Abstract: A system and method is used to manage scheduling of a plurality of print jobs in a multi-site print shop environment. The multi-site environment includes a plurality of print shops each having resources and equipment to complete at least one type of print job. Also included is a multi-site scheduler configuration arranged to assign and schedule print jobs to one of a home shop and a non-home shop. The assigning and scheduling is based on a fastest completion time, wherein a completion time of a print job in a home shop is defined as the actual time taken to complete the print job and a completion time of a print job in a non-home shop is defined as the actual time taken to complete the print job and a transportation delay.

Abstract: A system of forecasting future print job demand for a print shop may include a computing device, a print shop having a plurality of print devices in communication with the computing device, a historical database in communication with the computing device, and a computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more programming instructions.

Abstract: A system for determining a labor flexibility level for a document management system that meets a performance level of a full-flexibility level and is within one or more threshold limits includes a document management system having a plurality of print production devices, an electronic device in communication with the document management system, and a computer-readable storage medium having one or more programming instructions. The document management system is associated with a plurality of operators who each possess one or more skill sets for operating one or more of the print production devices.

Abstract: To preserve job integrity and minimize multi-site coordination overhead such as shipping, a technique to control the amount of outsourcing activities in a distributed manufacturing environment is provided. This approach to multi-site scheduling allows outsourcing control for distributed cellular manufacturing based on scheduling constraints called outsourcing group constraints.

Abstract: A system for determining a labor flexibility level for a document management system that meets a performance level of a full-flexibility level and is within one or more threshold limits includes a document management system having a plurality of print production devices, an electronic device in communication with the document management system, and a computer-readable storage medium having one or more programming instructions. The document management system is associated with a plurality of operators who each possess one or more skill sets for operating one or more of the print production devices.

Abstract: A method of generating a cell design of print production devices for a print production environment includes receiving a print job list, and identifying a plurality of print production devices located in the production environment. The system identifies a list of functions associated with the print jobs, and generates a graph. The system determines a threshold value, and partitions the graph into a number of groups equal to the threshold value such that a number of edges extending between groups is minimized. The system generates an initial cell design for the print production environment, and causes a hardware setting of each of the plurality of production devices to be updated to reflect the cell to which the production device was assigned and to enable the production device to perform one or more functions associated with the cell to which the production device was assigned.

Abstract: A system of forecasting future print job demand for a print shop may include a computing device, a print shop having a plurality of print devices in communication with the computing device, a historical database in communication with the computing device, and a computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more programming instructions.

Abstract: A method and system for processing jobs in a print shop is provided. The print shop includes at least two autonomous cells, and each autonomous cell includes a resource for performing an operation relative to at least one of the jobs. In one approach, the number of jobs requiring an operation at each one of the two autonomous cells is monitored. When the number of jobs requiring at least one operation at each one of the two autonomous cells exceeds a selected number, a reconfiguration mode is simulated for at least one of the two autonomous cells to obtain a reconfiguration desirability value. The at least one of the two autonomous cells is reconfigured when the reconfiguration desirability value differs from a selected reference value.

Abstract: A control system usable in a print shop where print jobs are processed with at least one print shop related resource is provided. The at least one print shop related resource is operated over multiple discrete time intervals such that production related data is generated for each one of the multiple discrete time intervals. The production related data generated during each one of the multiple discrete intervals is collected and stored in memory. The control system includes a controller and a program. The program operates with the controller to calculate at least one performance measure value from the stored production related data, and to determine, with the at least one calculated performance measure value, whether any further collection of production related data is required.

Abstract: A system of determining a composition of print production resources in a print shop may include a plurality of print production resources, an electronic device in communication with one or more of the print production resources, and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the electronic device. The computer-readable storage medium may include one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the electronic device to identify real-time print job requests for print jobs, prioritize the clients, update a queue file based on the prioritization, identify as a highest priority client the client associated with a highest priority in the queue file, categorize the print jobs associated with the highest priority client into a large job category or a small job category, determine a composition of print production resources, route print jobs to the print production resources in the determined composition, and control operation of the print production resources.

