Automated Printer Planning via Media Subdivision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial printers face inefficiencies due to limited die availability and compatibility issues between printing and die-cutting processes, particularly when handling large media sizes, which restricts the potential planning schemes and imposes restrictions on media compatibility across job steps.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a planning and impositioning process that subdivides media using non-die cutting devices, allowing for the use of larger printers with smaller die-cutters, and optimizing the selection of printer and die-cutter combinations to improve efficiency by enabling media mismatch pairings and subdivision cuts, thereby expanding the range of available operations during the planning phase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If media is subdivided using non-die cutting devices to enable larger printers with smaller die-cutters, then printer capacity and efficiency are improved, but process complexity and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The media is divided into multiple sections using non-die cutting devices (such as score lines or perforations) before die-cutting. This segmentation allows a single large media sheet printed on high-capacity printers to be subdivided into smaller portions that can be processed by smaller die-cutters, thereby resolving the contradiction between printer capacity and die-cutter size compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The subdivision of media is performed as a preliminary action before die-cutting. By pre-dividing the media into sections that match the die-cutter capacity, the system enables the use of larger printers without requiring proportionally larger die-cutters, thus improving printer utilization while maintaining compatibility with existing die-cutter equipment.
2Ease of manufacture
If existing dies are reused to reduce die-making costs, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but adaptability to different media sizes and print orders is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating new dies for different media sizes, the system segments the media into smaller sections that can be accommodated by existing dies. This approach allows existing dies to be reused across multiple media sizes by adjusting the subdivision pattern, thereby maintaining die-making cost efficiency while improving adaptability to various print orders and media dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces dynamic flexibility by allowing the subdivision scheme to vary based on the specific print order and media size. The planning module can dynamically determine how to divide media into sections that work with existing dies, enabling existing dies to adapt to different media sizes without physical modification, thus resolving the contradiction between cost efficiency and versatility.
3Productivity
If automated planning and impositioning modules are implemented to optimize efficiency and cost, then operational efficiency is improved, but system complexity and initial investment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated planning and impositioning modules enable the system to self-optimize print job allocation, media subdivision schemes, and die-cutter selection without manual intervention. The software automatically calculates the most efficient configurations based on existing equipment capabilities and order requirements, improving operational efficiency while the modular architecture keeps system complexity manageable through standardized interfaces and algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a planning and impositioning technique for industrial printing orders that evaluates and ranks potential planning and impositioning schemes for a given print order based on available printing apparatus, media, and die-cutter specifications. The printing schemes make use non-die cutter operations to subdivide a media sheet, followed by a series of die-cutter operations each subdivision to take advantage of industrial printer efficiency. This printing operation is enabled by planning and impositioning phases that generate print instructions allows a change in media size from printer apparatus to dies. Specifically, during the planning phase of the print order, a printer apparatus and a die or set of dies are selected where the media size used by the printer apparatus is larger than the die(s) is/are designed for.