Smart Print Controller (SPC)
Overview
Smart Print Controller (SPC) is the operator-facing control layer of the SmartDFE system.
It provides both:
A user interface for manual press operation
A programmatic control interface (via OPC UA) for integration with external systems
Where SPC sits in the system
Core responsibilities
SPC is responsible for:
Job submission
Accepts and forwards jobs to one or more RIP Server instances
Job control
Start, stop, pause, and manage job execution
System coordination
Manages interaction between operator actions and RIP processing
Configuration management
Applies configuration files that control RIP, screening, and print behaviour
State exposure
Provides system and job status to external systems via OPC UA
Interaction with RIP Server and Harlequin Direct
SPC does not perform rendering or print processing itself.
Instead, it:
Sends jobs to RIP Server instances
Controls execution of:
RIP stage
Screening stage
Print stage (via Harlequin Direct)
SPC acts as the orchestrator, while the RIP Server and Harlequin Direct perform the actual data processing and output.
Configuration model
SPC uses a set of configuration files to control:
RIP behaviour
Screening parameters
Print pipeline settings
These configurations:
Are typically defined or supplied by the OEM
May be selected or modified at runtime via SPC
Directly influence how jobs are processed and output
OPC UA interface (integration point)
SPC exposes an OPC UA server, which is the primary interface for:
Integration with MIS / ERP systems
Automation systems and production lines
Remote control and monitoring
Through OPC UA, external systems can:
Submit and manage jobs
Query system and job state
Control press operation programmatically