Packaging material ordering management device and packaging material ordering system

Abstract

To acquire data for printing suitable to creation of a soft packaging from an orderer.SOLUTION: A packaging ordering management device 10 includes: an order reception unit 11 for acquiring, from an orderer terminal via the Internet, order information that includes information for designating a shape of a soft packaging; a format data holding unit 19 for holding format data suitable to a design of a printing surface of the soft packaging in the shape in association with the information for designating the shape of the soft packaging; a printing data acquisition unit 12 for acquiring design data including the design to be printed to the soft packaging from an orderer terminal 90 by providing the format data corresponding to the information for designating the shape of the soft packaging included in the order information selected on the basis of the information held in the format data holding unit 19 to the orderer terminal 90; and an order information holding unit 17 for managing the order information in association with the design data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a packaging material order management device.

Background Art

[0002] An online printing system that places orders, prints, and arranges deliveries based on an order signal from an orderer's terminal via the Internet is known (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, online commercial transactions using e-commerce sites and the like have spread, and it has been considered to target soft packaging materials printed with designs specified by users for online orders. However, since the printable range varies depending on the shape of the soft packaging material, when acquiring print data from the orderer, it is necessary to receive data corresponding to the print range from the orderer.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology capable of acquiring data suitable for creating soft packaging materials from an orderer.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A packaging material order management device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a packaging material order management device that receives orders for the creation of flexible packaging materials from an ordering terminal operated by an ordering party via the Internet, and comprises: an order receiving unit that acquires order information including information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material transmitted from the ordering party terminal; a format data holding unit that holds format data suitable for the design of the printed surface of the flexible packaging material of the said shape, associated with the information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material; a print data acquisition unit that acquires design data including a design to be printed on the flexible packaging material from the ordering party terminal by providing the ordering party terminal with format data corresponding to the information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material included in the order information, selected based on the information held in the format data holding unit; and an order information holding unit that manages the order information and the design data in association.

[0007] In the above-described packaging material ordering management system, the ordering terminal that receives an order is provided with format data corresponding to the shape of the ordered packaging material. Design data using this format data is then provided from the ordering terminal and acquired by the print data acquisition unit. Therefore, design data based on format data suitable for printing on flexible packaging materials can be reliably acquired.

[0008] The information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material may be in the form of information specifying a model number associated with the shape of the flexible packaging material.

[0009] As described above, if the information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material is information specifying a model number associated with the shape of the flexible packaging material, it becomes possible to manage the format data using this model number, and furthermore, the appropriate format data can be selected using the model number and provided to the ordering terminal. Therefore, data management and handling within the device can be performed more appropriately.

[0010] The flexible packaging material may be printed by a digital printing press, and the design data acquired from the ordering terminal may be configured in a way that is suitable for printing on the flexible packaging material by the digital printing press.

[0011] When printing on flexible packaging is performed using a digital printing press, as described above, by configuring the system to obtain design data suitable for printing on flexible packaging from the client's terminal, it is possible to prevent the design from being altered by the operator, thus ensuring proper printing.

[0012] The format data holding unit may further hold a setting file associated with information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material, for the ordering terminal to output the design data in a state suitable for printing the flexible packaging material, and the print data acquisition unit may provide the ordering terminal with the format data and the design data selected based on the information held in the format data holding unit.

[0013] Even when design data is created by processing format data on the client's terminal, there is a possibility that the design data may not be output in a print-ready state depending on the operating environment of the client's terminal. Therefore, by providing the configuration file to the client's terminal as described above, the client can create the design data more appropriately.

[0014] The order information may also include information specifying the material of the flexible packaging material.

[0015] Flexible packaging materials may sometimes consist of packaging materials made of different materials. Therefore, with the above configuration, the packaging material ordering management system can handle flexible packaging materials made of different materials, making it possible for customers to order a wider variety of flexible packaging materials. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present disclosure, a technology capable of acquiring printing data suitable for creating a flexible packaging material from an orderer is provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of the schematic configuration of a packaging material ordering system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of information held in the material information holding unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 3(a) is a diagram schematically showing the material composition of a flexible packaging material, and FIG. 3(b) is a diagram showing an example of information regarding the specifications of the flexible packaging material. [Figure 4] FIGS. 4(a), 4(b), and 4(c) are diagrams showing examples of flexible packaging materials according to applications. [Figure 5] FIGS. 5(a), 5(b), and 5(c) are diagrams showing examples of flexible packaging materials according to applications. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of information held in the format data holding unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of format data. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a packaging material ordering management device and a packaging material manufacturing management device. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a packaging material ordering management method by a packaging material ordering system. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of summarizing information regarding flexible packaging materials presented for each user. [Figure 11] FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b) are flowcharts for explaining an example of a packaging material manufacturing method (management method in a packaging material manufacturing management device) in a packaging material manufacturing department.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] The embodiments for implementing this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numeral, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0019] [Packaging material ordering system] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a packaging material ordering system 1 according to one embodiment. The packaging material ordering system 1 communicates with an ordering terminal 90 operated by the ordering party, and manufactures and provides flexible packaging materials based on order instructions from the ordering terminal 90. The packaging material ordering system 1 is composed of a packaging material ordering management device 10 and a packaging material manufacturing management device 20.

[0020] The packaging ordering system 1 receives orders from the ordering terminal 90 operated by the ordering party and has the function of instructing the packaging manufacturing management device 20, which works in cooperation with the manufacturing department, to manufacture and deliver products based on the orders. The products handled by the packaging ordering system 1 are "flexible packaging materials." Flexible packaging materials are packaging materials used for packaging that are made of soft, flexible materials such as paper, plastic film, aluminum foil, and cloth. Among these, plastic film is often used as the main material. Furthermore, flexible packaging materials are made by using composite materials that combine multiple materials to exhibit desired performance such as barrier properties and heat resistance. Since flexible packaging materials are often used for product packaging, the printing content on the printed surface of the flexible packaging material is expected to vary depending on the order. Thus, when receiving orders for flexible packaging materials from an ordering party, it is necessary to obtain information from the ordering party specifying the materials to be used for the packaging material, design data for printing, etc., and furthermore, it is necessary to appropriately provide this information to the manufacturing department.

[0021] Materials used for flexible packaging include single-layer films and multi-layer films. Multi-layer films are generally created by laminating a base material, an intermediate layer, and a sealant layer using an adhesive. Design data is printed onto the base material. While the intermediate layer may be omitted depending on the application of the flexible packaging, a material that functions as a barrier may be selected. When creating flexible packaging for a specific application, the material (multi-layer film) is created by combining materials suitable for that application. For example, in the case of packaging for retort foods, sterilization is performed under high temperature and pressure (retort sterilization), so materials with pressure resistance and heat resistance may be selected for each layer constituting the multi-layer film. Furthermore, since the film must be robust after printing, adhesives and inks that are compatible with retort sterilization (retort-compatible) are selected. On the other hand, if the contents tend to stick to the packaging due to static electricity, materials suitable for antistatic films that prevent static electricity generation may be selected. Thus, since the materials (film, ink, etc.) used for flexible packaging vary depending on the application, a wide variety of materials are used in their manufacture. On the other hand, customers select and order flexible packaging from a wide range of options based on the intended use of the packaging. The packaging ordering system 1 described above centrally manages orders from customers for the creation of various types of flexible packaging made using diverse materials as described above, and also manages the manufacturing of the ordered flexible packaging.

[0022] In the packaging material ordering system 1, the packaging material ordering management device 10 is a device that acquires orders from the ordering terminal 90. The packaging material ordering management device 10 is a device that accepts orders online, acquiring orders from the ordering terminal 90 via the internet. The packaging material ordering management device 10 has a website that can be viewed by the ordering terminal 90, and acquires information entered by the ordering party on this website. Furthermore, when the packaging material ordering management device 10 receives an order from the ordering terminal 90, it manages that information and provides information related to the manufacturing of the product to the packaging material manufacturing management device 20.

