CDT Performance Optimization 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which print attribute most directly reduces RIP processing time for complex vector graphics?
- Increasing color bit depth
- Rasterizing vectors before submission (Correct answer)
- Embedding all fonts
- Using CMYK instead of RGB
Correct answer: Rasterizing vectors before submission
Pre-rasterizing complex vectors offloads computation from the RIP, significantly reducing processing time.
Question 2: A document workflow shows 40% idle time on the finishing unit while the printer runs. What is the best optimization?
- Add a second finishing unit
- Reduce print speed to match finishing throughput
- Buffer output with a tower stacker (Correct answer)
- Switch to simplex printing
Correct answer: Buffer output with a tower stacker
A buffer stacker decouples the printer and finisher, allowing each to run at optimal speed without idle waiting.
Question 3: When measuring document production throughput, which metric best captures the true output rate for mixed-job environments?
- Peak pages per minute
- Average job turnaround time
- Effective output pages per hour across job types (Correct answer)
- Engine speed rating from manufacturer specs
Correct answer: Effective output pages per hour across job types
Effective output PPH across varied job types accounts for setup, changeover, and mixed complexity, unlike peak or rated speeds.
Question 4: Which file format change typically yields the greatest reduction in PDF file size without visible quality loss for text-heavy documents?
- Converting images to PNG
- Downsampling images to 150 DPI
- Subsetting embedded fonts (Correct answer)
- Embedding color profiles
Correct answer: Subsetting embedded fonts
Font subsetting includes only the characters used in the document, often cutting font data size by 70–90%.
Question 5: A high-volume print center wants to minimize makeready time between jobs. Which approach is most effective?
- Grouping jobs by substrate and finishing requirements (Correct answer)
- Running all jobs at maximum engine speed
- Printing all black-and-white jobs first
- Increasing toner coverage per page
Correct answer: Grouping jobs by substrate and finishing requirements
Sorting jobs by substrate and finishing needs reduces media changes and reconfiguration, cutting makeready time significantly.
Question 6: What does 'OEE' (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) measure in a document production environment?
- The cost per printed page
- The combination of availability, performance, and quality rates (Correct answer)
- The number of operator errors per shift
- The ratio of color to monochrome pages
Correct answer: The combination of availability, performance, and quality rates
OEE multiplies availability, performance, and quality rates to give a single measure of how effectively production equipment is used.
Question 7: Which scheduling strategy best improves throughput when a production queue contains jobs of widely varying page counts?
- Shortest Job First (SJF) (Correct answer)
- First In First Out (FIFO)
- Longest Job First (LJF)
- Random scheduling
Correct answer: Shortest Job First (SJF)
SJF minimizes average job wait time and increases the number of completed jobs per unit time when job lengths vary greatly.
CDT Performance Optimization 2
Which print attribute most directly reduces RIP processing time for complex vector graphics?