PrintVis can automatically add the cutting operation when it sees that a press sheet size is not equal to the parent sheet size.
We will need to setup the Calculations and then see how this operation appears in Planning.
1. CALCULATION SETUP
1.1 Cost Center configuration:
1.2 Configuration setup:
1.3 Calculation Unit setup:
Here, we use a conditional formula on the MR line to determine whether a prepress cut is needed or not and then calculate the cutting.
To do that, we first need to have a few formulas setup.
1.4 Formula setup:
On the “Specifications” page in PrintVis Case, we see these:
A) Parent sheet size (Full Sheet Format) and the
B) Press sheet size (Sheet Length and Width)
C) How many press sheets we get out of the Parent Sheet (Print sheet/full sheet)
So, it is safe to assume that if “C” is larger than 1, we are sub-cutting the parent sheet to smaller press sheets.
The “Print sheet/full sheet" field is the database field number 25 on this page:
We will create a custom formula 1287 that on the “Sheet” level that returns the value from field 25:
Then we create a formula that looks into the formula 1287 value and subtracts 1.
If Print sheet/full sheet = 1, we subtract 1 and get zero (no sub-cutting is needed).
However, if Print sheet/full sheet = 2, 3, or more, then we get a digit.
Here is formula 1288:
Next, we create a conditional formula 1377 that looks into formula 1288.
If it is zero, it returns zero.
If it is not zero (from q-ty of 1 and above), it returns value of “1” (formula 1025 = 1)
Here are a few more formulas:
Formula 1293: looks at the thickness of the sheet and calculates how many sheets we will have in a 5” lift (rounding up to the nearest 1)
Since in this demo system we have thickness specified in “points”, we divide that by 1,000 to get “inches”.
Formula 1271: Calculates how many 5” lifts we will have based on
- formula 1293
- and system formula 140 that returns the # of "full size" sheets (parent sheets):
Formula 1288: will calculate # of pre-press cuts on the sheet. It looks into Formula 1287 and subtracts 1:
On the "Estimating" page in "Calculation" area, users can see the values calculated for # of lifts and # of prepress cuts.
If necessary, users can adjust these values manually. This will trigger automatic time re-calculation by PrintVis.
This is done by assigning “Formula Classes” to certain calculation lines.
These "Formula Classes" can be text or digits, but up to 10 characters only:
Then we will make 2 “lookup” formulas that look at a specific formula class and return the value.
If we adjust the value manually on the Estimating page, the system will update for that.
So, to look-up a formula class LIFTS, we create Formula 1297:
And to look-up a formula class CUTS, we create Formula 1299:
Formula 1317 will calculate the TOTAL number of cuts, by multiplying the “looked-up” values of # cuts on 1 sheet by # of 5” lifts:
1.7 Link the Calculation Unit to a Press List Of Units:
This way, when a press is added into the Estimate, a pre-press cutting operation will appear.
If no prepress cutting is needed, the unit will not calculate anything.
If prepress cutting is needed, the formula will add the cutting.
1.6 How it works:
Example Case: we have a cover and a text sheet.
Both are running on a 13” X 19” digital press. The Cover parent sheet is 28” X 40”, so it needs to be sub-cut.
The Text parent sheet is 13” X 19”, so no sub-cutting is required.
The moment we selected a press, pre-press cutting operations appeared (one for each “sheet”):
The “Cover” sheet got a pre-press sub-cutting calculated:
Now, if I think the # of cuts on the sheet and the # of lifts should be different, I can change the numbers manually and the system updates the cutting time:
My Text was already planned to run on 13” X 19” sheets, so no prepress cutting got calculated:
However, if I change the text stock to something larger, PrintVis will calculate the “Print sheet/full sheet” as > 1.
This will automatically add the pre-press cut operation.
Last note: Remember that "pre-press cut" calculation unit needs to be assigned a sorting number so that is appears before the presses.
2. PLANNING SETUP
For a pre-press cutting task to show up as a separate operation on the job schedule, the pre-press cutting "Calculation Unit" needs to be routed to a unique "Planning Unit":
Then, on the Planning Unit setup in the "Text" field, we set a specific default text that will always show up - a “Cut to press” in this example:
On the shop floor, operators will see which operation is a “Prepress cut” and which one is a “Final Cut”:
And, if we specify this on the Planning Unit setup:
then PrintVis will only add the operation into the Planning Window if it has been calculated (not equals zero).
In our example, you will see the Pre-press cut operation for Cover only. The text pre-press cut will not appear, because it was "0".