Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02411487 2002-11-12
REMOTE MONITORING OF CONSUMABLES FOR A COMPUTER TO PLATE IMAGING
SYSTEM.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to the field of imaging plates and other
media for use in printing operations and more particularly to systems
for monitoring the operation of systems used to perform such imaging
tasks.
BACKGROUND
Computer-to-plate (CTP) systems are increasingly used for the
preparation of a wide range of plates, films, and other media for
printing operations. The ability to make a printing plate directly an
in a very short time has given printing plants the ability to
streamline operations while enjoying increased automation and control.
A wide variety of plate types and sizes along with various other media
such as proofing media or film may be used on a continual basis. The
associated media inventory that must be maintained represents a
considerable investment, and managing inventory levels so that the
correct types and sizes are on hand without having an overly large
inventory is a challenge.
With increased automation of printing plants, specifically in the
pre-press area, integrated systems that manage and automate portions
of the printing process are now available (The process of preparing
plates for a printing operation is commonly referred to as pre-press).
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One such product is Synapse~ Link sold by Creo Inc of Burnaby, British
Columbia, Canada. Synapse essentially networks together computerised
Management Information Systems (MIS) and hardware output devices such
as CTP systems in a printing plant, allowing extensive monitoring,
recording, and control of many aspects of the printing process
including scheduling and inventory management.
Such large-scale integration of- MIS systems is not within the
reach of many smaller printing plants and there is a need to provide
such tools to these smaller printers on a commercially viable basis.
SiJI~IARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect of the pre:>ent invention a method is presented
for the remote monitoring of consumable usage in a printing plant
where an order point and an initial inventory is established for one
or more consumable items. The inventory level for each of the
consumable items is then updated based on actual or predicted usage
and the usage data transferred to a remote management information
system. The remote MIS system checks the inventory level against the
order point and if the level falls below the order point initiates an
order fulfilment process.
In another aspect of the present invention a system for
monitoring the usage of consumables at a printing plant is presented
having a computer to plate imaging line that is capable of monitoring
the usage of consumables used therein. The computer to plate system
transfers usage data to a remote management information system via a
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transmission channel using a transmission protocol. The remote
management information system receives, stores and updates the
inventory level of consumables for the printing plant and compares
current inventory levels against an pre-determined order point,
initiating a re-order process if the inventory of a consumable item is
reduced below that level.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate by way of example only preferred
embodiments of the invention:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a typical CTP system layout showing a
link to a remote MIS system.
FIG. 2 is a process flowchart of a method of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION
Throughout the following description, specific details are set
forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the
invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these
particulars. In other instances well known elements have not been
shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the
invention. Accordingly, the specification and the drawings are to be
regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
The present invention is described in relation to a consumable
management system wherein consumable usage is monitored directly by
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the pre-press CTP systems and then uploaded or otherwise communicated
to a central MIS system located remotely. The central MIS systems may
be run by the media vendor and may monitor inventory from many such
customers. The term Computer-to-Plate is used herein to describe
imaging systems and associated control hardware that are capable of
exposing printing plates directly but may also be able to image other
media types, or a combination of- different: types of media.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic: diagram of a CTP system comprising an
imaging unit 10, an optional media processor unit 12 for performing
secondary processing of the media, and a controller 14. Controller 14
generally performs the functions of receiving image data, optionally
converting that image data into a format that may be output to imaging
unit 10 and initiating and controlli:zg the imaging operation. The
processor may also take on many forms and may or may not include pre-
bake or post bake ovens, rinsing or gumming units, or any other
apparatus for performing a post-imaging process. In practice, there
are a wide variety of different configurations for CTP systems, that
shown in FIG. 1 being just one such possibility. Specifically the
location of controller functions may vary considerably.
Controller 14 is linked to imaging unit 10 by a data link 16 for
transferring imaging data, control signals, and other information
pertinent to the imaging operation. Optionally controller 14 may also
be linked to processor unit 12 for transfer of information regarding
processing operations as described in commonly assigned US application
60/361087. In some instances, the processor 12 may not be needed at
CA 02411487 2002-11-12
all, as would be the case for a processless media where the media is
ready for use directly on completion of imaging.
The consumables used may include lithographic, flexographic or
gravure plates or sleeves, films, proofing media, chemicals for
5 processing, filter elements and any other item consumed in the imaging
or processing operation. The consumption information may be generated
in either the imaging unit 10, the controller 14 or the processor 12
and may be transmitted back via a lin k 18 to a remote MIS system 20
for further processing.
As an example, the details of plates being used in a CTP system
may already be monitored in an existing imaging unit 10. This
information is often required to set up the imaging unit 10 for a
successful imaging operation. Some :imaging systems already accumulate
statistics on the number or type of plates that have passed through
the system. The data may be held in local memory to aid in diagnostic
or performance monitoring. These statistics may be accumulated and
then transferred to remote MIS system 20 on a periodic or continuous
basis. The methods of transfer may be a modem connected to a
telephone line, an Internet connection, a Local Area Network (LAN)
connection, email, a wireless connection or any other known method of
transferring information between computerised systems. One such
transfer protocol known as Job Definition Format (JDF) has been
developed by a consortium of graphic arts companies and is now
presented as an open system by CIP4, an international operating
standards body in Switzerland. JDF along with Job Messaging Format
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(JMF) aims to provide non-proprietary formats for transfer of print
job data and monitoring of printing operations. Alternately, any one
of a number of transfer protocols may be employed and in as much that
these protocols are well known in the art they will not be further
discussed in this application.
