First-Sheet Inspection Control for Pre-Printed Sheet Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inspection apparatuses fail to detect errors in the orientation of pre-printed sheets, leading to waste of in-machine residual sheets when printing is performed at incorrect positions, and do not effectively handle variable printing on pre-printed sheets.
Innovation Solution
An inspection apparatus and method that inspects a scanned image of a sheet and controls the image forming process to ensure the first sheet is inspected correctly, causing subsequent sheets to standby until inspection settings are completed, thereby reducing waste by preventing incorrect orientation and alignment errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the inspection apparatus inspects only individual printed parts on pre-printed sheets, then the inspection can identify printing errors, but it cannot detect orientation errors of the pre-printed sheet, causing all residual sheets to be wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection apparatus performs preliminary inspection of the first sheet before allowing printing of subsequent sheets. The control unit checks whether the first sheet is a normal sheet based on inspection results, and only permits printing of the second and subsequent sheets if the first sheet is confirmed normal. This preliminary action prevents orientation errors from propagating to all residual sheets, reducing paper waste while maintaining inspection accuracy.
2Productivity
If the inspection apparatus allows continuous printing without inspecting the first sheet first, then productivity is maintained, but orientation errors cause all residual sheets to be wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs a preliminary inspection of the first sheet before permitting printing of subsequent sheets. This preliminary action ensures that orientation errors are detected early, preventing the waste of residual sheets while maintaining efficient printing operations by only stopping printing when necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection apparatus provides feedback to the control unit about the inspection results of the first sheet. Based on this feedback, the control unit determines whether to permit printing of the second and subsequent sheets. This feedback mechanism ensures that printing continues uninterrupted unless an error is detected, balancing productivity with waste prevention.
3Measurement precision
If the inspection apparatus inspects all sheets including residual sheets, then detection accuracy is maintained, but paper waste increases due to inspection of sheets that would have been wasted anyway
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection apparatus performs preliminary inspection of the first sheet before printing subsequent sheets. This preliminary action identifies orientation errors early, preventing the generation of residual sheets that would otherwise be wasted. By inspecting only the first sheet in this context, the system maintains detection accuracy while avoiding the waste of inspecting sheets that would be discarded anyway.
Data Source
AI summary
An inspection apparatus comprises an inspection unit configured to inspect a scanned image in which a scanning unit scans a sheet on which an image is formed, the sheet being conveyed from an image processing apparatus; and a control unit configured to perform control to cause image forming of a second and subsequent sheets to stand by until image forming of a first sheet and inspection according to inspection settings are completed in a job of performing image forming on a plurality of sheets.