Abstract: A media binder, comprising: a front surface board, at least one spine board, and a back surface board, wherein each board comprises an inwardly facing surface and an outwardly facing surface; a cover sheet wrapped around the outwardly facing surface of the spine board and a portion of a surface cover sheet, the surface cover sheet wrapped around the outwardly facing surface of at least one surface board and comprises a first marginal edge attached to the inwardly facing surface of the at least one surface board and a second marginal edge unattached to the inwardly facing surface of the at least one surface board; at least one spring clamp to secure physical media inserted between clamp edges of the at least one spring clamp; and a tension sheet attached to the at least one spring clamp and the inwardly facing surface of the at least one surface board.

Abstract: Devices and methods for tracking a print job using an assignable electronic device on a print service provider (PSP) production floor are provided. One such method includes scanning a barcode-enabled job ticket assigned to a print job using a mobile electronic device assigned to a location on a print service provider production floor and sending barcode data from the barcode-enabled job ticket from to a PSP controller. The mobile electronic device may receive workflow instructions associated with the print job from the PSP controller. In addition, the mobile electronic device may display a representation of the workflow instructions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for color reproduction tolerances are provided. One method according to the present disclosure may involve selecting a printing configuration, printing a color scale sample using the printing configuration, and scoring the printed color scale sample based at least in part on an extent to which transpositions of the color swatches occur over a color range. When the score of the printed color scale sample indicates a print quality is or will he above a threshold level of quality, a print job using colors of the color range may be printed using the printing configuration.

Abstract: A media binder has an inner assembly and a case assembly, The inner assembly includes inside boards pre-attached to a binding mechanism. Adhesive is placed on outward surfaces of the inside boards. The case assembly includes a cover sheet with at least one marginal edge attached to surface boards and at least one loose edge. To customize cover, a printed cover is inserted in-between the cover sheet and the surface board through an opening formed by the loose edge. The case assembly is then laminated. The laminated case assembly is combined with the inner assembly using the adhesive on the inside boards. A one-piece media binder has cover sheets wrapping around surface boards forming pockets. The surface boards are partially attached to paste downs. To customize cover, printed covers are inserted into the pockets, and the paste downs are then attached to the surface boards to seal loose edges.

Abstract: Systems and methods of data filtering for a print service provider (PSP) are disclosed. An exemplary method includes receiving a plurality of print service parameters. The method also includes filtering the plurality of print service parameters, wherein a portion of the received plurality of print service parameters are retained in machine readable format. The method also includes saving the filtered print service parameters for enhancing automatic and manual print production processes.

Abstract: A media binder has an inner assembly and a case assembly. The inner assembly includes inside boards pre-attached to a binding mechanism. Adhesive is placed on outward surfaces of the inside boards. The case assembly includes a cover sheet with at least one marginal edge attached to surface boards and at least one loose edge. To customize cover, a printed cover is inserted in-between the cover sheet and the surface board through an opening formed by the loose edge. The case assembly is then laminated. The laminated case assembly is combined with the inner assembly using the adhesive on the inside boards. A one-piece media binder has cover sheets wrapping around surface boards forming pockets. The surface boards are partially attached to paste downs. To customize cover, printed covers are inserted into the pockets, and the paste downs are then attached to the surface boards to seal loose edges.

Abstract: A case assembly of a media binder includes a front surface board and a back surface board. Each surface board includes an inwardly facing surface and an outwardly facing surface and a cover sheet, and each cover sheet is wrapped around the outwardly facing surface of one of the surface boards. A marginal edge is attached to the inwardly facing surface of the surface board, and another marginal edge is unattached to the inwardly facing surface of the surface board. An end of the unattached marginal edge includes an extra edge extended from the unattached marginal edge, and the extra edge is folded against the unattached marginal edge. The unattached marginal edge is attached to the inwardly facing surface of an adjacent surface board to form a corner wrap around a corner of the adjacent surface board.

Abstract: A soft proof system includes a display module and a manager. The display module displays a visual representation of a print product, and a color array expressing a tolerance range of a color component of the visual representation and a target color within the range. Via the manager, a visualization function produces the visual representation and the color array according to a soft proof array. A tolerance selection function, associated with the display module, enables selection of the tolerance range for at least a portion of the print product, wherein the selection is expressed on the display in the visual representation and in the color array.

Abstract: The present disclosure is drawn to compositions and methods involving coated substrates for liquid electrophotographic printing. Generally, a coated substrate for liquid electrophotographic printing can comprise a polyethylene- or polypropylene-based substrate and a coating adhered to the substrate, the coating comprising a water-based aliphatic polyurethane polymer.

