Abstract: A print control apparatus includes a generating unit that generates color image data based on gloss-control image data, the gloss-control image data containing a gloss control value for identifying a type of a surface effect being a visual or a tactile effect applied to the recording medium and for identifying a region to which the surface effect is applied in the recording medium, and generates clear-toner image data based on presence or absence of at least one post processing device connected to the printing device and based on a type of the post processing device; a post-processing control unit that controls the post processing device in accordance with the presence or absence of the post processing device connected to the printing device and the type of the post processing device; and an output unit that outputs the clear-toner image data.

Abstract: An image scanning device for scanning an image on a document comprises a document table on which a document to be scanned is placed, a scanning unit which is installed in the document table for scanning an image on a document by projecting light from a light source onto the document in a time-sharing manner and detecting reflected light from the document, a moving unit which moves at least one of the document and the scanning unit to let them move relatively with each other, and a document type judgment unit which judges the type of the document in regard to transmission of light through the document based on a non-lighting period image signal which is outputted by the scanning unit by scanning the document for one line in a main scanning direction in a non-lighting period of the light source.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes detecting means for detecting a temperature of a recording material on which a non-transparent toner image is heat-fixed; transparent image forming means for effecting image formation by transparent toner on the basis of transparent image data; a heating device for heating the transparent toner image formed by the transparent image forming means; and correcting means for correcting an amount, per unit area, of the transparent toner which is deposited on the non-transparent toner image fixed on the recording material, by the transparent image forming means in accordance with a temperature detected by the detecting means.

Abstract: A glossing apparatus including: a first roller comprising a heating member; a second roller disposed downstream of the first roller with respect to the recording medium feeding direction; a belt member extended by the first roller and the second roller; and a third roller which presses the first roller via the belt member, wherein the recording medium is conveyed in such a manner that the image forming surface of the recording member is adhered to the belt member after the recording member is heated and pressed between the belt member and the first roller, wherein a plurality of through-holes is provided to the belt member, and a releasing agent is applied to inner surfaces of the through-holes.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a non-transparent image forming apparatus, a transparent image forming apparatus, and a controller for controlling a combination of a non-transparent image formation process and a transparent image formation process for both sides of a recording material so that the numbers of heating operations to which outermost layers of final fixed images are subjected to a first image heating device in the non-transparent image forming apparatus and second image heating device in the transparent image-forming apparatus are the same.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a color image forming apparatus including: a color image forming portion for forming a color toner image on a surface of a recording material; a first fixing device including a first fixing member for fixing the color toner image on the surface of the recording material by heating, at a first fixing portion, the surface of the recording material on which the color toner image is formed immediately before by the color image forming portion; a second fixing device including a second fixing member for heating, at a second fixing portion, the surface of the recording material heated immediately before by the first fixing member; and a switching mechanism for switching a conveyance direction of the recording material passing through the first fixing portion to a direction toward the second fixing portion and to a bypass direction of the second fixing portion; a transparent image forming apparatus including: a transparent image forming portion capable of forming a transparent toner

Abstract: An image control device for controlling an image forming portion which includes a clear toner image forming portion for forming a clear image on a color toner image fixed on a recording material and includes a fixing device for fixing the formed clear toner image on the recording material, includes a converting portion for converting an image data for designating a toner amount per unit area of the clear toner image at each pixel into an output data, wherein the image data is capable of providing a value which monotonically increases to a maximum from a minimum designating that the toner amount per unit area is zero and the output data is capable of providing a value which monotonically increases to a maximum from a minimum designating that the toner amount per unit area is larger than zero; and includes a controller for controlling, in accordance with the output data, formation of the clear toner image by the clear toner image forming means, by which a clear toner is placed even where the image data is zero.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of efficiently cooling a hot sheet heated by heat-fixing without causing power consumption or noise. A pair of cooling rollers 200 is disposed at the downstream of fixing device 100 in a sheet conveying direction, in which the pair of cooling rollers includes a cooling roller 201 and a driven roller 203 to convey a sheet P. In addition, a phase-change material 202 is encapsulated in the cooling roller 201, in the temperature of the material to cause a phase-change between solid and liquid is or higher than a standby temperature that is a temperature of the pair of cooling rollers in a standby state, and is lower than a glass transition temperature of toner on the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a developing device for accommodating a transport toner and a carrier; a transferring device for transferring a transparent toner image from the image bearing member onto a surface of a recording material; a heating device for heating the transparent toner image; a switching portion for switching between a first mode in which the transparent toner image is transferred onto the surface of the recording material having a fixed non-transparent toner image and a second mode having an unfixed non-transparent toner image or having no image; and a controller for controlling the developing device so that transfer of the carrier during the first mode is more suppressed than in the second mode.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method of forming images on media in an electrophotographic apparatus, and corresponding electrophotographic apparatus. The method includes measuring a temperature of the media with a sensor after the toner particles have been fused to the media, and controlling a temperature of the heater device with a controller based on the measured temperature of the media, wherein the temperature is controlled to obtain a desired gloss level for subsequent media to be fused.

