Abstract: A system and a method for managing operator replaceable components (“ORCs”) of a complex device is provided, which may be implemented in the form of a user interface. The user interface may allow selection of one of a plurality of groups of ORCs and may display the individual ORCs in a selected group of the plurality of groups of ORCs. The plurality of groups of ORCs may include at least one of a group of ORCs associated with a particular user access level, a group of ORCs associated with a similar location in the complex device, and a group of ORCs having related maintenance requirements.

Abstract: Automatically determining the cost of a printed job on a digital printing press before the job is run. A job control component in the digital front end of the printing press, collects and stores the processing information from the job processing components from prior runs. A job-reporting component displays the stored and estimated processing information and automatically computes and displays the estimated cost of the job. The method includes determining a future toner cost using a toner cost, a future press usage cost, and a substrate cost based on historical toner consumption and then rasterizing the job to determine the total job cost.

Abstract: Automatically determining the cost of a printed job on a digital printing press before the job is run. A job control component in the digital front end of the printing press collects and stores the processing information from the job processing components from prior runs. A job-reporting component displays the stored and estimated processing information and automatically computes and displays the estimated cost of the job. The method includes determining a future toner cost using a toner cost, a future press usage cost, and a substrate cost based on historical toner consumption and then rasterizing the job to determine the total job cost.

Abstract: A method of printing a plurality of digital images in a print job comprising the steps of: rasterizing at least one of the plurality of images; measuring a rasterization cost factor parameter in the rasterized image(s); and, predicting the time required to rasterize the other images in the print job based on the rasterization cost factor parameter.

Abstract: A method and system, for component replacement, which use a combination of replaceable component life tracking and error condition occurrence history to identify the need for component replacement.

Abstract: A replaceable component life tracking method and system for multi-operating mode systems having replaceable components with variable wear rates that depend on the system operating mode. The method tracks system use and replaceable component life using a common predetermined parameter, and uses a different predetermined replaceable component wear rate, when necessary, for each replaceable component for each operating mode. The predetermined wear rate for each replaceable component in each operating mode is factored into the accumulated use of each replaceable component in each operating mode before computing the overall accumulated life of each replaceable component.

Abstract: Automatically maintaining, for life tracking purposes, the correct set of replaceable components in systems with variable configurations and replaceable components using replaceable component data from four sources to determine the correct set of replaceable components for life tracking purposes. The four sources are: 1) hardware driven sensor data provided by the low level system control computer, 2) machine modification data from the list of upgrades that have been performed on the system, 3) configuration specific replaceable component data based on the replaceable component information that is known about each possible system configuration, and 4) replaceable component information obtained by prompting the field service engineer for any supplemental information that cannot be determined automatically from the first three sources.

Abstract: Automatically determining the cost to complete a printed job on a digital printing press. A Job Control Component in the Digital Front End of the printing press collects and stores the processing information from the job processing components after each has completed its step in the sequence of steps required to complete the printed job. A Job Reporting Component displays the stored processing information and, when the press owner has stored the predetermined cost of each processing step, automatically computes and displays the cost of the job.