[0023] The packaging manufacturing management device 20 has the function of managing various manufacturing equipment in the department involved in the manufacturing of packaging materials (referred to as the "packaging manufacturing department" in Figure 1) of a packaging manufacturing plant or the like. The packaging manufacturing management device 20 may also have the function of controlling equipment involved in the manufacturing of packaging materials, such as a printing press 21, a laminating machine 22, and a bag-making machine 23, based on instructions from the packaging order management device 10. Furthermore, the packaging manufacturing management device 20 may also have the function of ordering materials and managing inventory. The packaging order management device 10 and the packaging manufacturing management device 20 are configured to be able to communicate, for example, via wireless or wired communication, and the packaging order management device 10 appropriately instructs the packaging manufacturing management device 20 to manufacture the ordered packaging materials. Based on these instructions, the packaging manufacturing management device 20 starts managing the processes related to the manufacture of the ordered packaging materials for each piece of equipment in the packaging manufacturing department. Furthermore, the management of the packaging material manufacturing process by the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 may include, for example, understanding the manufacturing process according to the ordered flexible packaging material (e.g., bonding materials, printing, etc.), scheduling the work of each piece of equipment to carry out this manufacturing process, and some of the procurement (ordering) of materials used for the flexible packaging material.

[0024] The ordering terminal 90 is, for example, a terminal device used by the user who is the ordering party, and includes devices such as smartphones, tablets, and personal computers. The ordering terminal 90 is connectable to the internet. When connecting to the internet, it may be done via a communication network other than the internet, for example. The ordering terminal 90 may also have a function for editing the print design data described later.

[0025] Furthermore, a single user is not limited to using only one ordering terminal 90. In other words, one user may use multiple ordering terminals 90. Therefore, for example, the ordering terminal 90 used by a user to send order information and the ordering terminal 90 used to send design data may be different. If multiple ordering terminals 90 can each connect to the internet to send and receive information, the user can manage each ordering terminal 90 individually.

[0026] [Packaging material order management device] As shown in Figure 1, the packaging material order management device 10 is composed of an order receiving unit 11, a print data acquisition unit 12, a packaging material creation instruction unit 13, a delivery management unit 14, a payment processing unit 15, a user information storage unit 16, an order information storage unit 17, a material information storage unit 18, and a format data storage unit 19. The packaging material order management device 10 also communicates with the ordering terminal 90 and the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 to send and receive information. Communication between the packaging material order management device 10 and the ordering terminal 90 or the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 can be performed by wire or wireless. The order receiving unit 11 and the print data acquisition unit 12 have the function of order-related information acquisition units that acquire information related to orders.

[0027] The order receiving unit 11 has the function of receiving orders for packaging materials from the ordering terminal 90. As described above, the packaging material order management device 10 prepares a website that can be viewed on the ordering terminal 90, and the website becomes accessible on the ordering terminal 90 upon request from the ordering terminal 90 (for example, by specifying a URL). The ordering party (user) then operates the ordering terminal 90 to view the website and enters the necessary information for the order by entering information into the input forms provided on the website. The entered information is transmitted via the internet to the packaging material order management device 10 that provides the website. This allows the order receiving unit 11 to accept the order.

[0028] The order information (order information) acquired by the order receiving unit 11 when it accepts an order includes information identifying the customer (name, address, etc.), information about the ordered product, information identifying the delivery destination (name, address, etc.), and information about payment of fees. Of these, information about the ordered product includes, for example, information identifying the type of packaging material (e.g., the materials used) and the quantity ordered, in the case of flexible packaging materials. Information specifying the packaging material includes information identifying the materials used in the packaging material (e.g., information about each layer if it is a film made by laminating multiple types of materials) and information identifying the shape and size of the packaging material (e.g., shape refers to a three-sided flat bag, standing pouch, etc.). In the packaging material order management device 10 of this embodiment, a model number is assigned in correspondence with the information identifying the materials (materials) that constitute the packaging material and the information identifying the shape and size of the packaging material. Therefore, by specifying the model number, the customer can transmit the information identifying the materials of the packaging material and the information identifying the shape and size of the packaging material to the packaging material order management device 10.

[0029] The information presented to the user on the ordering terminal 90 can be adjusted so that the ordering party (user) can operate the ordering terminal 90 to select a specific packaging material and place an order. For example, indicating the type of packaging material (e.g., materials used), size, shape, etc. for each flexible packaging material available to the user can be important information when the user selects a flexible packaging material. In addition, information such as the use of the flexible packaging material (retort-compatible, boil-compatible, microwave-compatible, examples of contents that can be contained, etc.) and characteristics (light-shielding, antistatic, transparency, etc.) may be more important information for the user in selecting a packaging material compared to directly displaying the type of packaging material. Therefore, to enhance user convenience, this information may be combined and displayed on the ordering screen used by the user.

[0030] The print data acquisition unit 12 has the function of acquiring design data to be used for printing from the ordering terminal 90 that has received the order. The design data to be used for printing is data that describes the content to be printed on the packaging material for which the order has been received. In general, there are two types of printing on flexible packaging materials: digital printing, which prints directly from the design data, and non-digital printing, which prints after plate making and color matching. Examples of non-digital printing include gravure printing, flexographic printing, and EB offset printing. However, a non-digital printing method other than these may also be used. The packaging material order management device 10 is capable of handling any type of printing. However, in the case of digital printing, the print data acquired from the ordering party may be used directly for printing without plate making. Therefore, the packaging material order management device 10 is configured to acquire design data (print data) suitable for the specified packaging material from the ordering party by providing format data to the ordering party. This point will be described later. The information acquired by the order receiving unit 11 and the information acquired by the print data acquisition unit 12 are stored in the order information holding unit 17.

[0031] The print data acquisition unit 12 may perform a preflight check if the design data sent by the client is in PDF format, by checking the data based on pre-set check items. The unit may also be configured to notify the client of the preflight check results and the design data intended for final printing. In this case, the client may access a designated website based on a URL notified, for example, via email, to confirm the notification. While the preflight check is performed on PDF data, the unit may also perform a similar check when handling design data other than PDF.

[0032] The packaging material creation instruction unit 13 has the function of issuing packaging material creation instructions to the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 based on the order received by the order receiving unit 11 and the data acquired by the print data acquisition unit 12. The packaging material creation instruction unit 13 prepares the information necessary to issue instructions to the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 based on the information acquired by the order receiving unit 11 and the print data acquisition unit 12, as well as the information held by the device itself. By transmitting the prepared information to the packaging material manufacturing management device 20, an instruction for packaging material creation is issued from the packaging material order management device 10 to the packaging material manufacturing management device 20.

[0033] The delivery management unit 14 has the function of managing the delivery of packaging materials that have been instructed to be created by the packaging material creation instruction unit 13. Once the packaging materials instructed to be created by the packaging material creation instruction unit 13 are completed, they can be sent from the packaging material manufacturing department (e.g., a factory) to the delivery destination. The delivery management unit 14 has the function of notifying the ordering party of the production status and delivery status of the ordered products based on delivery date information and delivery notifications transmitted from the packaging material manufacturing management device 20.

[0034] The settlement processing unit 15 has the function of settling orders received by the order receiving unit 11. The mechanism for settling is not particularly limited and can be used in combination with existing settlement methods. Settlement history (information indicating that a settlement has been made, etc.) may be stored in the order information holding unit 17 in association with order information, etc. Settlement information may be stored separately from the information stored in the order information holding unit 17. In this case, in order to confirm that a settlement has been made for each order, an association using, for example, the order number may be used.