Abstract: A method of assigning a hub to a job source may include identifying one or more job sources where one or more print jobs are received, identifying one or more hubs to which the print jobs can be sent to be processed, determining a processing cost for each unique pair of job sources and hubs, creating, by a computing device, a job source list by identifying the pair associated with the largest processing cost, assigning the job source of the identified pair a highest position in the job source list, and repeating the identifying and the assigning for a next highest position until all identified job sources are assigned, and assigning the job source having the highest position in the job source list to an associated hub having a lowest processing cost.

Abstract: A method of recommending one or more solutions to a performance issue may include receiving operations information associated with a print production environment, determining one or more performance metrics associated with the print production environment based on at least a portion of the received operations information, and determining whether a performance issue associated with the print production environment exists based on one or more of the performance metrics.

Abstract: A method of simulating performance of a print production environment may include receiving, by a computing device, print production environment information that comprises one or more of the following: inventory information from a warehouse management system, worker information from a people management system, equipment information from an equipment management system, or job information from a job management system. The method may include receiving, by the computing device, a performance parameter associated with the print production environment, and performing, by the computing device, a simulation of operation of the print production environment using the received print production environment information to determine an impact of the performance parameter on the print production environment's performance.

Abstract: The present application presents a new and improved system and method of enhanced Lean Document Production (LDP), which employs cellular manufacturing concepts. The LDP process utilizes a processor to compute a dynamic production algorithm to generate an indication of a manufacturing or print shop excess capacity level.

Abstract: A method of assigning a hub to a job source may include identifying one or more job sources where one or more print jobs are received, identifying one or more hubs to which the print jobs can be sent to be processed, determining a processing cost for each unique pair of job sources and hubs, creating, by a computing device, a job source list by identifying the pair associated with the largest processing cost, assigning the job source of the identified pair a highest position in the job source list, and repeating the identifying and the assigning for a next highest position until all identified job sources are assigned, and assigning the job source having the highest position in the job source list to an associated hub having a lowest processing cost.

Abstract: A method of recommending one or more solutions to a performance issue may include receiving operations information associated with a print production environment, determining one or more performance metrics associated with the print production environment based on at least a portion of the received operations information, and determining whether a performance issue associated with the print production environment exists based on one or more of the performance metrics.

Abstract: A method of analyzing failures of a print device may include receiving failure information associated with a print device in a print shop. The failure information may pertain to a plurality of failures experienced by the print device over a period of time. The method may include generating, by a computing device, failure distribution information by, for each pair of consecutive failures in the failure information, determining a time to failure between the pair of consecutive failures, determining a repair time associated with each failure in the pair of consecutive failures, and setting the determined times to failure and the determined repair times as the failure distribution information. The method may include performing, by the computing device, a simulation of processing of one or more print jobs by the print device using the failure distribution information, and displaying one or more results of the simulation to a user.

Abstract: A method of determining a cell configuration in a print production environment may include identifying a set of print devices to assign to a cell, identifying a print device number, identifying one or more subsets of print devices from the set, where each subset includes a unique portion of the print devices in the set, and each subset includes a number of print devices equal to the print device number, performing a simulation of operation on each subset to determiner a subset performance metric for each subset, selecting one of the subsets based on the associated subset performance metric, decrementing the print device number by an amount, updating the set with the selected subset, and repeating the identifying one or more subsets, performing the simulation, selecting one of the subsets, decrementing the print device number and updating until no subset performance metric satisfies a performance constraint.

Abstract: A method of determining a location of one or more print production items in a storage facility may include identifying one or more print production items used by one or more autonomous production cells in a print shop, and determining, by a computing device, a demand value associated with each of the identified print production items. The demand value may represent a frequency with which the print production item is used by the autonomous production cells over a period of time. The method may include grouping the identified print production items into one or more groups based on the autonomous production cell that uses the identified print production items, assigning each group to an autonomous storage cell, and determining a location of one or more autonomous storage cells based on the demand values associated with the print production items in the group associated with the autonomous storage cell.

Abstract: A method of determining a maximum profit for a print production environment may include receiving, by a computing device, a flow model associated with a print production environment, applying, by the computing device, a modified Jackson Network analysis to the flow model to generate one more characteristic curves that each characterize a relationship between profit of the print production environment and job inflow rate and that each show a maximum profit value for the print production environment, and presenting, by the computing device, one or more of the generated characteristic curves to a user.