Abstract: According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises: an underframe comprising a center sill extending longitudinally along a centerline of the railcar; a hopper coupled to the underframe and comprising a discharge opening; and a discharge assembly coupled to the hopper. The discharge assembly comprises: a sloped side sheet, and a discharge gate frame in a plane offset from horizontal and extending from a bottom of the sloped side sheet to proximate the center sill. The discharge gate frame at least partially surrounds the discharge opening. The discharge assembly further comprises a discharge gate coupled to the discharge gate frame. The discharge gate is operable to move from a closed position that restricts a lading from discharging to an open position that permits the lading to discharge. Moving from the closed position to the open position comprises moving at an angle upward and transverse to the railcar.

Abstract: A railway car is disclosed. The railway car comprises an underframe and at least one compartment for transporting lading. The railway car comprises at least one discharge opening and a door assembly adjacent to the at least one discharge opening. The railway car comprises a discharge control system comprising at least a common linkage mounted away from a longitudinal centerline of the railway car and a secondary linkage, wherein the discharge control system is operable to move the door assembly between a first position and a second position. The railway car comprises an actuator operable to drive movement of the common linkage in connection with movement of the door assembly between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: A railcar system that includes a railcar with a discharge opening and a longitudinal gate positioned adjacent to the discharge opening. The system further includes a driving system connected to the longitudinal gate that is configured to move the longitudinal gate between a closed position and an open position. The system further includes a controller connected to the driving system that causes the driving system to position the longitudinal gate in the closed position, position the longitudinal gate in the open position, and position the longitudinal gate to remain an at least partially open position. The longitudinal gate is less than fully open when the longitudinal gate is in the at least partially open position.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a latch and a travelling nut. The latch couples to a deck of an auto rack car. The latch includes a body coupled to a hinge such that the body may rotate about the hinge from a first position to a second position. The body includes a key. The travelling nut engages a ball screw. The travelling nut includes a slot. The travelling nut rotates with the ball screw when the body is in the first position. The key engages the slot when the body is in the second position. The travelling nut and the latch adjust a height of the deck in the auto rack car when the body is in the second position and when the ball screw is turned.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises a hopper with a sloped sheet and a discharge door. A first end of the discharge door is coupled to the railcar and pivots the discharge door between closed and open positions. The sloped sheet comprises a discharge end that is in contact with the discharge door when in the closed position. A second end of the discharge door extends beyond the discharge end of the sloped sheet when in the closed position. The discharge door comprises a lip disposed at its second end that extends generally perpendicular to the discharge door and parallel to the sloped sheet when the discharge door is in the closed position. The sloped sheet comprises a gasket coupled to its exterior portion. The lip of the discharge door contacts the gasket when in the closed position.

Abstract: Methods and systems of filtering non-actionable alerts are disclosed. A processing device receives an alert from a printing device and determines a page count for the printing device. The processing device compares the page count with at least one threshold value associated with the alert and the printing device. In response to the page count satisfying the at least one threshold value, the processing device identifies the alert as a valid alert.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking, controlling, and replenishing consumption of at least one consumable item in a printing system are disclosed. The system includes a first network and a printing device coupled to the first network. A cabinet device coupled to the first network stores and controllably dispenses the at least one consumable item.

Abstract: A publish/subscribe broker messaging system and method for processing a data message based on a message broker scheduling algorithm. The scheduling algorithm can be configured in association with a message broker to receive and transmit the data message associated with one or more publishers to a subscriber. The subscriber can register a subscription with respect to the message broker to receive the data message based on a selected topic. An attribute can be added to the selected topic description based on the scheduling algorithm in order to schedule the data message from the publisher with respect to the selected topic via the message broker. The data message with respect to the selected topic from the publisher can be processed sequentially and the scheduling algorithm can process other topics simultaneously. The data messages from other publishers with similar topic can also be processed simultaneously in order to transmit a high volume of message while ensuring high levels of service.

Abstract: Method and systems of identifying a printing device having an exceptional incident rate among a plurality of printing devices are disclosed. For each of a plurality of printing devices, a processor receiving a printing device model, a print volume, and an incident count that includes a number of incidents occurring within a particular time frame. The processor determines a generalized linear regression model of the incident counts for each printing device model and also determines a predicted incident count for each printing device model using the generalized regression model. The processor determines a residual value for each printing device between the incident count for the printing device and the predicted incident count for the printing device model associated with the printing device. The processor identifies one or more printing devices having a residual value exceeding a threshold value.