Abstract: In a cooling device for a printing substrate after passage through a fixing station, a transport path is provided for the printing substrate. A first cooling unit is provided along one side of the transport path. The first cooling unit has a first perforated plate facing towards the printing substrate, a coolant being conducted through the perforated plate. A second cooling unit is provided along an opposite side of the transport path. This second cooling unit has a perforated plate on a surface facing towards the printing substrate. A coolant is conducted through the perforated plate onto the opposite side of the printing substrate. A nip unit for the printing substrate has a nip roll integrated into the second cooling unit such that the nip roll is cooled by the second cooling unit.

Abstract: Methods for operating a printer to form a combination print with improved appearance are provided. In one aspect first receiver is provided with a first thickness at a first edge and having a first toner image on a first side with toner in an overlap area proximate the first edge. The first edge and overlap area are overlapped with a second receiver having a second thickness at a second edge; and the first receiver and second receiver are fused to cause any toner thereon to fuse such that the toner in the overlap area bonds the first receiver to the second receiver. The first toner image includes an edge concealment toner pattern positioned confronting the second edge with the edge concealment toner pattern having toner that reduces the visual impact of artifacts created by the overlapping second edge.

Abstract: A printer is provided for forming a durable combination of printed receivers having a printer controller cooperating with a print engine, receiver transport system, overlap positioning system and fuser to cause a first toner image on the first side of the first receiver with toner in an overlap area proximate to a first edge of the first receiver and a toner edge shield; to overlap the first edge of the first receiver with a second edge of the second receiver having a second thickness and to fuse the overlapped first receiver and second receiver to cause the toner in the overlap area to bond receivers receiver. The toner edge shield forms a first end confronting the second edge that extends from a first side of the first receiver to at least about 50% of the second thickness and that has a deflection surface that slopes toward a second end.

Abstract: Apparatus for bending a receiver having an image side and a non-image side in a bend area having a bend axis. Toner is deposited on the image side of the receiver in the bend area. A device compresses the deposited toner to form a toner film using a heated anvil and a selectively-cooled quencher that stretch and cooled the toner in the bend area below its Tg to form a toner film disposed over the surface of the receiver in the bend area. A heater reheats the bend area of the receiver so that temperature of the toner in the bend area rises above its Tg, so that the toner contracts and the receiver bends at the bend axis.

