All digital shops full bleed and equipment

bcaldwell

Member
I was wondering how an all digital shop handles jobs like booklets that have full bleed. What type of finishing equipment to most shops use to handle this type of printing? Maybe this type of printing is not cost effective for this type of machine?
 
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Indigo's and IGen's definitely handle the bleeds, within reason for a 12x18 or 14x20 sheet. I ask for bleeds on nearly every Indigo project.

John Lind
Cranberry Township, PA
724-776-4718
 
Thanks guys for your replies

Thanks guys for your replies

Just trying to get a feel for what is being used and what would be the most cost effective way of producing items with bleed.
 
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@ the OP

We use a cutter for bleed, though this can't be what you're asking.
Are you looking for a printer that prints past the edge of your media?
 
We have a booklet maker now, so the finishing is done offline if we need bleed. We run a 260 with the top finisher.

However what we did before was impose the booklet spreads, print it as flat sheets with bleed - then cut it down to final size and put it back through the machine on a black click. Covers can be fed through Tray 8. If you're going to do this make sure that you use an old fuser and send the printer blank pages from ID or something. I tended to set it up manually rather than put the finisher in "booklet" mode.

That is - single page fold and staple, with cover from tray 8. If the booklet has no cover you can chance your arm with feeding it all from tray 8, doesn't go through the fuser and you don't pay a click but it does tend to jam a lot.

It is usually a good idea to face trim in a guillotine after the booklet has been stitched.

Yes, it is as time consuming as it sounds, but it kept us going for a good while until we had the volume to justify a booklet maker.

A few things though - it's nigh on impossible to adjust the fold if it isn't right, so you better cut them sheets down properly first time! You have to cut into the job a little on the face trim. And of course, you have to factor in the black clicks to finish the job.
 
I think there's no machine that can print all the way to the edge of the paper.

Everytime time you need a full bleed job (postcards, booklets, etc), you should print it in a larger sheet to include crop marks and bleed, then you trim it down and then you do the finishing.

I've seen people doing booklets on a DC260 using 12x18 paper, and then taking the booklet to a cutter to trim the top, bottom and face edges, provding a full bleed booklet.

Some machines (Xerox DocuColor 5000AP/7000AP/8000AP and iGen) can have in line booklet makers that can trim top and bottom edges, crease, fold and then face trim.
 
Same as che.c, our bookletmaker is off-line - Watkiss Vario SlimVac with Bookmaster/Trimaster Pro. We guillotine cut the top/bottom and let the trimmer face trim the bleeds left & right.
 
Thanks for the great info

Thanks for the great info

I just wanted to say thank you to all who replied. This is some very good info.
 
MGI claims to be able to print to the edge on 3 sides but I can't say I've tried or seen it. Most would print it on an oversized sheet and cut it down. Probably doesn't make since for a booklet but for some work a Duplo 645 is a good solution for getting a piece to bleed.
 
My setup is a 8000ap with a colorworks 8000 bookletmaker. I've only had this since November but it saves me so much time since I don't have a big production cutter.
 
What is better, to buy an online finishing equipment with Digital Printing eg KM 6501e/ep with all its online finishing or to but the offline finishing equipments. I am looking at those jobs such as A4, A5 booklets, Posters, Brochures, Fliers... etc. Is it worth it to go for online finishing options??

With best regards. From Mr Tanzania.
 
What is better, to buy an online finishing equipment with Digital Printing eg KM 6501e/ep with all its online finishing or to but the offline finishing equipments. I am looking at those jobs such as A4, A5 booklets, Posters, Brochures, Fliers... etc. Is it worth it to go for online finishing options??

With best regards. From Mr Tanzania.

It depends on your shop. We chose to keep everything offline since we have offsets as well I feel it is more productive as well.
 
For me as i am just starting as i am a graphic designer but opening a print shop. I don't have any offset machines and i wont be planning for now. But as when i am planning to buy KM 6501e/eP, i am also going to but OKI as a backup, after all i am in AFRICA where service and tech supports comes after your are dead. So to have a backup is good. At a second thought i ask myself if i am buying and offline post press machines, such as cutting machine, Morgana and many more then will it be a point for me to buy the online equipments for KM6501. And how much reliable are these online machines.

It really drives me crazy but when i think of a demand of short run printing with a quality then i cant stop myself going into it.
 

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