Abstract: Method and systems of identifying a printing device having an exceptional incident rate among a plurality of printing devices are disclosed. For each of a plurality of printing devices, a processor receiving a printing device model, a print volume, and an incident count that includes a number of incidents occurring within a particular time frame. The processor determines a generalized linear regression model of the incident counts for each printing device model and also determines a predicted incident count for each printing device model using the generalized regression model. The processor determines a residual value for each printing device between the incident count for the printing device and the predicted incident count for the printing device model associated with the printing device. The processor identifies one or more printing devices having a residual value exceeding a threshold value.

Abstract: Methods and systems of filtering non-actionable alerts are disclosed. A processing device receives an alert from a printing device and determines a page count for the printing device. The processing device compares the page count with at least one threshold value associated with the alert and the printing device. In response to the page count satisfying the at least one threshold value, the processing device identifies the alert as a valid alert.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking, controlling, and replenishing consumption of at least one consumable item in a printing system are disclosed. The system includes a first network and a printing device coupled to the first network. A cabinet device coupled to the first network stores and controllably dispenses the at least one consumable item.

Abstract: A publish/subscribe broker messaging system and method for processing a data message based on a message broker scheduling algorithm. The scheduling algorithm can be configured in association with a message broker to receive and transmit the data message associated with one or more publishers to a subscriber. The subscriber can register a subscription with respect to the message broker to receive the data message based on a selected topic. An attribute can be added to the selected topic description based on the scheduling algorithm in order to schedule the data message from the publisher with respect to the selected topic via the message broker. The data message with respect to the selected topic from the publisher can be processed sequentially and the scheduling algorithm can process other topics simultaneously. The data messages from other publishers with similar topic can also be processed simultaneously in order to transmit a high volume of message while ensuring high levels of service.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described hereinto to provide a notification when a predetermined event occurs that is related to a consumable. A print engine outputs hard copies based on electronically received data. One or more toner cartridges that are utilized by the print engine to place toner onto a hard copy substrate. A meter monitors and provides a level of remaining toner for each of the one or more cartridges. A yield component receives level data from each meter to compare to an expected yield and an expected grams per impression, wherein if the expected yield and/or the expected grams per impression are outside of a predetermined threshold, a signal is output.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically generating a helpdesk ticket when a remote rendering device possesses a series of customer resolvable events within a time period. The helpdesk ticket can be moved into an active state when an alert associated with the customer resolvable events is triggered and the ticket can be moved into a passive state when the alert is no longer triggered for the predefined time period. The helpdesk ticket can be retained in the active state if the fault condition detected for a defined number of times without being out of that state for the predefined time period. A device management module sends a notification indicative on each change of the state associated with the rendering device to a helpdesk unit. The device management module can also reset the time period between alerts if the problem occurs infrequently and the ticket can be automatically closed.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically generating a helpdesk ticket when a remote rendering device possesses a series of customer resolvable events within a time period. The helpdesk ticket can be moved into an active state when an alert associated with the customer resolvable events is triggered and the ticket can be moved into a passive state when the alert is no longer triggered for the predefined time period. The helpdesk ticket can be retained in the active state if the fault condition detected for a defined number of times without being out of that state for the predefined time period. A device management module sends a notification indicative on each change of the state associated with the rendering device to a helpdesk unit. The device management module can also reset the time period between alerts if the problem occurs infrequently and the ticket can be automatically closed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described hereinto to provide a notification when a predetermined event occurs that is related to a consumable. A print engine outputs hard copies based on electronically received data. One or more toner cartridges that are utilized by the print engine to place toner onto a hard copy substrate. A meter monitors and provides a level of remaining toner for each of the one or more cartridges. A yield component receives level data from each meter to compare to an expected yield and an expected grams per impression, wherein if the expected yield and/or the expected grams per impression are outside of a predetermined threshold, a signal is output.

Abstract: A system and method for replenishing consumables in a printing system having a plurality of multi-function devices (MFDs), including receiving information related to the plurality of MFDs; enabling at least one of the plurality of MFDs to automatically generate and transmit a notification to a storage station based on at least a portion of the information; selectively tracking one or more parameters within the information received from the plurality of MFDs; comparing the one or more parameters with one or more preset parameters stored in the storage station; and determining a confidence level interval for each of the consumables of the at least one of the plurality of MFDs that generated and transmitted the notification; wherein the consumables are automatically replenished if the confidence level interval is greater than or equal to a pre-established confidence level for at least one of the plurality of MFDs.

Abstract: A system and method for diagnosing image quality of a printer device's output is provided. The method includes receiving by a processor, via a network from a remote node of the network, a service incident report. The incident report includes an indication of a type of the printer device the printer device being disposed along the network at a location remote from the processor. The method further includes accessing by the processor a storage device storing a collection of test patterns, selecting by the processor a test pattern from the collection of test patterns based on the type of the printer device, wherein the test pattern is configured as input that the printer device can receive and output corresponding printed output, and transmitting by the processor the selected test pattern for the selected test pattern to be provided as input to the printer device.