Just-in-time raster image assembly

A method for imaging, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of press sheet templates, each press sheet template comprising rasterized prepress imposition data;
• storing the plurality of press sheet templates;
• receiving from a first raster image processor first page raster data of at least one of the pages of a first print job, the first page raster data processed by the first raster image processor;
• selecting a press sheet template from the plurality of press sheet templates;
• and
• digitally applying the press sheet template to the first page raster data on demand to form a first press sheet assembly.

A print drive, comprising:

• an input subsystem for receiving page raster data of at least one of the pages of a first print job, the first page raster data processed by a raster image processor, and for receiving a press sheet template, the press sheet template comprising prepress imposition data;
• a data store for storing the received press sheet template and the page raster data;
• and
• a digital press sheet assembler in communication with the data store, the digital press sheet assembler for digitally applying the press sheet template to the page raster data on demand to form a press sheet assembly.

An imaging system, comprising:

• a page generator for creating at least one of the page files of a print job;
• an imposition generator for creating prepress imposition data;
• the prepress imposition data comprising position, sequencing, orientation, bleeds, and offset parameters for at least one page to be positioned on a press sheet and further comprising press sheet imposition parameters;
• a first raster image processor in electrical communication with the page generator, the first raster image processor processing the page file to produce first page raster data
• a second raster image processor in electrical communication with the imposition generator, the second raster image processor capable of processing prepress imposition data to produce a press sheet template;
• and
• a print drive in electrical communication with the first raster image processor and the second raster image processor, the print drive comprising:
• an input subsystem for receiving page raster data of at least one of the pages of a first print job, the first page raster data processed by a first raster image processor, and for receiving a press sheet template, the press sheet template comprising prepress imposition data;
• and
• a digital press sheet assembler in communication with the input terminal;
• the digital press sheet assembler digitally applying the press sheet template to the first page raster data to form a press sheet assembly .