[0035] The user information storage unit 16 has the function of storing information about users who use the packaging material order management device 10 (users who use the services provided by the packaging material order management device 10). Users can be registered as users of the packaging material order management device 10 by providing the necessary registration information to the packaging material order management device 10 in advance or when placing their first order. The information provided by the user during user registration is stored in the user information storage unit 16. In addition, information that identifies the user (e.g., a user ID) is assigned to each user, and information related to a specific user can be obtained using this information. On the other hand, by assigning a password or the like that associated with the information that identifies the user and notifying the user of this password, security management using passwords can be performed. In this way, by registering user information in the user information storage unit 16, when a user places an order again, they can use the information they registered as a user. Note that user registration itself is not a mandatory configuration for the packaging material order management device 10. Therefore, if user management is not performed, the packaging material order management device 10 does not need to have a user information storage unit 16. Alternatively, the system may be configured without associating it with the order information holding unit 17, which will be described later.

[0036] The order information storage unit 17 has the function of storing order information received from the ordering party. The order information storage unit 17 can store information acquired by the order reception unit 11 and the design (print data) acquired by the print data acquisition unit 12, associated with each order from the ordering party. Furthermore, the order information storage unit 17 stores user information held in the user information storage unit 16 in association with each order, making it possible for the user to search their past order history. When a registered user becomes the ordering party, the user registration information becomes the ordering party's information, so linking becomes possible when placing an order while logged in. Also, when a user registers at the time of the first order, the information entered as the ordering party at the time of the first order may be used as user information. Data linking can also be performed after the order is placed using the user ID or other information assigned to identify the user.

[0037] The material information storage unit 18 has the function of storing information relating to the correspondence between model numbers and materials. An example of the information stored in the material information storage unit 18 is shown in Figure 2. In Figure 2, the model number used when ordering is associated with the specifications (for example, information identifying the specifications used by the manufacturing department), material composition, shape and size, features, and price (unit price and minimum order quantity). Of these, the material composition indicates the composition of each layer that makes up the packaging material corresponding to each model number. Using this information, the materials used for the packaging material of a given model number can be identified from that model number. In the example shown in Figure 2, "material composition" includes information specifying the base material, intermediate layer, sealant layer, and the thickness of the materials used in these layers for the flexible packaging material. In addition, "material composition" may also include information specifying the adhesive used between layers and the ink used for printing. The information included in "material composition" can be appropriately changed depending on the type of flexible packaging material.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the information held in the material information holding unit 18 may include information such as shape, size, and characteristics (information describing the material characteristics and uses of each flexible packaging material) associated with the model number. This information may be used, for example, when a customer places an order for packaging materials. Specifically, for example, information such as shape, size, characteristics, and price may be presented to the user on a website, and the user may select the model number of the packaging material to order based on this information. In addition, if discounts are set for some or all users, the system may be configured to hold information specifying the target of the discount and the discount rate (or discount amount) associated with the information shown in Figure 2, as in the example shown in Figure 2. If discount information is held in the material information holding unit 18, the system may be configured to display the price of each flexible packaging material on the website with the discount set for each user reflected.

[0039] Referring to Figures 3 to 5, an example of the configuration of a flexible packaging material, as shown in Figure 2, will be explained. Figure 3(a) is a schematic diagram of a packaging film 200 used in a flexible packaging material, in which a first base film 201, an adhesive layer 204, a second base film 202, an adhesive layer 206, and a third base film 203 are laminated in this order. A primer layer (not shown) may be provided on one of the pair of main surfaces of the first base film 201 that is closer to the second base film 202. Also, an electrostatic ink layer 205 is provided on one of the main surfaces of the adhesive layer 204 that is closer to the first base film 201. If a primer layer is provided, the electrostatic ink layer 205 is provided on one of the pair of main surfaces of the primer layer that is closer to the second base film 202. This packaging film 200 is, for example, a film used in flexible packaging for food heated in a microwave oven.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3(a), the first base film 201 is a 12 μm thick transparent inorganic oxide vapor-deposited biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film (GLARH, manufactured by Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.) with an alumina vapor-deposited layer, the second base film 202 is a 15 μm thick nylon film, and the third base film 203 is a 60 μm thick unoriented polypropylene film. In this case, as shown in Figure 3(b), the material composition can be described by a combination of abbreviations for the material and thickness (number), for example, "GLARH12 / NY15 / CPP60". Furthermore, Figure 3(b) indicates that a film using mechanically recycled PET (GLARNF) can be used instead of the alumina vapor-deposited transparent inorganic oxide vapor-deposited biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film (GLARH). Thus, the "material composition" specifies the material composition of the packaging film to realize the functions required for flexible packaging, and similarly, the materials are described by abbreviations in the example shown in Figure 2.

[0041] Figure 3(b) also shows information related to the material composition, application, bag shape (square standing pouch for microwave ovens), adhesive layer specification, size, design (specification of locations where the design can be added), and bottom tape specification. Some of the information shown in Figure 3(b) may be included in the information shown in Figure 2, or, as shown in Figure 3(b), data may be managed individually for each flexible packaging material handled by this system.

[0042] Figures 4 and 5 illustrate characteristic examples of flexible packaging materials that are expected to be handled by the packaging material ordering and management device 10. Figure 4 shows an example of flexible packaging material using mechanically recycled PET film as the packaging film. Mechanically recycled PET is made by crushing and washing used PET bottles and then returning them to PET resin. Because it is packaging material that utilizes recycled resin, packaging material using mechanically recycled PET is one of the environmentally friendly packaging materials.

[0043] Specifically, Figure 4(a) shows that the material composition of a retort-compatible, transparent flexible packaging material is "Mechanically Recycled PET12 / AL7 / NY15 / CPP80," which consists of a 12μm layer of mechanically recycled PET film, a 7μm layer of aluminum film, a 15μm layer of nylon film, and a 60μm layer of unoriented polypropylene film, with standing pouches and three-sided flat bags being envisioned as specific shapes. Similarly, Figure 4(b) shows that the material composition of a retort-compatible, aluminum flexible packaging material is "GLARNF12 / NY15 / CPP80," which consists of a 12μm layer of mechanically recycled PET film, a 15μm layer of nylon film, and an 80μm layer of unoriented polypropylene film, with standing pouches and three-sided flat bags being envisioned as specific shapes. Furthermore, Figure 4(c) shows that the material composition of the aluminum flexible packaging for health foods is "Mechanical Recycled PET12 / AL7 / NY15 / LLDPE40," indicating that it consists of a 12μm layer of mechanically recycled PET film, a 7μm layer of aluminum film, a 15μm layer of nylon film, and a 40μm layer of low-density polyethylene film. It also shows that specific shapes such as standing pouches, three-sided flat bags, standing zipper bags, and three-sided zipper bags are envisioned.

[0044] Figure 5 also shows an example of a flexible packaging material using a non-solvent laminated film. Non-solvent lamination refers to lamination using adhesives that do not use organic solvents. Because non-solvent lamination is a process that does not use organic solvents, it does not emit carbon dioxide (CO2) or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) compared to lamination using adhesives that use organic solvents. Therefore, packaging materials made with non-solvent laminates are one type of packaging material that takes the working environment and the natural environment into consideration.

[0045] Specifically, Figure 5(a) shows that the material composition of a flexible packaging material using non-sol laminate packaging film for health foods is "Mechanical Recycled PET12 / AL7 / NY15 / LLDPE40," indicating that it consists of a 12μm layer of mechanically recycled PET film, a 7μm layer of aluminum film, a 15μm layer of nylon film, and a 40μm layer of low-density polyethylene film. The specific shapes envisioned are a standing pouch, a three-sided flat bag, a standing zipper bag, and a three-sided zipper bag. Figure 5(b) shows that the material composition of a flexible packaging material using non-sol laminate packaging film for confectionery, rice, and dried foods is "OPP30 / CPP30," indicating that it consists of a 30μm layer of biaxially oriented polypropylene film and a 30μm layer of unoriented polypropylene film. The specific shape envisioned is a three-sided flat bag. Furthermore, Figure 5(c) shows that the material composition of the flexible packaging material made of non-sol laminated film for pet food, confectionery, and dry food is "Barrier NY15 / Easy Cut LLDPE80," indicating that a 15 μm barrier nylon film and an 80 μm easy-to-cut low-density polyethylene film are laminated together, and that a three-sided zipper bag is envisioned as a specific shape.

