Digital Process Controller for Complex Production Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of complex composed end products in graphic arts environments is error-prone due to the complexity of involving multiple process steps across different printing and finishing devices, lacking integrated control and coordination.
Innovation Solution
A digital process controller with a multi-device time scheduler that receives a process recipe comprising multiple steps and assigns tasks to appropriate devices, providing operator instructions and tracking status and progress, thereby centralizing the management of relationships between devices, steps, and timing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If production focuses on individual print devices and print jobs, then device-level control is simple and direct, but coordination across multiple devices and process steps becomes error-prone and unmanaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central controller as an intermediary system that manages coordination between multiple print devices and finishing devices. The controller receives process recipes, decomposes them into individual device jobs, schedules them across devices, and tracks their execution, thereby relieving the complexity of inter-device coordination from the devices themselves while ensuring reliable production process management
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the overall production process into discrete process steps, each assigned to specific devices. The central controller divides the complex multi-device coordination task into manageable individual device jobs, allowing each device to operate independently while maintaining systematic coordination through the controller's scheduling and tracking functions
2Adaptability or versatility
If the production process involves multiple process steps on different printing and finishing devices, then the end product complexity increases, but tracking and managing the production process becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the central controller receives status information from each device about job execution progress. This feedback loop allows the controller to track the state of each process step, monitor completion status, and maintain an accurate overall view of production progress, preventing information loss in complex multi-device processes
Solution Approach 2:
The central controller serves multiple functions: it manages process recipe decomposition, performs job scheduling across devices, tracks execution status, and provides coordination information. This multi-functional approach consolidates the complexity of tracking and managing multiple process steps in a single system, maintaining adaptability while improving information visibility
3Manufacturing precision
If operator instructions are provided for each process step, then production accuracy improves, but operator burden and instruction management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables devices to receive and execute their own specific instructions from the central controller without requiring operators to manually coordinate between devices. Each device operates autonomously based on instructions received from the controller, reducing operator burden while maintaining precise execution of process steps through automated instruction delivery and status reporting
Data Source
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AI summary
Digital process controller and a method for controlling a production process of a complex composed end product by process jobs. Each process job is a pre-print job, a print job or a finishing job. The digital process controller comprises a multi-device time scheduler and is connected to a digital network. Content and print and finishing specifications of the complex composed end product are received via the digital network. A process recipe is received for the complex composed end product. The process recipe comprises a plurality of process steps and the relationships between the process steps. The production of the complex composed end product is decomposed into the plurality of process steps. For each process step at least one processing device is assigned intended to execute the process step according to the process recipe, and at least one process job to be scheduled by the multi-device time scheduler for execution by the corresponding at least one processing device. For each process step the at least one process job is submitted to the assigned at least one processing device. Operator instructions are provided for the processing devices via the digital network to at least one operator computer device or by printing the operator instructions. For each process step status and progress information of the at least one process job is received from the corresponding processing device during execution of the process step. The received status and progress information of the process steps is combined into a status and progress information of the creation process of the complex composed end product. The production process of the complex composed end product is controlled by means of the multi-device time scheduler and the status and progress information of the production process of the complex composed end product.