Abstract: An imaging system including an image transfer structure configured to transfer marking material to a first side of a substrate; a tacker configured to fix the marking material to the substrate; a path controller; a substrate inverter; and a fuser. The path controller is configured to switch the substrate between a first path towards the fuser and a second path extending through the substrate inverter and returning to the image transfer structure.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image formation unit such as a process section for forming an image on a recording sheet. The apparatus may include a fixing unit for fixing the image formed by the image formation unit on the recording sheet, a reversible roller configured to receive the sheet from the fixing unit along a sheet transport path and reverse a transport direction of the sheet, and an air blower, positioned between the fixing unit and the reversible roller along the sheet transport path, configured to blow air in a sheet feeding direction onto the recording sheet on which the image is fixed by the fixing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including toner image forming means for forming a having chromatic toner image a transparent toner image; fixing means for heating and fixing the non-transparent toner image and the transparent toner image on recording material; glossiness detecting means for detecting a glossiness of an area in which the non-transparent toner image and the transparent toner image are overlaid and fixed; control means for controlling an amount of the transparent toner, per unit area, on the recording material on the basis of a result of detection by the detecting means.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming unit for effecting an image forming operation to form toner image on a recording material, wherein the toner image comprises chromatic toner image components with different colors and a transparent toner image component overlaid thereon; a fixing unit for effecting a fixing operation to heat and fix the toner image on the recording material; a switching unit for switching, in accordance with information relating to a maximum toner amount per unit area in a zone in which the transparent toner component is present, operations to a mode in which the formation of the toner image is effected through a plurality of such image forming operations, and the fixing of the toner image is effected through a plurality of such fixing operations.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member that comes into contact with a recording medium while rotating a heating unit that heats the fixing member, a pressing member that presses the recording medium to the fixing member while rotating, and an air supply unit that supplies air to a part included in an angle range of 90 degrees toward a downstream side of the pressing member in a rotating direction from a contact position between the pressing member and the fixing member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit and a gloss equalizing unit. The fixing unit is disposed in a media conveyance path to fix a toner image on a recording medium conveyed therethrough. The fixing unit includes a rotary fuser member, a rotary pressure member, and a media stripper. The fuser member is subjected to heating. The rotary pressure member is pressed against the fuser member to form a fixing nip therebetween. The media stripper is held in contact with the pressure member to allow the recording medium to separate from the pressure member. The gloss equalizing unit is disposed downstream from the fixing unit along the media conveyance path. The gloss equalizing unit includes a pair of first and second rotary glossing rollers, at least one of which is heated and at least one of which is pressed against the other to form a gloss equalizing nip therebetween.

Abstract: A method of reusing a sheet includes receiving a sheet having a printed image, scanning a new image, determining whether the sheet is acceptable for reuse, covering at least one portion of the printed image on the sheet with a white-out toner via a white-out unit, fusing the white-out toner to the at least one portion of the sheet, printing a new image onto the sheet, and performing the receiving, scanning, determining, covering, fusing and printing operations on the sheet a plurality of times. A printing device for covering and printing over a printed image includes a receiving subsystem configured to receive a sheet, a processing module configured to determine whether the sheet is acceptable for reuse, and a fuser module configured to fuse a white-out toner.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a mode setting section configured to set an operation mode in a manner that the image forming apparatus is operated in an erasing mode if an erasing operation is instructed, a supplying section configured to supply a medium on which the image formation is completed, and which is set in an designated or specified receiving section, a decoloring section configured to decolor the color of the formed image by carrying the medium to a heating section that includes at least heating and decoloring function, and a return section configured to return the operation mode to a predetermined mode except for the erasing mode from the erasing mode, when the last medium on which the image formation is completed and which is set in the receiving section is decolored.

Abstract: A method for producing a printed material, a method for producing a dye-printed material, a printing apparatus, and a dye-printing system have a good transfer property when a dry toner including a dye is electrostatically transferred to a base material, such as a fabric, based on an electrophotographic system or the like. The methods include a step of providing at least one type of dry toner containing a dye component and a binder resin to a charged body, a step of transferring the dry toner from the charged body to a base material, and a step of fixing the dry toner on the base material. In the transfer step, an electric field is applied between the charged body and the base material to fly the dry toner on the charged body from the charged body to the base material.

Abstract: A surface treatment device includes a belt member having a surface layer in which plural kinds of rubbers having a different hardness mixedly exist. In the device, a press/heat unit presses a recording medium with a toner image formed against the belt member such that the toner image contacts with the surface layer, and heats the recording medium to melt at least a surface of the toner image.

Abstract: An image forming system includes image forming means for forming toner images on toner receiving resin layers of respective sides of a recording material; fixing means for heat fixing the toner images on the recording material in a fixing nip; and smoothing means for smoothing the toner receiving resin layers of the recording material having the toner images formed by the fixing means; wherein the system is operable in an image formation mode in which the toner images formed on the respective sides of the recording material are fixed by the fixing means sequentially, and then the toner receiving resin layers of the recording material are smoothed by the smoothing means sequentially.