[0046] In this way, the packaging material ordering management device 10 can handle a wide variety of flexible packaging materials depending on the application. In the example shown in Figure 2, only four data items associated with model numbers are shown, but in reality, it is expected that there are a considerable number of data items associated with model numbers managed by the packaging material ordering management device 10. When a user places an order, the packaging material ordering management device 10 presents the user with the flexible packaging materials that can be ordered. In this case, instead of presenting all the information managed by the material information holding unit 18, the device may be configured to select and present flexible packaging materials according to the user's needs, etc. This point will be discussed later.

[0047] Returning to Figure 2, the format data holding unit 19 has the function of holding information about a set of format data provided to the ordering party and used by the ordering party to create design data for printing. An example of the information held in the format data holding unit 19 is shown in Figures 6 and 7. In Figure 6, information that identifies the data to be sent to the ordering party (ordering party terminal 90) is associated with the model number used at the time of ordering (for example, a file name). The format data sent to the ordering party terminal 90 is data that the ordering party can use to create a design (process the data) using the ordering party terminal 90 or other devices. Furthermore, it is preferable that the data processed by the ordering party (data for printing) be returned in a predetermined format, and in particular, in the case of digital printing, it is required that it be sent from the ordering party terminal 90 to the packaging material order management device 10 in a format that can be used by the printing press 21, for example. Therefore, for example, as shown in Figure 6, one set of format data may be prepared for one model number, consisting of one set of format data, one setting file, and one manual data. This set of formatted data can be a package of data provided to the ordering terminal 90.

[0048] Format data refers to the data that forms the basis of the data used for printing. An example of format data is shown in Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7, data D1 may define a drawing area A1 and a non-drawing area A2 corresponding to the packaging material corresponding to the model number. Furthermore, drawing area A1 may have a frame A3 to demarcate the recommended printing area. In addition, if there are areas with printing restrictions, such as zippers, a restricted area A4 may be defined. In this way, data D1 may contain information that enables the ordering party to create appropriate print data for the packaging material.

[0049] Returning to Figure 6, the configuration file associated with each model number is, for example, a file that describes various settings for outputting the design data used for printing in an appropriate state in an application used by the ordering party. The manual data is data that describes how to use the format data and configuration file. Such a dataset may be stored as a "set of format data" associated with one model number. The format data storage unit 19 also stores the configuration file and manual data in addition to the data D1 mentioned above. When sending the set of format data to the ordering party terminal 90, three data (format data, configuration file, and manual data) are selected based on the model number. These data are then packaged together and sent from the packaging order management device 10 to the ordering party terminal 90 by the print data acquisition unit 12.

[0050] Furthermore, the packaging material order management device 10 may also have a function to manage the settlement process that occurs when an order is received. However, since existing processes can be applied to this part, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0051] [Packaging material manufacturing control device] The packaging material manufacturing management device 20 is a device that can operate in conjunction with the packaging material order management device 10. Furthermore, the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 has the function of managing each device related to packaging material manufacturing within the department it manages (referred to as the "packaging material manufacturing department" in Figure 1). As an example, Figure 1 shows a printing press 21, a laminating machine 22, and a bag-making machine 23. The printing press 21 can be selected as a digital printing press or a non-digital printing press (gravure printing press, EB offset printing press, flexographic printing press, etc.) depending on the type of printing. The laminating machine 22 can be a dry laminating machine, an extrusion laminating machine, etc. Note that these machines shown in Figure 1 are just examples, and the devices managed by the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 are not limited to these. Also, the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 may individually control the managed devices (printing press 21, etc.), or it may be configured to manage only the operating status or operating schedule.

[0052] Furthermore, the packaging manufacturing management device 20 may be configured to centrally manage the materials and processes for each product manufactured in the department it manages. Thus, the scope of management of the packaging manufacturing management device 20 can encompass all operations related to the manufacturing of packaging materials in the department under its management. However, the packaging manufacturing management device 20 does not have to manage all of these operations; it may be configured to manage only a portion of them. As an example, in this embodiment, the packaging manufacturing management device 20, as part of the management related to the manufacturing of packaging materials based on instructions from the packaging order management device 10, at least receives instructions for the creation of packaging materials from the packaging order management device 10, manages the received data, and manages the creation status (process management) of the packaging materials for which instructions have been received. Note that these management operations do not need to be performed by a single packaging manufacturing management device 20; they may be managed in a distributed manner across multiple devices.

[0053] [Hardware configuration of packaging material ordering and manufacturing management system] Figure 8 shows an example of the hardware configuration of a computer 110 used in a packaging material ordering management device 10 or a packaging material manufacturing management device 20. For example, the computer 110 has a control circuit 100. In one example, the control circuit 100 has one or more processors 101, memory 102, storage 103, communication port 104, and input / output port 105. The processor 101 executes the operating system and application programs. The storage 103 consists of a storage medium such as a hard disk, non-volatile semiconductor memory, or a removable medium (e.g., magnetic disk, optical disk, etc.) and stores the operating system and application programs. The memory 102 temporarily stores programs loaded from the storage 103 or the results of calculations performed by the processor 101. The processor 101 functions as an individual functional module by executing programs in cooperation with the memory 102. The communication port 104 communicates data with other devices via a communication network NW according to commands from the processor 101. The input / output port 105 performs electrical signal input and output to and from input / output devices (user interfaces) such as keyboards, mice, monitors, and touch panels, in accordance with commands from the processor 101.

[0054] Furthermore, the packaging material ordering management device 10 and the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 may each be composed of multiple computers 110. Also, if either the packaging material ordering management device 10 or the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 is composed of multiple computers 110, the multiple computers 110 may be distributed and connected to each other via a communication network NW.

[0055] [Packaging material order management method] Next, with reference to Figure 9, a method for managing packaging material orders using the packaging material ordering system 1, which includes a packaging material ordering management device 10 and a packaging material manufacturing management device 20, will be described.

[0056] As shown in Figure 9, steps S01 and S02 are performed between the ordering terminal 90 and the packaging material ordering management device 10. In step S01, the ordering party operates the ordering terminal 90 to refer to the website provided by the packaging material ordering management device 10, enters the necessary information on the website, and sends a user registration request. Meanwhile, in step S02, the packaging material ordering management device 10 receives the user registration request from the ordering terminal 90, registers the user's information in the user information holding unit 16 of the packaging material ordering management device 10, and notifies the ordering terminal 90 that user registration is complete. This makes it possible for the user of the ordering terminal 90 to become an ordering party. Steps S01 and S02 are examples of cases where user registration is performed in advance, and this process may be changed depending on the timing of user registration. Also, if user management is not performed in the packaging material ordering management device 10, this process may be omitted.

