Print Job Ordering Algorithm for Digital Press Downtime Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital printing presses experience significant downtime and reduced productivity due to the need for iterative verification and calibration processes for each print job, which involves stopping the press to prepare and approve jobs sequentially, rather than utilizing parallel production modes that could allow concurrent preparation and printing.
Innovation Solution
A print job ordering algorithm that prioritizes jobs based on preparation and printing times, using Johnson's sorting rule to optimize the order of print jobs, allowing verification and calibration iterations to occur during printing, thereby minimizing downtime and maximizing concurrent preparation and printing times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If verification and calibration processes are performed sequentially for each print job, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to press downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs verification and calibration processes in advance before the actual printing operation. Sample sheets are printed and evaluated beforehand, and color adjustments are calculated and stored prior to production printing, allowing the press to run continuously without stopping for these quality assurance steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a buffer by printing sample sheets and performing color matching evaluations before the actual print job. This preliminary cushioning allows the press to maintain continuous operation while quality verification is completed in advance, preventing downtime during production.
2Manufacturing precision
If the press is stopped for verification and calibration iterations, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Verification and calibration activities are performed as preliminary actions before the main printing process. Sample sheets are printed and evaluated in advance, and all necessary color matching adjustments are determined beforehand, eliminating the need to stop the press during production for these quality assurance steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The press maintains continuous operation by performing verification and calibration activities that do not require stopping the machine. The system calculates color adjustments based on sample evaluations and applies them without interrupting the printing flow, ensuring uninterrupted productive action throughout the process.
3Ease of operation
If jobs are processed in sequential order, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to inability to perform parallel preparation and printing
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary preparation of subsequent jobs while the press is printing current jobs. Sample sheets are printed, evaluated, and color adjustments are calculated in advance for future jobs, enabling parallel processing where preparation activities occur concurrently with printing operations without complicating the overall workflow.
Data Source
AI summary
In an example implementation, a processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to receive a list of print jobs, and calculate a preparation time and a printing time for each job in the list. The instructions further cause the processor to generate an ordered print job queue that minimizes printing press downtime by maximizing an amount of the preparation time fulfilled during the printing time.