Abstract: Apparatus for selectively providing a surface finish to a receiver having an image side, comprising three rotatable members forming two nips. A finishing belt is entrained around, and movable with, one of the rotatable members, and passes through one of the nips. The receiver engages one of the nips according to what surface finish is desired. One of the rotatable members is selectively rotated to draw the receiver through the engaged nip, and a heater heats the rotatable member of the engaged nip facing the image side to impart the desired surface finish.

Abstract: A method of forming a variable finish on a receiver by fusing toner to a receiver in an electrophotographic printer, comprising providing a rotatable member, a fusing system disposed with respect to the rotatable member to form a fusing nip, and a glossing system having a glossing belt and disposed with respect to the rotatable member to form a glossing nip, wherein the fusing system and glossing system are adapted to fuse toner to a receiver to produce respective ranges of finish of the fused toner; selecting a finish within one of the respective ranges, and selecting one of the nips, wherein the finish range of the system corresponding to the selected nip includes the selected finish; and rotating the rotatable member to feed the receiver through the selected nip to fuse the toner to the receiver and form the selected finish on the receiver.

Abstract: An image forming system including: a fixing device for fixing a toner image on the recording sheet; a curl flattening section for flattening a curl formed on the recording sheet, and conveying the recording sheet in a downstream direction against the fixing device; a first conveying route for conveying the recording sheet having been processed by the fixing device to the curl flattening section; a second conveying route, being longer than the first conveying route, for conveying the processed recording sheet to the curl flattening section; a switching section for switching the conveying route, to guide to the first conveying route or the second conveying route; and a control section for controlling the switching section to guide the recording sheet to the first conveying route or the second conveying route, based on a type of the recording sheet, having been processed by the fixing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of using a recording medium having a transparent portion includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and an applicator. The image forming unit forms an image on a face of the recording medium. The fixing unit fixes the image, formed by the image forming unit, on the face of the recording medium. The applicator applies a non-transparent liquid to at least the fixed image on the face of the recording medium.

Abstract: An image processing device has an image forming portion, a heating portion and a supplying portion. The image forming portion forms an image on a sheet. The heating portion heats the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming portion at a predetermined temperature, to thereby fix the image on the sheet. The supplying portion supplies the sheet on which an image is fixed previously. Further, the heating portion heats the sheet on which the image is fixed and which is supplied from the supplying portion at a temperature higher than the predetermined temperature to thereby remove the image.

Abstract: A disclosed fixing device includes a fixer application unit configured to apply a fixer containing a softener, capable of softening resin by dissolving or swelling at least a part of the resin, and water to resin particles formed on a recording medium such that the resin particles are fixed on the recording medium, and an anti-tack agent application unit configured to apply a liquid anti-tack agent immiscible with the softener to surfaces of the resin particles that are mixed with the softener by the application of the fixer containing the softener.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a color toner image forming unit that forms a color toner image on a recording medium; a first colorless transparent toner image forming unit that forms a first colorless transparent toner image on the color toner image; a first fixing unit that fixes the image on the recording medium; a gloss level increasing device that increases a gloss level of the entire image on the recording medium that has been fixed; a second colorless transparent toner image forming unit that forms a second colorless transparent toner image on the image whose gloss level has been increased; and a second fixing unit that fixes the second colorless transparent toner image on the recording medium.

Abstract: A tandem color electrostatographic printer apparatus has five or more color printing stations or modules for applying respective color separation toner images to a receiver member to form a pentachrome color image in a single pass. A fuser station fuses the pentachrome color image. A clear toner overcoat is then applied to the fused pentachrome toner image and enhanced glossing of the image is provided by a belt glosser to improve color gamut.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a pair of first guides formed with a first opening; a pair of second guides; and a pair of third guides, wherein an air which has passed through a first opening of the pair of first guides is deflected to one pair of guides of the pair of the second guides and the pair of the third guides by the other pair of guides.

Abstract: A gloss-imparting method that includes (a) applying heat and pressure to one side of a recording material having an image of toner formed on both sides, and fixing the image to the one side of the recording material; (b) cooling the one side of the recording material; (c) applying heat and pressure to the other side of the recording material, and fixing the image to the other side of the recording material; and (d) cooling the other side of the recording material, in the step (a), the fixing being performed such that a value of exp(?T·tan ?0) will be approximately 0.85 or less, where tan ?0 is a loss tangent of the toner when measured by dynamic viscoelastic measurement at a frequency of approximately 1 rad/sec at approximately the same temperature as a fixing temperature of the step (a), and T is a fixing time in the step (a).