[0057] Furthermore, the user registration procedure (S01-S02) may include a step to confirm that the user has no ties to anti-social forces. Including such a step makes it possible to conduct transactions while severing ties with anti-social forces. Methods for confirming the absence of ties to anti-social forces include, for example, a process for the user to confirm it themselves. Alternatively, a process for confirming the relationship between the user and anti-social forces may be established by searching online articles etc. using the username, etc. Furthermore, a compliance confirmation process may be established at this stage, not limited to confirming the absence of ties to anti-social forces. These processes may be carried out in combination with services provided by external parties. Examples of external services include services that perform compliance checks based on company names, etc. As a method of combining with such external services, for example, the packaging material order management device 10 may provide information such as the company name registered by the user to the external service during the user registration procedure, and the package material order management device 10 may be configured to automatically acquire the check results from the external service and store them in the package material order management device 10. In this case, the results of the check by the external service are displayed on the display unit (not shown) of the packaging material order management device 10, and the administrator of the packaging material order management device 10 can confirm whether or not the user has any relationship with anti-social forces by checking the results of the check by the external service. When incorporating such a procedure, it is also possible to add a procedure in which the user is placed in a provisional registration state until the administrator confirms whether or not the user has any relationship with anti-social forces, and the user is officially registered once the administrator has confirmed that there is no relationship with anti-social forces. If user management using user registration is not performed, a similar check may be performed when accepting orders, as described later.

[0058] Next, the packaging material order management device 10 executes step S03 based on a request from the ordering terminal 90. When a user of the ordering terminal 90 wishes to place an order for packaging materials with the packaging material order management device 10, the user operates the ordering terminal 90 to request the display of an order form. In response to this request, the packaging material order management device 10 displays an order form. The format of the order form is not particularly limited; for example, it may display multiple available packaging materials on a website, allowing the user to select from among them, or it may be configured so that the user inputs the model number. Thus, the format and interface for inputting information when placing an order can be changed as appropriate.

[0059] If the system is configured so that users place orders for packaging materials via a website (for example, a user page assigned to each user) after user registration (S01-S02), the user page assigned to each user may be configured to allow users to view the details of their orders, the processing status of the packaging materials they ordered, and data they have submitted. In addition, the administrator of the packaging material order management device 10 may use the user page to provide users with various information (public relations information, notices addressed to specific users, etc.).

[0060] Figure 10 shows an example of extracting information related to packaging materials to be presented on a website (user page, etc.) to a user identified by user ID "U001" from the information held in the material information holding unit 18. When the website is configured to present available packaging materials to the user and allow the user to select the packaging material to order, as shown in Figure 10, the information to be presented to the user can be selected, and a selection screen can be presented to the user based on that information. In Figure 10, information related to five packaging materials is shown as an example. Of these, the packaging materials identified by display model numbers X0101, X0102, and X0205 have "User-specific price" written in the remarks column. In the example shown in Figure 2, it is shown that discounts are applied individually to each of the above three model numbers of packaging materials as information related to discounts. In Figure 10, the "amount" for these three packaging materials is shown with the discounts shown in Figure 2 reflected. Therefore, when presenting available packaging materials to user U001, the amount shown in Figure 10 is displayed on the website. In this case, for example, the display may be changed to clearly indicate that it is a special price. In this way, for packaging materials with a special price, the regular price may also be displayed, which may be a configuration that actively informs the user that a special price has been set.

[0061] The packaging material identified by the display model number X0301 shown in Figure 10 has the note "Based on user industry" in the remarks column. This indicates that the packaging material ordering management device 10 has selected to present information about the packaging material related to the user's industry, based on the information entered by the user during user registration. As shown in Figures 2-5, when the packaging material ordering management device 10 handles a wide variety of packaging materials, there may be various packaging materials suitable for a particular industry. When presenting the packaging materials available to the user, prioritizing the presentation of packaging materials highly relevant to the user's industry allows the user to easily select packaging materials that meet their needs and complete the ordering process simply. The "user industry" shown in Figure 10 is one example of how packaging materials highly relevant to the user are extracted, indicating that packaging materials that are likely to be used in the user's industry are prioritized and presented to the user.

[0062] Furthermore, the packaging material identified by the display model number X0401 shown in Figure 10 has "Original Specification" written in the remarks column. This indicates packaging material created based on a request from a specific user and intended for that user. In other words, this packaging material can be set up so that only a specific user (for example, user U001) can purchase it. Thus, the packaging material order management device 10 can also set up unique packaging materials based on requests from specific users. In that case, a model number and specification number are set for the unique packaging material, all the information necessary to manufacture the packaging material is prepared and stored in the material information holding unit 18 in the same way as the information for other packaging materials. When presenting the packaging materials available to a specific user on the website, the packaging materials for that user are also presented. With this configuration, it becomes possible to provide different packaging materials to each user in response to their requests, and users can easily order the packaging materials.

[0063] It should be noted that the methods for presenting packaging materials on a website are not limited to the examples described above. For example, the initial screen could display all available packaging materials, and the user could set filtering criteria to search, thereby extracting and displaying only the information related to specific packaging materials that match those criteria. Alternatively, information related to packaging materials that should be prioritized for display to the user could be extracted using a method different from those described above.

[0064] Returning to Figure 9, the next step is executed on the ordering terminal 90, which has obtained the order form. In step S04, the user of the ordering terminal 90 enters various information necessary for the order. The information entered by the user at this time includes information specifying the model number of the packaging material. The user may specify the model number of the packaging material directly, but for example, if the user selects one packaging material from those listed on the website, the corresponding model number for that packaging material may be automatically selected.

[0065] Next, the ordering terminal 90 executes step S05. In step S05, the information entered in the order form, i.e., the order information, is transmitted from the ordering terminal 90 to the packaging material order management device 10. This order information may include model number information that specifies the material, shape, and size of the packaging material. Once the order information is transmitted from the ordering terminal 90, the order receiving unit 11 of the packaging material order management device 10 executes step S06. In step S06, the order receiving unit 11 acquires the order information and stores it in the order information holding unit 17 as a process to start the order acceptance process. It also performs association with the user information holding unit 16 as needed (for example, linking information using the user ID).

[0066] Next, the print data acquisition unit 12 of the packaging material order management device 10 executes step S07. In step S07, the print data acquisition unit 12 refers to the format data holding unit 19 and prepares a set of format data corresponding to the model number included in the order information. Next, the print data acquisition unit 12 of the packaging material order management device 10 executes step S08. In step S08, the print data acquisition unit 12 transmits the set of format data prepared by the print data acquisition unit 12 to the ordering terminal 90. As an example, the print data acquisition unit 12 may upload the set of format data to a website or the like where the data can be downloaded by an operation from the ordering terminal 90. In this case, the configuration may be such that the set of format data is obtained by downloading the data by an operation from the ordering terminal 90. A set of format data corresponding to each model number may be made available for download on a specific website, and the ordering terminal 90 may obtain the set of format data by downloading the set of format data corresponding to a specific model number.

[0067] In response, the ordering terminal 90 executes step S09. In step S09, the ordering terminal 90, having acquired the complete set of format data, processes data D1 to create design data for printing.

[0068] After the data is created, the ordering terminal 90 executes step S10. In step S10, the ordering terminal 90 sends the design data for printing after processing to the packaging order management device 10. The transmitted data is acquired by the print data acquisition unit 12 of the packaging order management device 10. The sending of the design data from the ordering terminal 90 to the packaging order management device 10 may be done, for example, by uploading the data to a specific website. At this time, a process may be performed to have the user confirm that the design data does not infringe copyright and does not violate public order and morals. Alternatively, the packaging order system 1 may perform the check for copyright infringement and violations of public order and morals by combining it with an external service or by executing a program pre-installed in the packaging order management device 10.

[0069] Once the above steps are completed, the settlement processing unit 15 of the packaging material order management device 10 executes step S11. In step S11, the settlement processing unit 15 confirms the order from the ordering party and performs the settlement process. Information indicating that the settlement has been completed by the settlement processing unit 15 is recorded in the order information holding unit 17, for example, as described above. With these steps completed, the series of processes related to order acceptance are finished.

[0070] Next, the packaging material creation instruction unit 13 of the packaging material order management device 10 executes step S12. In step S12, the packaging material creation instruction unit 13 refers to the model number included in the order information and the material information storage unit 18 to prepare the information necessary to send to the packaging material manufacturing management device 20. That is, information that identifies the materials used in the packaging material specified by the model number (material specification information) is prepared. The packaging material creation instruction unit 13 obtains the material information corresponding to the model number from the information stored in the material information storage unit 18. This completes the preparation of the data to be sent to the packaging material manufacturing management device 20.

