Automated press speed optimization

1. A method of operating a web printing press comprising:

storing productivity data, press speeds and paper types of past print jobs run on the web printing press in a database;

comparing a paper type of a new print job with the paper types of the past print jobs stored in the database to identify past print jobs with similar or the same paper type as the new print job;

selecting a press speed for the new print job based on at least the productivity data of the past print jobs with similar or the same paper type as the new print job; and

printing the new print job on the web printing press at the selected press speed.

2. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising storing the productivity data, press speeds and paper type of the new print job in the database.

3. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the selecting step includes selecting the press speed for the new print job based on the productivity data of the past print jobs with the same paper type as the new print job and a speed modifier.

4. The method recited in claim 3 wherein the speed modifier is based on recent productivity of the web printing press.

5. The method recited in claim 3 wherein the speed modifier is based on press productivity ratio trends of the web printing press.

6. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the productivity data is based upon a number of the signatures created during each of the past print jobs that are acceptable for use in final printed products.

7. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the productivity data is based upon the run time of each of the past print jobs.

8. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the productivity data is based upon a number of the signatures created during each of the past print jobs that are unacceptable for use in final printed products.

9. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the productivity data includes a press productivity that is defined as a number of the signatures created during a print job that are acceptable for use in final printed products divided by a run time of the respective print job.

10. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the productivity data includes a press productivity ratio that is defined as a number of the signatures created during a print job that are acceptable for use in final printed products divided by a number of the signatures created during the print job that are unacceptable for use in final printed products.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the selecting step includes selecting a press speed for the new print job based on at least the press speed of the past print job with similar or the same paper type as the new print job having at least one of a maximum value for a press productivity and a maximum value for a press productivity ratio.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising retrieving a run speed of the web printing press, a make ready speed of the web printing press, a press productivity and a press productivity ratio for the past print jobs with similar or the same paper type as the new print job after the comparing step.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the selecting step includes selecting the press speed for the new print job based on the past print job with similar or the same paper type as the new print job having at least one of a maximum value for press productivity and a maximum value for press productivity ratio.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the printing step includes operating the web printing press using the run speed and the make ready speed of the past print job with similar or the same paper type as the new print job having the at least one of the maximum value for press productivity and the maximum value for press productivity ratio.

15. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the web printing press includes at least one offset lithographic printing unit and the printing step includes printing the new print job on the web by operating the at least one offset lithographic printing at the selected press speed.