Method and device for simulating process flows in the graphic industry

A device for simulating process flows in the graphics industry and for displaying the result calculated in the simulated process flows or intermediate results on a display device, comprising:

• at least one user interface for inputting or selecting at least one order data set representing a print job, the print job determining minimum requirements to be met by a machine to be eligible as a process data set for a simulation;
• at least one graphical user interface for selecting process data sets representing machines;
• at least one computer for excluding machines that do not meet the requirements of the print job from the simulation and for distributing the at least one order data set among the selected process data sets and for calculating links between order data set and process data sets as a function of the order data set and the process data sets;
• wherein the calculating of the links between the order data set and the process data set includes an evaluation method, the evaluation method including making a query as to which process data set is capable of processing an input or selected order data set of the at least one process data set so as to define positively queried process data sets;
• writing the positively queried process data sets to a resource table;
• establishing a ranking of the positively queried process data sets as a function of the process flow data and the order data sets;
• selecting the process data set with a highest ranking;
• and assigning the process data set with the highest ranking to the selected order data set;
• the computer for creating a process flow from the calculated links;
• the computer for calculating the result or intermediate results for the process flow using the order data set;
• and
• a display for displaying the results or intermediate results.