Abstract: A non-transitory, computer-readable medium has embedded therein instructions executable by a processor. The instructions simulate an operation of a print service provider (PSP) using a model of a printing system with a set of operation parameters for performing the PSP operation. The instructions determine a monitoring strategy based on the simulated PSP operation. The monitoring strategy is for monitoring the PSP operation when performed in the printing system.

Abstract: A system for print service provider (PSP) operations management includes a provenance analytics engine. The provenance analytics engine accesses fresh meta-data associated with fresh events in a PSP operation performed using a printing system operated by a PSP. The provenance analytics engine further accesses stored meta-data associated with past events related to past PSP operations. Still further, the provenance analytics engine accesses a component behavioral model (CBM) to produce results associated with events in a PSP operation. The provenance analytics engine analyzes the event-related meta-data.

Abstract: One example discloses a system comprising a memory for storing machine readable instructions and a processing unit for accessing the memory and executing the machine readable instructions. The machine readable instructions can comprise a print order hub to determine a cost optimized solution for fulfilling a print order. The determination of the cost optimize solution can be based on a calculation of a price charged for preparing material for the print order and shipping the material for the print order to a destination identified in the print order for a plurality of print service providers.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for managing resource consumption during print production. The method discloses receiving a print job and a set of print job constraints; calculating a set of printing resources required to produce a print job output from the print job according to the set of print job constraints; measuring a set of available printing resources; producing the print job output from the print job, if the required printing resources are less than the available printing resources; and identifying a set of fall-back print job constraints and repeating the calculating and producing steps using the fall-back constraints, if the required printing resources are greater than the available printing resources. The system discloses various modules for effecting the method and including: a processor, a color transformation module, a printing resource module, a printing module, and a print job dialog module.

Abstract: Devices and methods for tracking a print job using an assignable electronic device on a print service provider (PSP) production floor are provided. One such method includes scanning a barcode-enabled job ticket assigned to a print job using a mobile electronic device assigned to a location on a print service provider production floor and sending barcode data from the barcode-enabled job ticket from to a PSP controller. The mobile electronic device may receive workflow instructions associated with the print job from the PSP controller. In addition, the mobile electronic device may display a representation of the workflow instructions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a quantitative guideline are provided. One such method may involve receiving into an electronic device a print order from a customer to a print service provider, determining the requisite tasks to fulfill the print order, determining which resources of the print service provider are capable of undertaking the requisite tasks, and determining respective costs and lead times associated with undertaking each requisite task using each capable resource. In particular, such costs and lead times may be determined based at least in part on a dynamic behavioral model of cost and a dynamic behavioral model of lead time associated with each resource.

Abstract: Systems and methods of data filtering for a print service provider (PSP) are disclosed. An exemplary method includes receiving a plurality of print service parameters. The method also includes filtering the plurality of print service parameters, wherein a portion of the received plurality of print service parameters are retained in machine readable format. The method also includes saving the filtered print service parameters for enhancing automatic and manual print production processes.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to access of a digital version of a file. In example embodiments, a location identifier printed in association with a printed version of a file is received. A digital storage location on a server computing device corresponding to the location identifier may then be accessed. A digital version of the file corresponding to the printed version of the file may then be accessed from the digital storage location.

Abstract: Controlled job release in print manufacturing is disclosed. An exemplary method includes stochastically receiving a plurality of print jobs in a job buffer. The method also includes analyzing factory management parameters. The method also includes generating automated control parameters based on the print jobs in the job buffer and the analyzed factory management parameters. The method also includes releasing the print jobs from the job buffer in a controlled manner using the automated control parameters.

Abstract: Benchmarking for a print service provider (PSP) is disclosed. An exemplary method includes receiving a plurality of automatic print service parameters in real-time, and at substantially the same time, receiving a plurality of manual print service parameters. The method also includes deriving performance metrics of the PSP based on based on predictive methods using the automatic and manual print service parameters. The method also includes comparing the derived performance metrics to actual performance at the PSP. The method also includes generating efficiency metrics for automatic and manual print production processes based on the comparison.

Abstract: In order to provide more secure binding of physical media, activation and deactivation mechanisms for media binders are presented. As such, internal spine clamp deactivation mechanisms for deactivating a spine clamp in a media binder are presented, the mechanism including: a tension sheet configured to operate the spine clamp in response to opening the media binder in a range of approximately 270 to 360 degrees (°), normally, greater than approximately 270°; a tear line disposed along the tension sheet and oriented along the spine clamp wherein when the tension sheet is torn at the tear line, the spine clamp is deactivated. In some embodiments, the mechanism further includes a cosmetic sheet disposed between the tension sheet and a cover of the media binder for providing a cover for the spine clamp such that when the tension sheet is torn, the spine clamp remains covered.