Printer's Checklist.
We recommend that you consult with us on the preparatory phase of your work, to prevent unforeseen problems and avoid unnecessary additional costs that can arise. To help make sure we have a trouble-free process, we have compiled a list of guidelines:
- Works orders / Purchase orders
Detailed orders should be provided in writing before or with your job stating all job requirements clearly.
Orders should include:
Order number
Customer contact
Job quantity + number of overs if required
Finished size
Quantity of sections and covers supplied
Breakdown of any text and / or cover changes
Whether the finished books are to be boxed or bulk packed
Packing list
Delivery address(es)
Completion date - Dummy sets
The printer should provide a dummy / collated set of all the sheets in a job. - Presentation of job
Presentation of flat sheets:
Should be presented with their grip and lay edges clearly marked.
Clearly identify printed sheets on pallets using pallet cards, especially important where there are different versions of text and covers.
Presentation of pre-folded sections:
Supply on SRA2 pallets
No elastic bands
All sections to be neat and flat
Stack with the highest page number on top
Do not turn any sections
Fold sections with a strong spine perforation – 50% paper to 50% slit ratio
When more than 1 section are stacked on the same pallet please stack consecutively & side by side - File Copies
These should be clearly marked up and kept separate. - Suitability of materials
You should establish with us the suitability of the proposed materials and their compatibility with perfect and PUR binding adhesives to ensure a satisfactory product for your end user. - Paper and board grain direction
As a rule of thumb the grain direction of all text stock and covers should run parallel to the bound books spine.
Grain direction must be parallel to the spine for maximum binding strength. - Areas where ink should not be used
Ink should not be printed where adhesive will be applied. This means that throughout the book and inside cover all ink should stop 5mm from the spine, before the spine preparation is done. If adhesive has to stick to the surface of the ink this will stop the adhesive penetrating the paper fibre and result in poor bonding. Ink should always be dry on the paper before sending to the finisher. - Varnishing/Spot UV
The inside of the cover should not be varnished, laminated or have solids printed close to the spine. If it has to be then it should stop 5mm before the spine area. Varnished/laminated covers must be suitably processed so as not to mark in production or transit. The same applies to spot UV. It should not be applied anywhere that the spine and side glue comes into contact with. The front and back pages of the book must not be spot UV coated in the hinge area or the glue will not stick properly - Digital Work
We will routinely use PUR adhesive for all digitally produced work due to the chemistry of the ink / toner not being compatible with traditional hot melt adhesive. - Spine Preparation
To prepare a book block for adhesive we saw off the folds, then notch and roughen the exposed pages. We require 3-5mm for this depending on the thickness of the section. (this should be agreed with us in advance). Please allow for this on impositions. - Folding impositions
All impositions, trim and gutter requirements will be agreed with you before you go to print. - Folding patterns
These should be provided when the text has no folio numbers. - Page numbering
Even if page numbers do not appear on the finished product, they should be included in the print run and placed in the trim off area. - Folding marks
For quality control purposes these should be visible on the outside of the section after the sheet has been folded. At the assembly stage they should be placed well outside the printed area. - Collating marks
Staggered spine collation marks should be printed onto the spine during the print run to assist us with the correct gathering sequence. - Cutting marks
Cutting Marks should be provided for both untrimmed size (e.g. for separating products printed two up) and for final trimmed size. At the assembly stage all the cutting marks should be placed well outside the print area - Ruled up sheet
Please provide a ruled – up sheet of the text and cover - Cover Overlap requirements
Allow for an overlap to be provided at the head and tail of the covers, over and above the size of the untrimmed text when folded. - Pockets and Flaps on covers
Unfortunately we can’t produce a book with pockets on our bindery equipment, however we can produce a book with flaps, please consult us first and agree an imposition before proceeding to print. - Apertures on Covers
- Maximum and Minimum Sizes for Binding and Inline Trimming
Maximum Untrimmed Section Size 380 x 305mm portrait
Minimum Untrimmed Section Size 160 x 110mm portrait
This size is the minimum working section size, not the minimum size of book, which we can produce through the Pantera Binder. For example if you required a book size of 140 x 80mm you would still need to base your estimate on using enough paper for an A6 book, then we just trim off the excess waste to finished size.
- Maximum and Minimum Trims
Our Maximum trim on head, foot, and fore edge is 40mm. Anything in excess of this must be slit off on the folder or pre trimmed on the guillotine.
Our Minimum trim is 3mm - ASIR 3 – Image Recognition Equipment
Each feeder on our gatherer is equipped with an image recognition camera – Muller Martini’s ASIR 3 system. These cameras continuously monitor the sections as they are gathered and can recognise incorrectly folded or loaded items and then reject them before they get to the binder.
The cameras can recognise the sections either by checking the printed image or by scanning a barcode which can be printed in the waste area.
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