Print Inspection Control for Selective Reprint and Waste Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems increase the amount of waste paper and toner usage when continuous printing is resumed from a failed printed material, leading to inefficiencies and increased resource consumption.

Innovation Solution

The system stops continuous printing upon detecting a failed printed material, reprints only the failed material, and resumes printing for subsequent materials after successful inspection, using test and retest printings to identify and correct issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If continuous printing is resumed from a failed printed material, then printing productivity is maintained, but the amount of discarded paper and toner increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprinting productivityVSAvoidamount of discarded paper and toner
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the continuous printing process into individual printable units (e.g., individual sheets or sections). When a defect is detected in one unit, only that specific unit is stopped and reprinted, while other units continue printing. This segmentation allows selective reprinting rather than stopping the entire continuous printing process, thereby maintaining overall productivity while minimizing waste of paper and toner.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If all printed materials following a failed material are reprinted, then printing quality is ensured, but resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprinting qualityVSAvoidresource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality control by detecting defects at specific locations in the printed material and applying corrective actions only to those local areas. The inspection system identifies the precise location of defects, and the system selectively reprints only the affected local regions rather than the entire printed batch. This approach ensures printing quality is maintained in defective areas while avoiding unnecessary reprinting and resource consumption in areas that are already acceptable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If continuous printing is performed without interruption, then productivity is high, but defect propagation increases waste

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous printing speedVSAvoidwaste paper amount
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the inspection system continuously monitors printed materials during the printing process. When a defect is detected, this information is fed back to the printing system, which then adjusts by stopping and reprinting only the specific defective unit. This real-time feedback loop enables the system to maintain high overall productivity through continuous operation while preventing defect propagation by immediately addressing issues as they are detected, thereby minimizing waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4614304B1Information processing system, information processing program, and information processing method
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP
  • EP4614304B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4614304B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4614304B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An information processing system includes a processor configured to perform continuous printing of plural printed materials while inspecting printing quality, in a case where a printed material having an inspection result of fail is generated, stop the continuous printing of the printed materials and reprint the failed printed material, and in a case where an inspection result of the reprinted printed material is pass, print a subsequent printed material following the passed reprinted material.