In the world of publishing, there are two pivotal processes required to produce the end product: print and finishing. Perhaps on the surface these may seem like very different operations, and while they are, they are also intrinsically connected. Let’s stand at the crossroads and take a look at where print meets finishing; we’ll explore their individual roles in the publishing industry, as well as their interconnectedness.
Printing Process
The print process is, undoubtedly, a critical step in the production of any published material (unless it is an eBook, but we’re printers and we print and so we digress!). As discussed in Part 2 of our Juxtaposition Series, printing involves transferring text and images from a digital file to a physical medium, typically ink (or toner) on paper. Modern printing technologies have revolutionized this process, allowing for high-quality prints at a rapid speed. However, the print process is more than just mechanical reproduction. It also involves artistic and aesthetic decisions at the forefront, such as choosing the appropriate type of paper, the right inks, and the correct print settings to achieve the desired result.
If you missed Part 2 of the Juxtaposition Series all about Printing, you can read it HERE.
Stay ‘til the Finish
After the press sheets are printed, it’s time for the finishing process to begin. The next steps in the lifecycle of a print job are dictated by what the final piece is destined to be. A sell sheet or a postcard just gets trimmed (then boxed for shipping or trayed for mail, respectively), whereas a bound book will have its signatures folded first, and then will be saddle stitched and trimmed (it would follow different steps if it’s going to be perfect bound vs coil bound vs casebound, etc). Some pieces may require die cutting and/or spot gluing, others might get foil stamping or embossing. Or some combination of all of the above, if you’re getting real fancy!
Finishing procedures can include but are not limited to:
- Trimming
- Folding
- Saddle Stitching
- Perfect Binding
- Case Binding
- Plastic Coil or Wire-o Binding
- Die Cutting
- Spot Gluing
- Foil Stamping
- Embossing/Debossing
- UV Coating
- Collating
- Corner Stitching
- Laminating
The Crossroads of Print and Finishing
While the print and finishing processes are separate stages of production, they are closely interlinked, and frankly, you can’t have one without the other (unless you—as a printer— are just making a completely blank (unprinted) stock bound book, or if you’re just delivering flat press sheets). But most of the time there is printing involved, and finishing usually follows.
Besides the one process leading into the other, there are additional considerations to make in relation to how print and finishing intersect. The decisions made prior to the print process can directly influence the finishing that happens in the bindery. For example, the weight of paper chosen can impact finishing methods and possibly limit if a job can be saddle stitched or laminated, or it can affect the final result if a stock is too thick for a particular folding technique and won’t lay flat. It’s important for the printer to consider this information when quoting and make suggestions for alternate materials or methods early on in the process to ensure a successful outcome.
Certain binding methods or specialty finishing operations require specific layouts for press, such as a particular amount of clearance around each page for perfect binding grind off and trims, or around each position on the sheet when dies are in the mix, such as for die cutting, embossing, or foil stamping. This is important information for estimating when preparing pricing and also when determining the layouts that prepress will follow when getting a job ready to go to press.
From a cost vs time perspective, estimating and production must make decisions about how many positions to print on a press sheet. This is particularly true for jobs that have die cutting, embossing, or foil stamping. The price of a die increases exponentially the more positions it includes due to material and production costs for the die itself. Depending on the complexity, many times running additional sheets with fewer positions will be the more cost effective way to go.
Speaking of time considerations, certain substrates like vinyl or plastic will take extra time for the inks to dry, even when coatings and other drying facilitators are used or implemented. And of course, drying time then influences how quickly (or slowly) the bindery can move on to the finishing operations, which in turn can impact delivery dates.
There are countless other considerations to take into account in terms of how print impacts bindery, and vice versa. Understanding the interconnection of print and finishing is vital for achieving a harmonious balance between the aesthetic appeal and functional practicality of the final product, as well as the success of production. Any printer (or bindery) worth their salt will raise the flag if any particular element appears to be of concern prior to beginning production.
In the end, the juxtaposition of design to print and print to finishing is a testament to the complexity and artistry involved in publishing and production. Every process is interconnected and plays a pivotal role when it comes to commercial print production.
While each process is distinct, they must work harmoniously together to produce a beautifully crafted finished piece. Understanding these juxtapositions not only allows us to appreciate the intricacies of the publishing process but also helps us make informed choices when producing our print materials.
Photo by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash
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