Abstract: An automated manufacturing system comprises a computer processing system and a plurality of consolidation systems. The computer processing system receives information on product subbatches and product packages and consolidation status information to produce consolidation assignment information, each product package comprising one or more product subbatches. The consolidation systems receive the product subbatches in accordance to the consolidation assignment information and consolidate the product subbatches into product packages, wherein the status of the consolidation systems are tracked and the consolidation status information is sent to the computer processing system.

Abstract: A method for producing a gift card for a gift imaging product, comprises receiving an order of the gift imaging product from a user, producing the gift imaging product, producing the gift card by the user for the gift imaging product; and consolidating the gift card with the gift imaging product into one package.

Abstract: An automated manufacturing system comprises a computer processing system and a plurality of consolidation systems. The computer processing system receives information on product subbatches and product packages and consolidation status information to produce consolidation assignment information, each product package comprising one or more product subbatches. The consolidation systems receive the product subbatches in accordance to the consolidation assignment information and consolidate the product subbatches into product packages, wherein the status of the consolidation systems are tracked and the consolidation status information is sent to the computer processing system.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a preview image for printing an input digital image having a first aspect ratio. The method includes providing a print format having a second aspect ratio different from the first aspect ratio, calculating a printable image portion of the input digital image for the print format, and displaying the printable image portion of the digital image for preview prior to printing an image print at the print format.

Abstract: A high-speed digital photographic printing system and method includes image-specific backprinting and automatic tracking and sorting of printed jobs. The system includes one or more photographic printers, where each printer can have a different printing rate. A scheduler schedules printing orders to the different printers. The printer-independent image rendering is conducted asynchronous to the printing to maximize the printing throughput. In some embodiments, the rendering image processor does the vast majority of the image processing and outputs a printer-independent data file (generally much larger than the source image data file) that requires little if any further data manipulations or processing in the exposure unit.

Abstract: A high-speed digital photographic printing system and method includes image-specific backprinting and automatic tracking and sorting of printed jobs. The system includes one or more photographic printers, where each printer can have a different printing rate. A scheduler schedules printing orders to the different printers. The printer-independent image rendering is conducted asynchronous to the printing to maximize the printing throughput. In some embodiments, the rendering image processor does the vast majority of the image processing and outputs a printer-independent data file (generally much larger than the source image data file) that requires little if any further data manipulations or processing in the exposure unit.