As IT industries develop, upgrade and diversify, heterogeneous operating environments running a mix of new and legacy systems become increasingly important. Such environments are currently inadequate due to lack of compatibility with each other. This thesis investigates how agents can be utilised to facilitate such heterogeneous environments, aiding enterprise systems in building bridges between incompatible software and hardware systems. An autonomous agent has independent agency and decision-making astuteness. When placed in heterogeneous environments to interact with other such agents, the consequences of its action and its preferred choice of actions are greatly influenced by actions of other agents interacting in heterogeneous environments. The main objectives of this thesis include examining the roles of agents in heterogeneous operating environments, development of a novel multi agent base architecture and an associated framework for single and heterogeneous environment. The research work also studies the plausible application to test the developed proof of concept by developing application and using the framework that utilises Windows services in a totally incompatible Solaris based Sun Ray ultra thin client environment. The work includes a novel method of modeling agent based communication architecture suitable for correspondence between two inherently different operating systems - Solaris and Microsoft Windows. The circumstances in which coordination or coordination failure occurs between these systems are investigated. The proposed method of agent based communication that can potentially overcome the barriers formed by two completely different software and hardware architectural regimes. An analysis of printing services in MS Windows and Solaris environments, review the age long problem of lack of device drivers for commonly (and cheaply) available Ink Jet printers for Unix (and like) operating systems. A novel method is proposed that uses agents in heterogeneous environment to overcome this problem. A new architecture that utilises Windows based printing services on a Sun Ray ultra thin client is presented to test and evaluate the proof of concept. This thesis is motivated by the need to provide a low cost printing solution to Sun Ray users. Most Windows based desktop users currently have access to variety of low cost printing solutions. Printer vendors ship device drivers only for Windows or at most Macintosh, as other operating systems such as Solaris, MVS, z/OS are used for corporate solutions and low cost desktop printing have not been a major requirement in the past.

<p>During a make ready in a web offset press it is important to produce as little waste as possible. Reducing the amount of waste yields savings of both time and money. One way to do faster make ready is to preset the ink keys of the press before it is started. </p><p>This diploma work, carried out at Sörmlands Grafiska Quebecor AB in the city of Katrineholm, Sweden, examines how the ink key preset may be done using low- resolution digital images stored in the vendor independent data format CIP3 PPF. The press that has been used has a control interface that is not accessible from the outside. This feature is shared with a lot of older presses. Therefore several methods of how to present and collect ink key settings using offline methods have been tested. </p><p>To investigate the relationship between mean coverage over one ink zone and its corresponding ink key opening data from a 32-page web offset press has been collected. The mean coverage was taken from the CIP3 PPF files that were related to the collected print jobs. </p><p>The relationship that was found between the coverage and the opening can be described with a transfer curve (one curve per printing unit and side). Using as few as three print jobs of high quality (density and dot gain within given tolerances) a first set of transfer curves may be created. These are close to the real ones and using print jobs where the ink key presettings have been calculated the transfer curves may be calibrated to perform better and better presetting calculations. To generate and calibrate the transfer curves and to extract the mean coverage values from the CIP3 PPF files and recalculate these to presetting values a computer program called IKPS (Ink Key Presetting System) was made. IKPS was made using MATLAB from MathWorks INC. </p><p>IKPS have been tested for ink key presetting during a number of print jobs. Even though the transfer curves were uncalibrated the system performed well. As comparison the results from a plate scanner was used. Even if online transfer of the presetting values is preferable the big advantage with the IKPS is that it is an offline system and therefore it is possible to implement it on any kind of offset press, old as well as new. In order to generate reliable transfer curves the print jobs used for calibration must be of high printing quality and representative for that particular press. How the ink key presettings are presented in the press control room depends on what kind of press it is. IKPS works with CIP3 PPF files as well as low-resolution cmyk tiff files.</p>

During the operation of phase-change ink-jet printers a bubble formation phenomenon often occurs. These bubbles are detrimental to the operation of the printer and substantial efforts are made to remove them. The objective of this research was 1: to develop a fundamental understanding of how bubble or void formation occurs during the phase-change process, and, 2: to develop a simple computer model to simulate this behavior which can then be used as a tool for better design of print-head geometries. Preliminary experimental work indicated the void formation to be a result of the density change accompanying the phase-change process. The commercial numerical code, Flow 3-D, was used to model the phase-change process in print-head geometries and substantiate certain simplifying assumptions. These assumptions included the effect of convection on the process and the effect of the varying material properties. For channel sizes less than 0.5 cm the phase-change process was found to be a pure conduction process. Convection effects are thus negligible and can be eliminated from the model. The variability of density, specific heat and thermal conductivity must be included in the model, as they affect the phase-change process dramatically. Specific heat is the most influential of the properties and determines, along with the conductivity, the rate at which the phase change takes place. The density must be included since it is directly linked to the void formation. / Graduation date: 1994