While in practice such information may also be generated and
transferred directly from the processor unit 12, processors typically
have a simpler construction than the imaging devices and may not
include logging and communication capabilities. On the other hand
to processors with more sophisticated controls are becoming available and
transfer of consumption information directly from a processor to a
remote MIS system still falls within the scope of the present
invention. Another alternative is to provide a separate unit that is
dedicated to the process of monitoring the consumable usage and
updating the remote MIS system. Such a unit may comprise a reader
that is able to sense the size or type of media passing a particular
point, or read a code such as an imprinted barcode on the consumable
and accumulate the relevant statistics. The unit may further comprise
communication features for transferring the accumulated statistics to
the remote MIS system. The use of codes imprinted on the media or the
media packaging may also be used to provide additional inventory
details such as, for example, a media batch number or expiry date.
The usage of any other consumables that are monitored on a
periodic or continuous basis may likewise be communicated back to the
remote MIS system. For example, a C'TP may include filters for cooling
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air, pressurized air supply, or for collecting debris generated in
imaging certain media. These filters may be monitored in any of a
number of ways, such as by recording a pressure drop across a filter
element and comparing it with a previously determined threshold value.
On reaching the threshold level, information may be transferred to the
remote MIS system to initiate an ord~>_r for a new filter element.
Preferably, orders will be triggered on actual consumption as
reported by the system but this is not mandated. The consumption of a
particular item may be predicted based on passage of time or the
consumption of another related item. An example of this is the
chemical solutions that may be used .in a processor. While it is
technically possible to monitor the usage of solutions directly by a
measurement of some parameter such a;~ conductivity, most processors
are not equipped to provide such measurements and may not even provide
facilities for transferring information. In this case, the
consumption of media, as a related item, may be used to predict
chemistry consumption. A more complex and possibly more accurate
prediction may be made by including .in the calculation, for example,
an elapsed time component or the actual accumulated area of media
imaged. This prediction allows the usefulness of the system to be
extended past items that can be directly logged or measured to other
consumables whose state can be determined by observation of another
related event.
The term "Management Information System" is used herein to
encompass a range of systems developed to manage business practices
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such as sales, manufacturing, purchasing or inventory. At a base
level, such a system may be a Material Requirements Planning (MRP)
system, which is well known in the a:rt. The functionality of the
system may also include a reporting :function in that the remote MIS
system may create a report in which inventory, costs or usage or any
other data may be communicated to the printing plant by some means
such as electronic transfer, fax, email or postal mail.
A method of the present invention is depicted as a process
flowchart in FIG. 2. A printing plant "n" is shown as outline 30.
Events within the outline boundary g.=_nerally occur at the plant. An
imaging system in the plant images a plate at step 32 whereafter the
consumption statistics are up-dated .in step 34. The imaging system
may continue to image plates and update statistics until a
communication is initiated in step 36 and the statistics are
transferred to a remote MIS system shown as outline block 38. The
remote MIS system receives the information from plant n in step 40.
The statistics, identified as belonging to plant n are used to update
inventory levels in a database for plant n in step 42. The updated
inventory levels for plant n are then compared against one or more
established order points for the plant in step 44 and if an order
point is reached, an order is triggered. The order may be
automatically generated by the MIS system and shipped to the customer
or the plant may be contacted by the media vendor by phone, e-mail or
fax to solicit an order. Regardless of how the actual order is placed
or confirmed the shipment to plant n is initiated in step 46 and the
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shipment details are used to update inventory figures for plant n in
step 42. The quantity of items to be shipped may be determined in
accordance with a pre-determined inventory target that is stored in
the remote MIS system database or entered by the customer at the
plant. Alternatively the quantity of items to be shipped may be
determined from a more complex calculation incorporating both the
actual inventory levels at the plant and a history of recent usage to
predict present needs. The advantage of this more complex order
calculation is that where consumption is abnormally high or low the
order may be adjusted to reflect such conditions. The shipped
consumables are received by plant n .and placed in on-site inventory in
step 48. Plant n does not have to implement a separate inventory
planning and monitoring system since this is completely handled by the
remote MIS system.
The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is provided as an example only and
in practice there would be many different ways to implement such a
system. In an alternative embodiment the order points may be
maintained in memory or a database at the plant allowing local control
over the order points or the system may provide remote access to the
order points stored in the remote MIS system via some interface such
as a secure password authenticated web site. Additionally, facilities
may be provided to initiate a separate manual order in step 50, or
inventory updates and corrections in step 52. These features allow
the plant additional flexibility to order consumables when wishing to
override the automated ordering process. The inventory update feature
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will allow inventory adjustments to be initiated by plant n, as may be
necessary when a customer inventory count is made, or when consumables
are found to be defective, expired or incorrectly shipped. This
information may be transferred directly to the remote MIS system in
5 step 36.
The present invention beneficially allows a printing plant access
to an automated ordering system without the expense of installing such
a system at their plant. The system is provided at substantially
reduced cost since many imaging systems already generate and
10 accumulate the statistics that are used and additionally may such
systems have remote diagnostic capabilities for maintenance and
troubleshooting.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in the light of
the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are
possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the
spirit or scope thereof.