[0071] Next, the packaging material creation instruction unit 13 of the packaging material order management device 10 executes step S13. In step S13, the packaging material creation instruction unit 13 sends a packaging material creation instruction to the packaging material manufacturing management device 20. The creation instruction includes information specifying the materials to be used to create the packaging material and design data to be used for printing on the packaging material. In addition, the creation instruction may also include information relating to the delivery destination of the packaging material.

[0072] Next, the packaging material manufacturing management device 20, having received instructions to create packaging materials, executes step S14. In step S14, the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 starts managing the processes related to the creation of packaging materials and begins the creation process based on the instructions. Examples of processes controlled by the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 include the procurement of materials and securing the usage time for each piece of equipment used to create packaging materials, such as the printing press 21, the laminating machine 22, and the bag-making machine 23.

[0073] Furthermore, the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 executes step S15 as necessary. In step S15, the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 processes the design data so that it can be used by the printing press 21. However, step S15 may be changed depending on the state of the design data or the type of printing on the packaging material. For example, in the case of creating packaging materials using digital printing, the printing press 21 basically uses the design data sent from the ordering terminal 90 as is for printing. This is because the design is written in a predetermined drawing area A1 using data D1. Thus, in the case of digital printing, it may be possible to omit step S15. Note that in the case of digital printing, the data processing shown in step S15 may also be performed. In this case, step S15 may perform adjustments to make the design data usable by the printing press 21, data proofreading, etc.

[0074] In parallel with product creation, the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 executes step S16, and in response, the packaging material order management device 10 executes step S17. In step S16, the packaging material manufacturing management device 20 notifies the packaging material order management device 10 of the planned delivery date for the packaging materials. The planned delivery date can be determined, for example, as a result of process control (step S14). The packaging material manufacturing management device 20 notifies the packaging material order management device 10 when the delivery date is expected. In step S17, the packaging material order management device 10, having received the planned delivery date information from the packaging material manufacturing management device 20, notifies the customer terminal 90 of the delivery date information via the delivery management unit 14. The method of notifying the customer terminal 90 is not particularly limited and can include, for example, notification via a website (e.g., a user page assigned to each user), notification via email, etc. At this time, the delivery management unit 14 may also update the delivery date information in the order information held in the order information holding unit 17.

[0075] When the product is completed, the packaging manufacturing management device 20 executes step S18. Following the execution of step S18, steps S19 to S21 are executed. In step S18, the packaging manufacturing management device 20 ships the completed product to the delivery destination included in the production instructions. Along with the shipment of the product, a shipment notification is sent from the packaging manufacturing management device 20 to the packaging order management device 10 as step S19. In step S20, the packaging order management device 10, having received the shipment notification, reports to the ordering terminal 90 that the shipment has been completed. The method of notifying the ordering terminal 90 is not particularly limited and can include, for example, notification via a website (e.g., a user page assigned to each user) or notification by email. Also, as shown in step S21, the goods are sent separately from the packaging manufacturing management device 20 to the delivery destination. Figure 9 shows an example where the delivery destination is the user of the ordering terminal 90, illustrating the state in which the goods are sent to the ordering terminal 90. Since the delivery destination is set based on the order information, the delivery may be made to a location different from the location of the user on the ordering terminal 90.

[0076] The above completes the series of processes involved in creating one piece of packaging material. Note that if the same user places an order for packaging material for the second time or later, some of the steps shown in Figure 9 can be omitted. For example, if the packaging material order management device 10 performs user management, the user registration procedure (S01-S02) is omitted from the second time onward because user registration is already completed, and a login process using the user ID, etc., is performed instead. Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the packaging material order management device 10 performs user management, order information can be created using the information used for user registration, thus simplifying, for example, the input of information in the order information input (S04).

[0077] Furthermore, if the order information holding unit 17 of the packaging material order management device 10 holds information on orders from a predetermined period in the past, this information may be made available when ordering packaging materials of the same content. In this case, for example, if the order details and delivery destination are the same, the input of information in the input of order information (S04) may be simplified by using past order information. Also, if design data used in the past is held, the procedure for preparing the design data (S07~S10) may be omitted, and the design data used in past orders may be used as is. To improve convenience when the same user places a reorder, for example, it may be possible for the user to reconfirm the design data held in the order information holding unit 17 (data obtained from the ordering party, or processed data used to create the flexible packaging material).

[0078] Figure 11 shows an example of the procedure for creating flexible packaging materials in the packaging manufacturing department, which may be subject to process control by the packaging manufacturing management device 20. Figure 11(a) shows a typical procedure for creating flexible packaging materials. Specifically, first, upon receiving a packaging material creation instruction from the packaging material order management device 10 (step S31), the materials are prepared based on the information specifying the materials included in the packaging material creation instruction (step S32). Specifically, as described above, the materials for each layer, including the base layer (substrate), intermediate layer, and sealant layer, the adhesive used to bond each layer, and the ink used for printing are prepared.

[0079] When actually creating flexible packaging, the printing press 21 is typically used to print onto the base material layer (step S33). Then, the laminating machine 22 is used to bond the base material layer, intermediate layer, and sealant layer together (step S34). Furthermore, the film that will become the material for the flexible packaging after bonding is processed into a bag using the bag-making machine 23 (step S35). This creates the flexible packaging according to the packaging material creation instructions. The packaging material manufacturing management device 20 manages the above series of processes and manufactures the flexible packaging according to the delivery date.

[0080] On the other hand, Figure 11(b) shows an example of a modification to the flexible packaging material creation procedure that can be adopted in the packaging material ordering system 1. Specifically, first, regardless of the receipt of instructions for creating packaging materials, a pre-bonded raw material with the intermediate layer and sealant layer already bonded is prepared (step S41). A pre-bonded raw material is one in which the intermediate layer and sealant layer that can be used in products (flexible packaging materials) ordered by the customer have been bonded together. In the case of a packaging material ordering system 1, where orders are accepted from the customer by specifying the model number, it is possible to prepare a pre-bonded raw material by pre-bonding the intermediate layer and sealant layer that can be used in flexible packaging materials of a specific model number, without printing, according to the order trends of each product. Since no printing is done on the part of the pre-bonded raw material, it becomes a pre-prepared design. Furthermore, by preparing in consideration of product trends (sales, etc.), it is possible to prevent quality deterioration due to long-term storage of the pre-bonded raw material. The pre-bonded raw material can be created, for example, by a laminating machine 22.

[0081] Next, upon receiving a packaging material creation instruction from the packaging material order management device 10 (step S42), the materials are prepared based on the information specifying the materials included in the packaging material creation instruction (step S43). Specifically, preparations are made for the pre-bonded raw material consisting of a base layer (substrate), an intermediate layer and a sealant layer, adhesives to be used to bond each layer, and inks to be used for printing.

[0082] Next, printing is performed on the base material layer in the printing press 21 (step S44). Then, the base material layer and the pre-bonded raw material are bonded together using the laminating machine 22 (step S45). Furthermore, the film that will become the material for the bonded flexible packaging is processed into a bag in the bag-making machine 23 (step S46). This creates the flexible packaging according to the packaging material creation instructions. The packaging material manufacturing management device 20 manages the above series of processes and manufactures the flexible packaging according to the delivery date.

[0083] As shown in the example in Figure 11(b), by configuring the system to prepare the pre-bonded raw material (S41) in advance, the process after receiving the instruction to create the packaging material (S42), especially the bonding (S45) process, can be shortened compared to the conventional process (S34). In other words, by reducing the number of materials to be bonded, the process using the laminating machine 22 is shortened. As a result, the time required for the process from receiving the instruction to create the packaging material (S42) to completing the creation of the flexible packaging material can be reduced, making it possible to deliver the product in a shorter timeframe.