<p>Web breaks are considered as one of the most significant runnability problems</p><p>in a pressroom. This work concerns the analysis of relation between various</p><p>parameters (variables) characterizing the paper, printing press, the printing</p><p>process and the web break occurrence. A large number of variables, 61 in</p><p>total, obtained off-line as well as measured online during the printing process</p><p>are used in the investigation. Each paper reel is characterized by a vector x</p><p>of 61 components.</p><p>Two main approaches are explored. The first one treats the problem as a</p><p>data classification task into "break" and "non break" classes. The procedures</p><p>of classifier training, the selection of relevant input variables and the selection</p><p>of hyper-parameters of the classifier are aggregated into one process based on</p><p>genetic search. The second approach combines procedures of genetic search</p><p>based variable selection and data mapping into a low dimensional space. The</p><p>genetic search process results into a variable set providing the best mapping</p><p>according to some quality function.</p><p>The empirical study was performed using data collected at a pressroom</p><p>in Sweden. The total number of data points available for the experiments</p><p>was equal to 309. Amongst those, only 37 data points represent the web</p><p>break cases. The results of the investigations have shown that the linear</p><p>relations between the independent variables and the web break frequency</p><p>are not strong.</p><p>Three important groups of variables were identified, namely Lab data</p><p>(variables characterizing paper properties and measured off-line in a paper</p><p>mill lab), Ink registry (variables characterizing operator actions aimed to</p><p>adjust ink registry) and Web tension. We found that the most important</p><p>variables are: Ink registry Y LS MD (adjustments of yellow ink registry</p><p>in machine direction on the lower paper side), Air permeability (character-</p><p>izes paper porosity), Paper grammage, Elongation MD, and four variables</p><p>characterizing web tension: Moment mean, Min sliding Mean, Web tension</p><p>variance, and Web tension mean.</p><p>The proposed methods were helpful in finding the variables influencing </p><p>the occurrence of web breaks and can also be used for solving other industrial</p><p>problems.</p>

Introduced in 1991, solid ink color printing technology is widely used in the office printing, prepress proofing, and wide format color printing markets. Ink droplets are first deposited on a rotating drum and then transferred to paper to reproduce images with high print quality. The objective of this thesis is to develop scientific knowledge of ink droplet deposition, which is needed for precise image buildup on the drum surface. The first problem studied in the thesis is droplet formation from the printhead with varied working voltages and jetting frequencies. Attention is paid to the formation of satellite droplets, the contraction of ligaments and the startup of high frequency jetting. The jetting conditions for obtaining consistent droplet generation with satellites are determined. A theoretical model is developed to predict the lifetime of ligaments. The second problem we studied is the deposition of single droplets on solid surfaces. The surface texture and final shape of deposited droplets are correlated with impact conditions, which include printhead temperature, substrate temperature, distance from printhead to substrate, and the type of substrate surface. An analytical model is developed to evaluate the interaction of oscillation and viscous damping in the droplet during impact. The third problem covered in the thesis is the deposition of multiple ink droplets on the drum surface. Interaction between droplets causes drawback effect, which degrades print quality. We define a parameter to quantify the drawback effect with varied deposition conditions. A simple model is provided to predict conditions for making continuous lines based on the results of two ink droplets deposition. To understand the hydrodynamics in causing drawback effect, a series of experiments using large liquid droplets are carried out. Focus is put on the evolution of spread length and dynamics of contact line. Correlations for maximum and minimum spread lengths are developed, which are used to reveal the cause of drawback effect in the deposition of ink droplets.

A hygroexpansimeter, cockling tester and a novel x-ray microtomography technique were employed to characterize hygroexpansivity as well as macro- and micro-scale cockling of wood-free paper sheets containing varying amounts of aspen high yield pulp (HYP) in order to validate its potential applicability in inkjet printing. Results from the hygroexpansimeter confirm previous findings that substitution levels of 30% and above lead to a slight deterioration of hygroexpansivity; however, contrary to the expected outcome, aspen HYP did not necessarily result in a higher tendency to form cockles. In fact, a comparison of the cockling behaviour between various paper samples and commercial paper substantiates that up to 40% of aspen HYP can replace hardwood bleached Kraft pulp. The preservation of out-of-plane dimensional stability in non-coated samples is most likely due to the increase in bending stiffness of the paper as it became bulkier with more aspen HYP.

