IQgang-Manual Workflow
Overview
The IQgang module is composed of two editions: a Ganging (manual) version and an Advanced Ganging (automated) version.
The following covers the ‘manual’ gang workflow.
Manual ganging is completely user configured. The user selects the jobs to go on a single imposition, selects a press, stock size and jobs to include.
The run quantity is then changed by the user to get the efficiency of sheet usage.
There is no imposition software used in generating the gang. \
This would require advanced ganging with integration with a third-party imposition software such as Tilia Phoenix.
Ganging Board
Once logged into printIQ, go to the Production tab / Imposition board to begin using the ganging features.
There are three main tabs at the top that are used to filter your view.
Section Statuses, Stocks and Ganging Operations:
Use the filters to cull the list of available jobs for ganging. Filter to jobs on a selected status such as ‘Imposition Ready’:
Then, filter down to a single ‘Stock’:
And finally, filter by ‘gang’ operations such as different laminate types (Matt, Gloss, etc) so you don’t mix jobs onto a gang that do not belong on the same run.
This will give you the list of common jobs that can be ganged together:
There are columns for ‘Ganging Ops’ and ‘Further Ops’:
A ‘Gang’ operation is included as part of the gang jobs production (the start/stop for the operation is on the gang and closed off against the individual job) and
a ‘Further’ operation is an operation that is completed after the job is ‘split off’ from the gang (not included in the gang job and the start/stop is accessed against the individual job).
An operation is flagged as a ‘Gang’ operation by adding the operation category ‘Ganging’ to its list:
Ganging multiple Jobs
Based on your filtering, use the checkboxes to select the jobs to add to create a new gang and hit the ‘Export Jobs’ button:
A window drop-down allows you to view your jobs with respective stocks and sizes.
At the top is a row showing some utilisation numbers and a configurable ‘Run Quantity’.
Using this along with the selectors at the bottom of the screen you select what ‘Press’ and ‘Stock Size’ to gang the jobs on.
The ‘Utilisation’ field is colour coded just as an ‘indicator’ of usage; it does not stop you from selecting the configuration for the final gang.
The ‘Press’ selector will list all your presses for selection:
The ‘Stock Size’ dropdown will also give access to all other stock sizes available against that stock:
In the below example, we can see using a 20x26 sheet size and a x125 run quantity is utilising 54.96% of the sheet. This is flagged in RED as there is a lot of wasted space:
Changing the run qty to x100 shows in ORANGE as 70.25% is a reasonable use of the sheet:
Changing the run qty to x90 shows in GREEN as 82.64% is an optimal use of the sheet:
The utilisation is a mathematical calculation of area usage based on the sheet size compared to the area of the jobs selected against the gang.
It is not an ‘imposed layout’ such as you would get from using dedicated imposition software.
IQgang will begin its calculations from the lowest quantity job:
NOTE: The 'Nup' can be manually overwritten if required. Just click into the filed and type in the number up.
IQgang will calculate ONLY a SINGLE sheet.
Over 100% utilization means you’ll have to remove some Jobs and create a New Gang for those
Once you’re satisfied with overall sheet utilization, hit the Save & Create Gang button:
Once successful, you’ll receive confirmation and a new Gang Job number:
Clicking the gang number will open the gang job.
Click the ‘children’ icon next to the quantity to see a list of child jobs:
The child jobs can be accessed directly by clicking on the job number links:
On the ‘All Jobs’ board, while the gang is in production, all ‘child’ jobs will display in blue (to indicate they are linked to an active gang imposition):
The ‘Gang’ imposition will contain all the production operations to be run as part of the gang, including any pre-production workflow operations:
The ‘child’ jobs will have the relating operations that are being completed on the gang run closed from timing (as the timing is done against the gang).
Any ‘post-gang’ operations to be done after the gang is complete will remain for production:
When the gang is completed, the child jobs will no longer display in blue.
They will display in white as per standard jobs for production to be completed on remaining operations.
Ganging with 'Roll' based stocks
Roll stock can be used for ganging.
When a roll-based stock and press are selected, when the stock is set up as having a variable length, the user must enter a default length for calculating usage:
Enter a length that suits. This will also show the number of ‘sheets’ (or ‘lengths’ required).
Click ‘Save & Create Gang’:
The gang is based on the trim length entered and the number of sheets (lengths):
This is used to calculate the total length of stock required:
50” x10 =500”
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