Abstract: A fixing method and a fixing device is provided in which an unfixed toner image formed on a recording medium is heat-pressure-fixed by using a fixing unit, wherein the unfixed toner image is fixed when the recording medium passes through at least two fixing units arranged in series in a conveying direction of the recording medium. Specific relations are satisfied between a maximum temperature on the recording medium when the recording medium passes through a first fixing unit, a maximum temperature on the recording medium when the recording medium passes through a second fixing unit, a minimum temperature on the recording medium during a time period commencing on ejection of the recording medium from the first fixing unit and ending on entry of the recording medium into the second fixing unit and properties of the toner.

Abstract: A surface treatment apparatus for recording material, includes: a resin film to be adhered to a toner image surface of a toner image carried on the recording material after a whole region of the toner image has been heat treated; a heating section including a plurality of heating elements provided on an opposite side of the recording material relative to the resin film; and a control section which controls the heating section, wherein the control section performs a current control of a predetermined part of the plurality of heating elements selectively in a state where the recording material and resin film contacts each other and recording material moves relatively to the heating section.

Abstract: A system and a method to protect an image on a substrate. The method includes forming an unfused toner image, partially fusing the unfused toner image at a first temperature by exposing the composition to radiation to prevent disruption of the image upon application of the wax-hybrid composition to form a partially fused toner image, cooling the partially fused toner image to a second temperature, providing a protective coating composition comprising a wax-hybrid, applying the protective coating composition over the partially fused toner image, permanently fixing the protective coating composition and partially fused toner image to form a final printed image.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus that includes a paper feeding unit configured to feed recording paper, a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image to the recording paper fed by the paper feeding unit, a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image transferred to the recording paper by the transfer unit on the recording paper, a thermal head having a plurality of heating units arrayed in a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the recording paper, and configured to add gloss by heating an arbitrary area of the recording paper on which the toner image has been fixed by the fixing unit for each line, a setting unit configured to set a gloss addition area in the recording paper to which the gloss is added by the thermal head, a correction unit configured to correct the gloss addition area set by the setting unit so that numbers of heating units driven when the recording paper is heated by the thermal head are approximately equal in each line, and a control unit configured to cont

Abstract: System and methods providing a plurality of fusers, and one or more radius profiled media handling transports for transporting media in a radius, in an image forming device. The system includes one or more of a plurality of fusers, and radius profiled media handling transport devices arranged in a fashion allowing for improved throughput of media while reducing operating costs. The plurality of fusers allows for the use of individual low capacity fusers that are equal to or less than the overall capacity of the image forming device. Media transport devices transport media on stretch belts across a radius of rollers with a means for providing an adhering force for stabilizing the media to the belt. The rollers are arranged along one side of the frame, along which the media is transported, and a frame may contain an air plenum so as to allow for the drawing of a vacuum through the rollers. The media transport device allows for optimizing a configuration of the image forming device.

