Printing Device Reverse Conveyance Minimization for RFID Label Quality Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printing devices experience increased time and frequency of reverse conveyance when dealing with poor printing quality, leading to inefficiencies in writing electronic information to RFID tags and printing labels.
Innovation Solution
A printing device with a controller that manages a conveyor, writer, printer, and reader to minimize reverse conveyance by writing void information to the first print medium before reversing, allowing for simultaneous writing to subsequent print media, thus reducing overall processing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the printing device conveys the continuous medium in reverse direction to reposition labels with poor printing quality, then the labels can be marked with void information, but the processing time increases due to frequent reverse conveyance
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of printing quality at the reading position before the label reaches the writer position. When poor quality is detected, the control unit prepares void information in advance and reverses the conveyance only when necessary, rather than reversing for every label. This preliminary detection and preparation reduces unnecessary reverse movements and associated time losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The reading unit provides feedback about printing quality to the control unit, which then determines whether reverse conveyance is needed. This feedback mechanism allows the system to make intelligent decisions about when to reverse, minimizing unnecessary reverse movements and optimizing processing time while maintaining quality control.
2Reliability
If the printing device frequently reverses the continuous medium to handle poor printing quality, then void information can be written to affected labels, but the productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous forward conveyance of the continuous medium through the printing and reading positions. Reverse conveyance is performed only minimally and only when necessary for labels with poor printing quality. This approach preserves the continuity of the main processing flow, maximizing productivity while still ensuring quality assurance through selective reverse movements for void marking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the necessary labels (those with poor printing quality) from the continuous flow for reverse conveyance and void marking. The majority of labels continue through the process without interruption. This selective extraction minimizes the impact on overall productivity while maintaining quality assurance for affected labels.
3Productivity
If the printing device writes void information to the first print medium before reversing, then subsequent print media can be written to simultaneously, but the sequence of operations becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary determination of which labels require void marking before the reverse conveyance begins. The void information is prepared and queued in advance. When the first print medium is reversed to the writer position, the void information is already ready for immediate writing. This preliminary preparation simplifies the control sequence during the actual reverse movement, despite the overall process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
While the first print medium is being reversed to the writer position, the system continuously processes subsequent print media through the printing and reading operations without interruption. This continuous processing of multiple labels simultaneously maintains high productivity. The control sequence manages multiple concurrent operations, but the continuous action principle ensures that useful work is performed throughout the entire cycle.
Data Source
AI summary
In a printing device, a controller is configured to perform: (a) writing; (b) printing; (c) determining; (d) conveying; (e) writing; (f) printing; and (g) writing. The (a) writing writes prescribed information to an information storage medium provided in a first print medium. The (b) printing prints a prescribed image on the first print medium. In response to determining in (c) that the printing quality of the prescribed image is not good for the first print medium, the (d) conveying conveys a continuous medium in a reverse direction, the (e) writing writes void information to the information storage medium provided in the first print medium, the (f) printing prints a VOID image on the first print medium after the (e) writing is performed, and the (g) writing writes the prescribed information to the information storage medium provided in a second print medium prior to performing the (f) printing.