Image Forming System Job Scheduling for Sheet Availability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In commercial printing, image forming systems face productivity deterioration due to sheet shortages and user unavailability during print jobs involving multiple sheet types, leading to potential printing operation stops and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An image forming system with a control unit that manages print jobs to finish the first job within user-input available time periods, utilizing a sheet conveyance apparatus to insert sheets and an input unit for user operation timing, ensuring continuous operation despite user unavailability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multi-stage sheet supply trays are used to print sheets of multiple sheet types, then printing operation can continue without stopping by switching sheet supply trays, but sheet shortage still occurs during execution of print job leading to printing operation stop and deterioration of system productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting future sheet requirements based on the print job schedule and proactively refilling sheet supply trays before sheet shortage occurs. The prediction unit calculates expected sheet consumption and triggers refilling operations in advance, ensuring sheets are available when needed without interrupting printing operations.
2Productivity
If user operation timing is not coordinated with print job execution, then user unavailable time causes printing operation to stop, but coordinating user operation timing requires complex control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the prediction unit continuously monitors the print job execution status and sheet consumption patterns. Based on this feedback, the control unit dynamically adjusts the refilling timing to coordinate with user availability, optimizing productivity without requiring overly complex control mechanisms.
3Productivity
If sheet refilling is performed during user unavailable time, then printing operation continues, but user operation cannot be executed leading to sheet shortage and productivity deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs sheet refilling as a preliminary action before user unavailable time periods begin. The prediction unit identifies upcoming user unavailable time zones and schedules refilling operations to complete before these periods start, ensuring both printing operation continuity and user availability for operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming system capable of executing a print job including a first job and a second job, the image forming system includes: an image forming apparatus configured to print an image on a sheet based on the first job, and thereafter, print an image on a sheet based on the second job; a sheet conveyance apparatus configured to insert the sheet that has been printed by the first job into the sheet that has been printed by the second job; an input unit configured to be used to input a time period in which execution of user operation related to the sheet conveyance apparatus is possible; and a control unit configured to print the job so as to finish the first job within the time period that has been input by the input unit.