paper not used to manufacture articles using the printed matter corresponding to the job as the amount of paper wastage, and calculating a total amount of paper wastage based on the amount of paper wastage before printing begins and the amount of paper wastage after printing begins. The amount of paper wastage includes the area defined by the location of the continuous paper when the power supply to the printing control device that controls the operation of the printing apparatus has been disconnected, and the location of the continuous paper when the power supply to the printing control device has been turned on.

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