by Andre Palko, Technifold USA It's not unusual for a print shop or bindery to encounter jobs that are outside the scope of the finishing equipment on their floor. Maybe the job is a favor for a good customer or perhaps it's part of a package of jobs. Whatever the reason – once the decision is made to handle the job through outsourcing – there are a few things you can do to … [Read more...] about Four Tips to Outsourcing Bindery Work
Troubleshooting
Grain Direction – The Long and Short of It
by Brian Cowie, CEO, The Paper Mill Store Will you fold, score and bind your paper, or will you crush, break and warp your paper? That is the question. Proper folding, scoring and binding of paper are mostly a matter of understanding the major properties of paper fiber. One of the most important properties to understand about paper fiber is grain direction - the … [Read more...] about Grain Direction – The Long and Short of It
Creasing Solutions – Keeping Up with Digital Printing
by Brittany Willes, editor, PostPress The devil is in the details, as the saying goes. While this has always been true of the printing industry, it's become even more important with the advent of digital technology. When it comes to printing on digital stock, strict attention to the smallest details is what transforms a good print job into an amazing one. Working with … [Read more...] about Creasing Solutions – Keeping Up with Digital Printing
Finishing First: Changing Mindsets to Ensure Greater ROI
by Lance Martin, vice president of national accounts, MBO America One of the things that end users can do for themselves is to think about finishing first. The printing part of the process is undeniably sexy – the vivid colors are beautiful and watching the print process is just cool – but as finishers like to say, you can't sell a roll or a sheet until you actually do … [Read more...] about Finishing First: Changing Mindsets to Ensure Greater ROI
Avoiding Bindery Bottlenecks
by Melissa Larson, contributing writer Most experienced printing professionals are accustomed to thinking that printing bottlenecks occur in the prepress department. That's the black hole, right? Bottlenecks can occur anywhere in the workflow, and these holdups in the bindery or finishing area are rarely examined and poorly understood. This has become even more relevant … [Read more...] about Avoiding Bindery Bottlenecks
Yes, It’s Beautiful…But, Will It Mail?
by Mike Porter, Print/Mail Consultants Many consider the hurdles for direct mail advertising to be capturing the recipient's attention, enticing them to open the mail piece and persuading them to take the intended action. Those all are important aspects of the campaign design phase. Just as important, however, is making sure the piece can be delivered to the intended recipient … [Read more...] about Yes, It’s Beautiful…But, Will It Mail?
Board Choice Sets the Stage
by Jen Clark, PostPress Picking the right board for a particular application – whether for book or carton production – relies on a variety of factors, but the key to executing a flawless project is to have a production team in place, according to industry experts. While not always an option, a team approach can ensure a profitable and successful outcome for each set of … [Read more...] about Board Choice Sets the Stage
Preparing for Machine Installation
by John Kaverman, Pad Print Pros, LLC Recently, I've been in two different companies to install new equipment systems and to train their operators. Neither of the companies was prepared for either the installation or the training. Unfortunately, this happens all of the time. Many companies fail to adequately prepare to receive a new piece of equipment or schedule dedicated … [Read more...] about Preparing for Machine Installation
Sun Chemical Enhances Online Troubleshooting Guide
PostPress Sun Chemical, Parsippany, NJ, has further enhanced its online troubleshooting guide by making it available as an app for mobile devices. Designed to help customers resolve common technical defects that can arise during a press run, the troubleshooting app, available on Google Play and the Apple App Store, provides solutions to help customers solve any challenge … [Read more...] about Sun Chemical Enhances Online Troubleshooting Guide
Level Platens Save Time, Money
While it typically takes about 30 minutes to level the platen on a Kluge press, far more than makeready time can be lost when pressure is uneven. Additional time preparing each job can affect a shop's bottom line. So how do you know if it is time to re-level the platen? Ask yourself a few questions: Does makeready seem to be taking longer than normal? Are you spending … [Read more...] about Level Platens Save Time, Money