[0084] [Effect] According to the packaging material ordering system 1 and packaging material ordering management device 10 described above, the ordering terminal 90 that receives the order is provided with format data corresponding to the shape of the ordered packaging material. Furthermore, design data using this format data is provided from the ordering terminal 90 and acquired by the print data acquisition unit 12. Therefore, design data based on format data suitable for printing on flexible packaging materials can be reliably acquired as print data.

[0085] Online printing order systems have been known for some time. However, simply applying these systems to flexible packaging presented a challenge: it was difficult to obtain print-appropriate design data from the customer. In other words, conventional printing order systems often assumed that the data obtained from the customer would be re-adjusted for printing. To create flexible packaging that better matches the customer's vision, it is necessary to obtain print-appropriate data directly from the customer. However, due to the characteristics of the shape of flexible packaging, there are limitations on printable areas, making it difficult to obtain data with a print-appropriate layout from the customer. In contrast, the above-described packaging order system 1 and packaging order management device 10 allow the customer to create print-appropriate design data using format data. Furthermore, since this format data corresponds to the shape of the ordered packaging, it becomes possible for the customer to reliably create print-appropriate data.

[0086] Furthermore, the information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material may be in the form of information specifying a model number associated with the shape of the flexible packaging material. As described above, when the information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material is information specifying a model number associated with the shape of the flexible packaging material, it becomes possible to manage the format data using this model number, and furthermore, it becomes possible to select the appropriate format data using the model number and provide it to the ordering terminal. Therefore, data management and handling within the device can be performed more appropriately. Note that the model numbers only need to be distinguished according to the shape, and the model numbers may be further subdivided and set according to other factors. For example, even if the shape is the same, different model numbers may be assigned to them if the material is different.

[0087] The flexible packaging material is printed using a digital printing press, and the design data obtained from the ordering terminal 90 may be in a data format suitable for printing on the flexible packaging material using a digital printing press. When printing on the flexible packaging material is performed using a digital printing press, as described above, by configuring the system to obtain design data in a format suitable for printing on the flexible packaging material using a digital printing press from the ordering terminal 90, it is possible to prevent the design from being altered by the operator. Therefore, it becomes possible to apply appropriate printing to the flexible packaging material based on the design data.

[0088] The format data holding unit 19 further holds a setting file associated with information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material, allowing the ordering terminal 90 to output the design data in a state suitable for printing on the flexible packaging material. The print data acquisition unit 12 may provide the ordering terminal 90 with the format data and design data selected based on the information held in the format data holding unit 19. Even when design data is created by processing the format data at the ordering terminal, there is a possibility that the design data may not be output in a state suitable for printing depending on the operating environment of the ordering terminal 90. Therefore, by providing the setting file to the ordering terminal 90 as described above, the ordering party can create the design data more appropriately.

[0089] The order information may include information specifying the material of the flexible packaging. The materials used in flexible packaging may include packaging materials of different materials. Therefore, with the above configuration, the packaging material ordering management system can handle flexible packaging materials of different materials, enabling the customer to order a wider variety of flexible packaging.

[0090] [Differentiation] The foregoing disclosure is not necessarily limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from its essence.

[0091] For example, some functions of the packaging material order management device 10 may be managed by a separate device. For instance, user information management may be handled by a separate device. Similarly, payment-related matters may also be managed by a separate device.

[0092] Furthermore, the information included in the order information is not limited to that described in the above embodiment, and various types of information can be combined. The order input form, design data structure, etc., can also be modified as appropriate.

[0093] [Note 1] A packaging material order management device according to one embodiment is a packaging material order management device that receives orders for the creation of flexible packaging materials from an ordering terminal via the Internet, and includes: an order-related information acquisition unit that acquires order information including information specifying the model number of the flexible packaging material and design data including a design to be printed on the flexible packaging material from the ordering terminal; a material information holding unit that holds material specification information associating information specifying the model number of the flexible packaging material with information specifying the materials used in the flexible packaging material identified by the model number; and a packaging material creation instruction unit that transmits a packaging material creation instruction to a packaging material manufacturing management device that manages the manufacturing of the flexible packaging material, including material specification information that specifies the materials of the flexible packaging material corresponding to the model number included in the order information, selected based on the information held in the material information holding unit, and the design data.

[0094] According to the above-described packaging ordering system and packaging ordering management device, customers can place orders by specifying the model number of the flexible packaging material from their terminal. Meanwhile, the packaging ordering management device prepares material specification information based on the model number, specifying the materials of the flexible packaging material associated with that model number, and sends this information to the packaging manufacturing management device as a packaging material creation instruction, initiating the management of the manufacturing process. In this way, customers can easily order flexible packaging materials by specifying the model number from their terminal, while the packaging ordering management device sends a packaging material creation instruction to the packaging manufacturing management device with the various materials included in the flexible packaging material specified. Therefore, the above-described packaging ordering system and packaging ordering management device make ordering easy for customers and enable proper management of the manufacturing of flexible packaging materials based on these orders.

[0095] The material specification information may include information that identifies the materials of the base material, ink, adhesive layer, and sealant layer contained in the flexible packaging material.

[0096] Various properties of a flexible packaging material can be achieved through different combinations of the base material, ink, adhesive layer, and sealant layer that constitute the flexible packaging material. By including information that identifies these materials in the material specification information, the customer can order a flexible packaging material that matches the desired properties by using the model number, and information on each material constituting the flexible packaging material corresponding to the model number will be appropriately transmitted to the packaging material manufacturing management system.

[0097] The instructions for creating the packaging material may also include information specifying the shape or size of the flexible packaging material.

[0098] With the above configuration, the packaging material ordering and management system can handle a wide variety of flexible packaging materials, including those with different shapes or sizes, thus enabling it to handle an even greater range of flexible packaging materials.

[0099] The material specification information may include information specifying the thickness of the material used in the flexible packaging material identified by the model number.

[0100] The materials used in flexible packaging sometimes include materials of the same type but with different thicknesses. Therefore, with the above configuration, the packaging material ordering management system can handle materials of the same type but with different thicknesses, allowing the customer to order a wider variety of flexible packaging materials.

[0101] The printing press is a digital printing press, and the packaging material manufacturing management device may be configured to manage the process so that the design data acquired from the ordering terminal is used directly in printing on the flexible packaging material by the digital printing press.

[0102] When printing on flexible packaging materials is done using a digital printing press, managing the process so that the design data obtained from the ordering terminal is used directly for printing on the flexible packaging materials on the digital printing press, as described above, prevents the design from being altered by the operator, thus enabling proper printing.

[0103] The order-related information acquisition unit may provide the ordering terminal with format data corresponding to information specifying the model number of the flexible packaging material, thereby acquiring data with the design added to the format data as the design data acquired from the ordering terminal.

[0104] By using the above configuration, design data utilizing format data is provided from the client's terminal, ensuring that design data suitable for use on a digital printing press can be reliably obtained.

[0105] The printing press may be a non-digital printing press, and the packaging material manufacturing management device may manage the process so that the design data acquired from the ordering terminal is processed in a predetermined manner and then used for printing on the flexible packaging material on the non-digital printing press.

[0106] When printing on flexible packaging materials is performed using a non-digital printing press, it is necessary to perform adjustments suitable for that press. Therefore, by managing the process so that the design data is processed as described above and then used for printing on flexible packaging materials with a non-digital printing press, it becomes possible to achieve appropriate printing even with a non-digital printing press.

[0107] The packaging material manufacturing control device may also be configured to control the process such that, when the flexible packaging material includes an intermediate layer and a sealant layer, the intermediate layer and the sealant layer are bonded together first to prepare the material as a pre-bonded raw material.

