Engine for generating control plans for digital pre-print paper, sheet, and box manufacturing systems

• US 10,642,551 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Georgia Pacific Corrugated LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Georgia Pacific Corrugated LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sloan, IV, Charlie Bert, Seay, Robert Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, Andrew H
• Application Number:
  US16/033,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20190018628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/27 Means for performing other operations combined with cutting B26D9/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/006 Controlling; Regulating; Measuring; Improving safety
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/16 Cutting webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/18 longitudinally
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/20 Cutting sheets or blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 1/28 combined with uniting the corrugated webs to flat webs ; Making double-faced corrugated cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 23/192 motor-controlled
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/008 Arrangements or adaptations of cutting devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1213 at an intermediate node or at the final node
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1215 achieving increased printing speed, i.e. reducing the time between printing start and printing end
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1243 Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1251 for continuous media, e.g. web media, rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1282 High volume printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/043 Optimisation of two dimensional placement, e.g. cutting of clothes or wood
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30144 Printing quality
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

Systems for providing efficient manufacturing of paper, sheet, and/or box products of varying size and structure, often with pre-applied print (“pre-print”), are provided herein. One or more controllers can be used to aggregate upcoming orders and information needed to complete the manufacturing process for the order. A controller enables a user to prepare control plans (e.g., reel maps, reel plans, etc.) for processing rolls of web product through the manufacturing process. Criteria filtering and/or various features enable generation of efficient and effective control plans for rolls of web product, including, in some cases, multiple orders. The control plan may include a set of instructions for operating one or more systems within the manufacturing process to form the desired finished paper-based product. In such a regard, efficient manufacturing of various paper-based products, including corrugated boxes, folded carton, labels, flexible paper, industrial bags, plates, cups, décor, and many others, can be achieved.

Claims

1. A system for generating a control plan for controlling manufacturing of one or more paper-based products, the system comprising:

at least one controller configured to;

receive a request for generation of a control plan associated with a roll of web product for manufacturing one or more paper-based products, wherein the request includes at least one criteria regarding orders for the one or more paper-based products;

provide a plurality of available orders for paper-based products for selection, wherein each of the plurality of available orders for selection satisfy the at least one criteria from the request and are associated with order information, wherein the order information for each order comprises information related to completing manufacturing of a desired product associated with the order, wherein the order information is gathered from a plurality of discrete systems;

receive a selection of an order from the plurality of available orders; and

generate the control plan associated with the roll of web product, wherein the control plan includes at least the selected order.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one criteria for the request for generation of the control plan is at least one of an indication of a desired width of the roll of web product or an indication of an available printer for use during manufacturing, wherein the printer is configured to process a maximum width for the roll of web product, wherein each of the plurality of available orders for selection are able to fit within either the desired width or the maximum width depending on the indicated criteria with the request.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one criteria for the request for generation of the control plan is at least one of an indication of a desired job type characteristic, order number, or customer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of discrete systems includes at least a graphics planning system and a management information system, wherein the graphics planning system comprises order information related to one or more desired images for the order, and wherein the management information system comprises order information related to at least an amount of desired product for the order.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to provide a ready status for each of the plurality of available orders for selection, wherein the ready status indicates that the order is ready for proceeding with immediate manufacturing in an instance in which at least order information for the order related to printing and sheet formation/processing has been gathered.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to filter a database of aggregated available orders based on the at least one criteria from the request to determine the plurality of available orders to provide for selection.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine an amount of waste on the roll of web product based on one or more selected orders and provide an indication of the amount of waste.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine if the amount of waste satisfies an acceptable waste threshold and provide an indication as to whether the amount of waste satisfies the acceptable waste threshold.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine if the amount of waste satisfies an acceptable waste threshold and prevent generation of the control plan in an instance in which the amount of waste does not satisfy the acceptable waste threshold.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected order is a first order, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to, in response to receiving the selection of the first order:

determine a remaining width of the roll of web product that is available for one or more orders; and

provide a second plurality of available orders for selection, wherein each of the second plurality of available orders for selection are able to fit within the remaining width on the roll of web product.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one controller is configured to provide an indication of one or more recommended orders from the second plurality of available orders for selection, wherein the one or more recommended orders are determined based on one or more factors associated with the first order, wherein the one or more factors associated with the first order include at least one of deadlines, customers, color profiles, and manufacturing locations.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine that an available sheet formation/processing system planned for use with the roll of web product that can accommodate a plurality of lanes prior to providing the second plurality of available orders for selection.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one controller is configured to receive input indicating a desire to split the selected first order into two or more ribbons for the control plan.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one controller is configured to:

