Printing Sheet Imaging Method for Multiple Product Variants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging methods for printing forms are inefficient when dealing with multiple versions of a printed product, requiring separate sheets and color separations for each version, leading to increased setup time and resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
An imaging method that identifies a basic variant for each electronic printed sheet, allowing for the creation of differentiated electronic sheet variants, and uses versioning information to optimize the imaging process, ensuring that only necessary printing plates are used and minimizing plate changes during the printing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate sheets and color separations are created for each version of the printed product, then all version-specific content requirements are met, but the number of printing plates and setup time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the printing process by identifying and separating the basic variant content from version-specific variations. The imposition system divides sheets into different variants (first variant, second variant, etc.) based on version requirements, allowing selective imaging of only the necessary color separations for each variant type rather than creating complete separate sets for every version.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universal printing plates based on the basic variant that can serve multiple version requirements. By identifying which color separations are common across different versions and imaging them once as universal plates, the system reduces the total number of plates needed while still meeting all version-specific content requirements through selective imposition and plate assignment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate sheets and color separations are created for each version of the printed product, then all version-specific content requirements are met, but the setup time and resource utilization increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary identification and classification of variants and color separations before the actual imaging process. The system pre-determines which color separations correspond to basic variants and which correspond to specific variants, and pre-arranges the imposition layouts. This preliminary organization allows the imaging process to proceed efficiently by only imaging necessary plates once, rather than repeatedly setting up for each version.
3Productivity
If conventional imaging methods are used for multiple versions, then all versions can be produced, but the process is inefficient and requires more resource utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent identifies and eliminates redundant imaging operations by discarding duplicate color separation data for basic variants. The system recovers resources by reusing the same imaging data and printing plates across multiple version requirements, rather than repeatedly creating and imaging identical or near-identical color separations for different versions.
Data Source
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AI summary
The illustration method involves supplying different printing product versions (A,B) for printing on a printing sheet. The versions are imposed to different electronic printing sheet variants (2,2'). The basis variants are identificated for printing sheet with more than one variant. The area of the electronic variants or the electronic variants is identificated and is attached to the printing product version. An independent claim is included for a device for illustrating printing blocks.