While work on the first issue of 2019 is well underway, we paused to see which PostPress articles caught the eyes of our readers in the past year. With archived stories going back to 2015 for PostPress (even further when Inside Finishing and The Binding Edge are included), the website is a valuable resource, and the following stories were the top reads for visitors to the website in 2018.

1. Common Issues in Laminating
Laminating can be a delicate process with several potential process flaws that can affect the final look of a laminated print. Well versed in pressure-sensitive technologies, MACtac has identified some of the most common issues that can occur during the laminating process.

2. What is Folding BoxBoard?
Board machines have gone through major advancements in the past few years for the purpose of gaining efficiency, achieving higher production speeds and fulfilling the need to make products that are sustainable. North America is known to dominate the manufacturing of SBS (Solid Bleached Substrate), sometimes called SBB (Solid Bleached Board), where Europe has taken the lead in manufacturing FBB (Folding BoxBoard).

3. Troubleshooting Common Cutting Problems
Dull blades cause cutting problems, and so do poor maintenance, lack of proper operator training and insufficient knowledge of safety procedures. Bruce Peterson knows this. The self-proclaimed “Cutter Doctor,” who also happens to be president and CEO of Colter & Peterson, Inc., Paterson, New Jersey, knows a thing or two about paper cutters.

4. Q&A: Perfect Binding – Traditional EVA vs. PUR Adhesive
Perfect binding and PUR binding – they’re essentially the same process, aren’t they? Actually, no. PUR binding refers to a method of perfect binding that has become increasingly popular in the last few years.

5. Digital Foil Technology Opens New Doors
Eye-catching metallic effects are among the latest beneficiaries of the digital post-print revolution. Digital inkjet technologies with raised varnishes and foils, as well as laminating processes (foil sleeking), are being used for a variety of specialty print applications.