Abstract: A process of MICR and non-MICR electrostatic magnetic imaging of two independent electrostatic latent images including (a) forming a first electrostatic latent image in a MICR printing apparatus; (b) developing the first electrostatic latent image by contacting the first electrostatic latent image with a MICR toner to produce a developed MICR toner image; (c) transferring the developed MICR toner image onto a check; (d) forming a second electrostatic latent image in a non-MICR printing apparatus; (e) developing the second electrostatic latent image by contacting the second electrostatic latent image with a non-MICR toner to produce a developed non-MICR image; (f) transferring the developed non-MICR toner image to the check; (g) fusing the MICR toner image and the non-MICR toner image to the check, wherein a fuser oil is supplied to the check during fusing; (h) coating the check having fused developed MICR toner image and non-MICR toner image with an aqueous coating comprising a polymer and a surfactant.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section which transfers a toner image in accordance with image data onto a recording sheet; a first fixing device having a first fixing roller, which fixes the toner image onto the recording sheet with heat; a second fixing device having a second fixing roller, which further applies heat to the recording sheet that has been fixed by the first fixing device; a second fixing roller surface roughness prevention mechanism which prevents a roughness on a surface of the second fixing roller that has been generated due to side ends of the recording sheet being brought into contact with the surface of the second fixing roller; and a controller which controls the image forming section, the first and second fixing devices and the second fixing roller surface roughness prevention mechanism.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes first image heater, having a nip through which a sheet passes, for heating toner image on the sheet; second image heater, having a nip through which the sheet passes, capable of heating the toner image on the sheet having passed through the first image heater; speed changing means for changing a feeding speed of the sheet of the second image heater; a first detector for detecting an amount of slack of the sheet at one end of the sheet when the sheet is nipped by both of the nip of the first image heater and the nip of the second image heater; a second detector for detecting an amount of slack of the sheet at the other end of the sheet when the sheet is nipped by both of the nip of the first image heater and the nip of the second image heater; adjusting means adjusting a distance between the first image heater and the second image heater at the one end and a distance therebetween at the other end; and an executing portion for executing a correction mode when the amount of sl

Abstract: An image forming system including: an image forming apparatus to perform fixing processing on a sheet based on setting information on a job, and outputs the sheet on which the fixing processing is performed; a humidification device to moisten the sheet outputted from the image forming apparatus, wherein the humidification device including: a pair of humidification rollers to contact with each other so as to form a nip part, and to moisten the sheet which passes through the nip part; a water-supply roller to contact with the humidification rollers so as to supply moisture to the humidification rollers; and a control section to perform dry control of the humidification rollers at a timing when the sheet does not pass through the nip part after the water-supply roller supplies the moisture to the humidification rollers.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing section that heats an image formed on a recording material to fix the image to the recording material; a first cooling section that cools the recording material to which the image is fixed; and a second cooling section that cools the recording material from an opposite side of a side, to which the image is fixed, of the recording material before the first cooling section cools the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding unit configured to feed a recording sheet, a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image to the recording sheet fed by the sheet feeding unit, a fixing unit configured to heat the toner image transferred to the recording sheet by the transfer unit, a gloss imparting unit configured to impart gloss to an arbitrary region of the recording sheet heated by the fixing unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate a shrinkage ratio of the recording sheet shrunk through heating by the fixing unit, and a correction unit configured to correct the region to which gloss is imparted by the gloss imparting unit according to the shrinkage ratio calculated by the calculation unit.

Abstract: An image forming system which is capable of causing a clear coating apparatus to discharge processed sheets in proper page order, and improving usability and operability of the system by users. An image forming apparatus is set to perform single-sided image formation or double-sided image formation. A clear coating apparatus is set to perform single-sided clearing coating or double-sided clear coating. Whether to perform inverted discharge of sheets is controlled according to the settings of the image forming apparatus and the clear coating apparatus.

Abstract: Often times the glossing process results in an image artifact consisting of locally lighter image a fixed distance from the lead edge as a print is glossed. This artifact is most visible in areas of medium but consistent image. The present invention provides methods for reducing this artifact.

Abstract: Disclosed in an image forming apparatus including a conveyance section to convey a paper, a first fixing device to fix a toner on the paper by heat fixing, a first cooling device to cool the paper in which the toner is fixed, a second fixing device to fix the toner on the paper by heat fixing, a second cooling device to cool the paper in which the toner is fixed, a conveyance path switching section to switch a conveyance path of the paper between a first conveyance path and a second conveyance path and a control section to control so as to carry out cooling by operating the second cooling device and not operating the first cooling device when the paper is to be conveyed to the first conveyance path and so as to carry out cooling by operating the first cooling device when the paper is to be conveyed to the second conveyance path.

Abstract: Features described herein relate to optimizing a job plan procedure for selecting a plan for executing a manufacturing job. A planner can receive a model of a system that is to perform a job, and may select a precomputed plan that is sufficient to perform the job. The precomputed plan is identified during a first portion of a planning period, and the remainder of the planning period may be utilized to search for and identify a better plan for executing the job. If a better plan cannot be identified by the end of the planning period, then the selected precomputed plan can be executed.