[0108] The flexible packaging materials handled by the packaging material ordering system have pre-configured materials used for the intermediate layer and sealant layer for each model number. Therefore, by preparing pre-bonded raw materials in advance and managing the process to create the flexible packaging materials for which orders have been received, the process after receiving an order can be shortened.

[0109] [Note 2] This disclosure may include, for example, the following inventions: <Invention 1> A packaging material ordering management device that accepts orders for the creation of flexible packaging materials from a customer terminal operated by the customer via the internet, An order receiving unit that receives order information, including information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material, transmitted from the ordering terminal, A format data holding unit holds format data suitable for the design of the printed surface of a flexible packaging material of a certain shape, in association with information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material. A print data acquisition unit provides the ordering terminal with format data corresponding to information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material included in the order information, selected based on the information held in the format data holding unit, thereby acquiring design data containing a design to be printed on the flexible packaging material from the ordering terminal. A packaging material order management device having an order information holding unit that manages the aforementioned order information and the aforementioned design data in association. <Invention 2> The packaging material ordering management device according to Invention 1, wherein the information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material is information specifying a model number associated with the shape of the flexible packaging material. <Invention 3> The aforementioned flexible packaging material is printed by a digital printing press. The packaging material ordering management device according to Invention 1 or 2, wherein the design data acquired from the ordering terminal has a data structure suitable for printing on the flexible packaging material in the digital printing press. <Invention 4> The format data holding unit further holds a configuration file associated with information specifying the shape of the flexible packaging material, for outputting the design data in a state suitable for printing on the flexible packaging material at the ordering terminal. The packaging material ordering management device according to any one of Inventions 1 to 3, wherein the print data acquisition unit provides the format data and design data selected based on the information held in the format data holding unit to the ordering terminal. <Invention 5> A packaging material ordering management device according to any one of Inventions 1 to 4, wherein the order information includes information specifying the material of the flexible packaging material. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0110] 1...Packaging material ordering system, 10...Packaging material ordering management device, 11...Order reception unit, 12...Print data acquisition unit, 13...Packaging material creation instruction unit, 14...Delivery management unit, 15...Payment processing unit, 16...User information storage unit, 17...Order information storage unit, 18...Material information storage unit, 19...Format data storage unit, 20...Packaging material manufacturing management device, 21...Printing machine, 22...Laminating machine, 23...Bag making machine, 90...Orderer terminal.

Claims

1. A packaging material ordering management device that accepts orders for the creation of flexible packaging materials from a customer terminal operated by the customer via the internet, An order receiving unit that receives order information, including information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material, transmitted from the ordering terminal; A format data holding unit holds format data suitable for the design of the printed surface of a flexible packaging material of a certain shape and size, in association with information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material. A print data acquisition unit provides the ordering terminal with format data corresponding to information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material included in the order information, selected based on the information held in the format data holding unit, thereby acquiring design data containing a design to be printed on the flexible packaging material from the ordering terminal. It has an order information holding unit that manages the aforementioned order information and the aforementioned design data in association, The packaging material order management device includes a print data acquisition unit that performs a data check on the design data transmitted from the ordering terminal based on pre-set check items, and notifies the ordering party of the check results and the design data that is ultimately intended to be used for printing.

2. A packaging material ordering management device that receives orders for the creation of flexible packaging materials from an ordering terminal operated by an ordering party via the Internet, An order receiving unit that receives order information, including information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material, transmitted from the ordering terminal; A format data holding unit holds format data suitable for the design of the printed surface of a flexible packaging material of a certain shape and size, in association with information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material. A print data acquisition unit provides the ordering terminal with format data corresponding to information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material included in the order information, selected based on the information held in the format data holding unit, thereby acquiring design data containing a design to be printed on the flexible packaging material from the ordering terminal. It has an order information holding unit that manages the aforementioned order information and the aforementioned design data in association, The aforementioned format data defines a drawing area and a non-drawing area corresponding to the flexible packaging material. A packaging material ordering management device, wherein the drawing area in the aforementioned format data is provided with a border line for demarcating the recommended printing area.

3. The packaging material ordering management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material is information specifying a model number associated with the shape and size of the flexible packaging material.

4. The packaging material ordering management device according to claim 2, wherein the format data further defines a restricted area indicating an area where printing is restricted.

5. The packaging material ordering management device according to claim 1 or 2, which performs a process to have the ordering party confirm that the design data does not infringe copyright and does not violate public order and morals.

6. The aforementioned flexible packaging material is printed by a digital printing press. The packaging material ordering management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the design data acquired by the print data acquisition unit from the ordering terminal has a data structure suitable for printing on the flexible packaging material in the digital printing press.

7. The format data holding unit further holds a setting file for outputting the design data in a state suitable for printing the flexible packaging material at the ordering terminal, associated with information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material, and manual data describing how to use the format data and the setting file. The packaging material ordering management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the print data acquisition unit provides the format data, the setting file, and the manual data selected based on the information held in the format data holding unit to the ordering terminal.

8. The packaging material ordering management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the order information includes information specifying the material of the flexible packaging material.

9. A packaging ordering system comprising: a packaging order management device that receives orders for the creation of flexible packaging materials from customer terminals via the internet; and a packaging manufacturing management device that manages the creation of the flexible packaging materials based on instructions from the packaging order management device in a manufacturing department that includes a printing press, The aforementioned packaging material ordering and management device, An order receiving unit that receives order information, including information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material, transmitted from the ordering terminal; A format data holding unit holds format data suitable for the design of the printed surface of a flexible packaging material of a certain shape and size, in association with information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material. A print data acquisition unit provides the ordering terminal with format data corresponding to information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material included in the order information, selected based on the information held in the format data holding unit, thereby acquiring design data containing a design to be printed on the flexible packaging material from the ordering terminal. An order information holding unit manages the aforementioned order information and the aforementioned design data in association, The system includes a packaging material creation instruction unit that issues instructions to the packaging material manufacturing management device for creating packaging materials based on information obtained by the order receiving unit and the print data acquisition unit, The packaging material manufacturing management device controls the equipment, including the printing press in the manufacturing department, so that the flexible packaging material is manufactured based on the packaging material manufacturing instructions. The packaging material ordering system includes a print data acquisition unit that performs a data check on the design data transmitted from the ordering terminal based on pre-set check items, and notifies the ordering party of the check results and the design data that is ultimately intended to be used for printing.

10. A packaging ordering system comprising: a packaging ordering management device that receives orders for the production of flexible packaging materials from a customer terminal via the Internet; and a packaging manufacturing management device that manages the production of the flexible packaging materials based on instructions from the packaging ordering management device in a manufacturing department that includes a printing press, The aforementioned packaging material ordering and management device, An order receiving unit that receives order information, including information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material, transmitted from the ordering terminal; A format data holding unit holds format data suitable for the design of the printed surface of a flexible packaging material of a certain shape and size, in association with information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material. A print data acquisition unit provides the ordering terminal with format data corresponding to information specifying the shape and size of the flexible packaging material included in the order information, selected based on the information held in the format data holding unit, thereby acquiring design data containing a design to be printed on the flexible packaging material from the ordering terminal. An order information holding unit manages the aforementioned order information and the aforementioned design data in association, The system includes a packaging material creation instruction unit that issues instructions to the packaging material manufacturing management device for creating packaging materials based on information obtained by the order receiving unit and the print data acquisition unit, The packaging material manufacturing management device controls the equipment, including the printing press in the manufacturing department, so that the flexible packaging material is manufactured based on the packaging material manufacturing instructions. The aforementioned format data defines a drawing area and a non-drawing area corresponding to the flexible packaging material. A packaging material ordering system in which, in the aforementioned format data, the drawing area is provided with a border line for demarcating the recommended printing area.

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