Conveyance Control Device for Multi-Printer Color Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In printing systems with multiple printers of the same model, variations in ink viscosity and ejection characteristics lead to differences in color reproducibility, resulting in inconsistent print quality when the same image is printed on different devices.
Innovation Solution
A conveyance control device that determines the most suitable printer for a print job based on historical print data and color gamut comparison, ensuring that the same printer is used for jobs with similar print conditions to maintain color consistency, and alternates printers to minimize waiting times and optimize print job execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple printers are used to increase processing capability, then productivity is improved, but color reproducibility deteriorates due to variations in ink viscosity and ejection characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary comparison of color gamuts between the new print job and historical print jobs associated with each printer. This advance assessment allows the selection of the most suitable printer before actual printing begins, ensuring color consistency while enabling parallel processing across multiple printers to maintain high productivity
2Manufacturing precision
If the same printer is consistently used for similar jobs, then color reproducibility is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to printer availability constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the selection parameter from a fixed printer assignment to a flexible selection based on color gamut matching degree. When the most suitable printer is unavailable, the system can select an alternative printer with acceptable color matching, thereby maintaining productivity while preserving color reproducibility within acceptable tolerances
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyance control device includes a memory, and a processor configured to control a conveyance device in a printing system. The printing system includes a plurality of printers, each of the printers being configured to perform printing on a recording medium based on print data, and the conveyance device configured to convey, to any one of the plurality of printers, a platen on which the recording medium is placed. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform processes including receiving second print data included in the print data, and determining, among the plurality of printers, an execution printer that is a printer performing printing based on the second print data, based on the received second print data and history information stored in a storage.