receive a selection of at least one second order; and

provide an optimization up or down function for enabling the overall number of sheet or box structures for at least one of the selected first order or the selected second order to be reduced or increased in order to cause an overall length of the roll of web product being used for the selected first order to better align with an overall length of the roll of web product being used for the selected second order.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one controller is configured to provide a recommendation for optimization up or down based on a customer associated with at least one of the selected first order or the selected second order being willing to receive extra sheet or box structures.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to, in response to receiving a selection of an order, provide a suggested width for the roll of web product to minimize a remaining unused width of the roll of web product that is available after including the selected order.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to provide an indication of one or more recommended orders from the plurality of available orders for selection, wherein the one or more recommended orders are determined based on one or more factors, wherein the one or more factors include at least one of upcoming deadlines, customers, and manufacturing locations.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected order includes order information corresponding to a total number of desired sheet or box structures and a desired layout for a processing set of sheet or box structures, wherein each processing set of sheet or box structures includes a plurality of sheet or box structures that are positioned relative to each other to form the processing set of sheet or box structures, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine, based on the selected order, a number of sets of sheet or box structures to apply to the control plan to satisfy the total number of desired sheet or box structures for the selected order.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine a size of a web weave to apply to each width end of the roll of web product for the control plan.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to present a visual representation of the roll of web product with the at least one selected order applied.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to provide a preview of the roll of web product after printing.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to generate a label that represents the control plan, wherein the label is configured to be applied to the roll of web product.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the label includes at least one computer readable marking that, upon being read, at least one of identifies the control plan or supplies the control plan.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to form a set of printing instructions to enable operation of the printer according to the control plan, wherein the set of printing instructions are formed into a format that is acceptable to the printer.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the set of printing instructions include instructions regarding a color profile needed by the printer to print desired images for the control plan.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the set of printing instructions include instructions that cause the printer to perform one or more test jobs prior to beginning a production run.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the set of printing instructions include instructions that cause the printer to prepare one or more golden images for use during one or more quality checks.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the set of printing instructions include instructions that cause the printer to prepare the one or more golden images during a separate golden image processing run.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the set of printing instructions include instructions that cause the printer to prepare the one or more golden images during the production run at a specific position within an order on the control plan.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to form a golden image file that includes one or more golden images for use during one or more quality checks for at least the selected order for the control plan.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the at least one controller is configured to provide the golden image file to a vision system that performs the one or more quality checks.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the at least one controller is configured to enable access to the golden image file by a vision system that performs the one or more quality checks.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the golden image file includes at least one tolerance level associated with the one or more golden images for use by a vision system that performs the one or more quality checks to determine if the checked image is acceptable.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to form a set of quality check instructions to enable a vision system to perform one or more quality checks, wherein the set of quality check instructions provides access to one or more golden images for use during the one or more quality checks for at least the selected order for the control plan.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the set of quality check instructions includes a separate golden image for performing a quality check on each lane of a multi-lane printing press.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the set of quality check instructions includes a single golden image that is used for performing a quality check on a plurality of lanes of a multi-lane printing press.

37. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to form a set of sheet formation/processing instructions to enable operation of the sheet formation/processing system according to the control plan, wherein the set of sheet formation/processing instructions are formed into a format that is acceptable to the sheet formation/processing system.

38. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to track the status of the control plan during the manufacturing process.

39. A graphical user interface for generating a control plan for controlling manufacturing of one or more paper-based products, the graphical user interface being configured to:

receive a request for generation of a control plan associated with a roll of web product for manufacturing one or more paper-based products, wherein the request includes at least one criteria regarding orders for the one or more paper-based products;

provide a plurality of available orders for paper-based products for selection, wherein each of the plurality of available orders for selection satisfy the at least one criteria from the request and are associated with order information, wherein the order information for each order comprises information related to completing manufacturing of a desired product associated with the order, wherein the order information was gathered from a plurality of discrete systems;

receive a selection of an order from the plurality of available orders; and

generate the control plan associated with the roll of web product, wherein the control plan includes at least the selected order.

40. A method for generating a control plan for controlling manufacturing of one or more paper-based products, the method comprising:

receiving a request for generation of a control plan associated with a roll of web product for manufacturing one or more paper-based products, wherein the request includes at least one criteria regarding orders for the one or more paper-based products;

providing a plurality of available orders for paper-based products for selection, wherein each of the plurality of available orders for selection satisfy the at least one criteria from the request and are associated with order information, wherein the order information for each order comprises information related to completing manufacturing of a desired product associated with the order, wherein the order information is gathered from a plurality of discrete systems;

receiving a selection of an order from the plurality of available orders; and

generating the control plan associated with the roll of web product, wherein the control plan includes at least the selected order.