System and method for handling printing press workload

Abstract

A system and method is provided for ganging print orders to be printed on a press based on a set of print attributes, wherein associated digital files of the print orders are ganged together in one file location to generate a gang ticket in a database for the ganged print order, and displaying the gang ticket.

1 . A method of handling press workload, comprising:
 receiving a plurality of print orders, each having a set of print attributes and an associated digital file;   ganging the print orders based on the set of print attributes;   automatically collecting the digital files for the ganged print orders together in one file location; and   generating a gang ticket in a database for the ganged print orders and displaying the gang ticket.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gang ticket includes different file formats. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gang ticket includes different file characteristics. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of print attributes include total quantity of the print orders, incremental quantities of component parts of the print orders, required turn around time, and/or estimated print completion time. 
     
     
         5 . A method of handling press workload, comprising:
 receiving a print order which has a set of print attributes and an associated digital file;   assigning the print order to a gang to be printed on a press based on the set of print attributes;   automatically collecting the digital file of the print order together with corresponding digital files of the gang in one file location; and   generating a gang ticket in a database for the ganged print order and displaying the gang ticket.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the gang ticket includes different file formats. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the gang ticket includes different file characteristics. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the set of print attributes include total quantity of the print order, incremental quantities of component parts of the print order, required turn around time, and/or estimated print completion time. 
     
     
         9 . A system for handling press workload, comprising:
 a print order receiving module that receives a plurality of print orders, each having a set of print attributes and an associated digital file;   means for ganging the print orders based on the set of print attributes; and   means for automatically collecting the digital files for the ganged print orders together in one file location, generating a gang ticket in a database for the ganged print orders, and displaying the gang ticket.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the gang ticket includes different file formats. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the gang ticket includes different file characteristics. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the set of print attributes include total quantity of the print orders, incremental quantities of component parts of the print orders, required turn around time, and/or estimated print completion time. 
     
     
         13 . A system for handling press workload, comprising:
 a print order receiving module that receives a print order which has a set of print attributes and an associated digital file;   means for ganging the print order to be printed on a press based on the set of print attributes;   means for automatically collecting the digital file of the print order together with corresponding digital files of the gang in one file location, generating a gang ticket in a database for the ganged print order, and displaying the gang ticket.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gang ticket includes different product formats. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gang ticket includes different product characteristics. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the set of print attributes include total quantity of the print order, incremental quantities of component parts of the print order, required turn around time, and/or estimated print completion time.