The emergence of desktop ‘3D printing’ is not only a technological development, but equally a social and economic phenomenon that actively (and often contentiously) co-produces the material and ideological infrastructures it occupies. Reflecting wider momentum toward digital-material convergence, the current “revolution” in desktop digital fabrication is fundamentally attributable to the efforts of decentralized Maker and DIY communities who, connected through digital networks, practice citizen-led technological experimentation and occupy novel spaces for innovation and entrepreneurship. Employing hybrid qualitative methods that include Critical Making, this research explores the following themes: rhetoric versus reality, the divisive notion of ‘digital craft’, perceptions of authenticity, as well as cultural momentum manifested in decentralization, convergence, stratification, and iteration. An overarching theme emerges: 3D printing is a fluid phenomenon – in literal, metaphorical, technological and cultural ways.

This thesis covers an introduction to the present conditions for newspaper publishing, definitions and analyses of the processes of newspaper production and distribution, expected future developments with respect to products and production processes, and finally, conclusions regarding the need for global coordination of products, production and distribution. Primarily, the conditions in the Nordic countries have been analysed. Particular attention has been drawn to Swedish morning newspapers with a circulation exceeding about 50 000 copies per publishing day. The study has been carried out mainly through literature research, through case studies using the SDA-method, and through acquisition and analyses of production data from the case studies. In addition, interviews and questionnaires have been used. A modern newspaper printing plant requires heavy investments. The number of newspaper printing plants is decreasing, but he number of newspaper titles printed in each plant increases. The flexibility in and utilisation of the remaining plants increases as well as the complexity and variety of the products handled. In all case studies of newspaper production, the companies use fixed production and distribution plans, following the same timetable from day to day. Delayed press starts, deviations from the calculated production speed, and interruptions during the production immediately cause disturbances in the distribution, delay costs, and goodwill losses. The time needed to produce a fixed number of copies varies within a wide range. Days of more complex production in the production plants meet with problems more often. The average net production speed is progressively reduced at higher page counts. Inserting operations result in an accelerated reduction. The difference is mainly caused by product related differences in cruising speed and by the occurrence of unplanned stops. The coordination of products, production and distribution is essential already today, and will be even more important in the future. More flexible production and distribution plans would imply controlled and predictable risks. In addition, it will render increased utilisation of the resources available. A product model can be used in order to identify an associated production process model as a set of separate activities. Detailed modelling of the different activities demands detailed tracking and systematic use of the production history. A detailed activity modelling will make it possible to predict the capability of a certain activity in terms of production speed and reliability. This will facilitate coordination on a global level.

A hygroexpansimeter, cockling tester and a novel x-ray microtomography technique were employed to characterize hygroexpansivity as well as macro- and micro-scale cockling of wood-free paper sheets containing varying amounts of aspen high yield pulp (HYP) in order to validate its potential applicability in inkjet printing. Results from the hygroexpansimeter confirm previous findings that substitution levels of 30% and above lead to a slight deterioration of hygroexpansivity; however, contrary to the expected outcome, aspen HYP did not necessarily result in a higher tendency to form cockles. In fact, a comparison of the cockling behaviour between various paper samples and commercial paper substantiates that up to 40% of aspen HYP can replace hardwood bleached Kraft pulp. The preservation of out-of-plane dimensional stability in non-coated samples is most likely due to the increase in bending stiffness of the paper as it became bulkier with more aspen HYP.

The emergence of desktop ‘3D printing’ is not only a technological development, but equally a social and economic phenomenon that actively (and often contentiously) co-produces the material and ideological infrastructures it occupies. Reflecting wider momentum toward digital-material convergence, the current “revolution” in desktop digital fabrication is fundamentally attributable to the efforts of decentralized Maker and DIY communities who, connected through digital networks, practice citizen-led technological experimentation and occupy novel spaces for innovation and entrepreneurship. Employing hybrid qualitative methods that include Critical Making, this research explores the following themes: rhetoric versus reality, the divisive notion of ‘digital craft’, perceptions of authenticity, as well as cultural momentum manifested in decentralization, convergence, stratification, and iteration. An overarching theme emerges: 3D printing is a fluid phenomenon – in literal, metaphorical, technological and cultural ways.