Folding 3 or 4 panel brochures

[CNewcomb]

This question is for Prepress, Designers, and/or folder and cutter operators:

When you have a brochure that has an image stretched across the entire front cover (full bleed) do you accommodate for wrap-around in the design (so that the back cover graphics don't fold to the front) or do you cut in a way that allows for wrap around i.e. cutting the front cover long.

I know most will say there is no need for wrap around if your folder operator/equipment is right on target but who really works in a print shop where that is reality?

I'm trying to decide if I want to "fix it up front" or "fix it in the back" and which is easier

any feedback is appreciated.

 

[Printdog]

We alway adjust the front panel with wrap around on the cutter. We cut the front panel longer and the back shorter. (then you have less chance for dog ears when you have a letterfold) we also cut one out by hand and hand fold one before printing. We all know there are those exceptions. Then you fix it in prepress.


good luck

 

[mglouis]

The fold coordinates should be built into the design. This should break it down for you. Folding Guide | Universal Printing

Matt Louis

 

[JJLong]

Whether to wrap or not...

Whether to wrap or not...

Whenever I have set these up I have bleed the front image at least a 1/32" over where the fold is so that when you have it folded the front is consistant without anything from the back showing. It is much more pleasing this way and hopefully the folder can get it right on the fold and the 1/32" accounts for the fold. Good Luck.

 

[RobC]

Keep in mind there will always be some tweaking on the cutter to adjust for things like:

Grain direction related to the fold (cross grain on the fold versus parallel with the grain)

How long has the job sat since it came off press? If it sat 2-3 days (think weekends) and the humidity changed significantly you'll see quite a bit of variance

How many up did it run on the press sheet (is this lift you are folding from the middle of the 25x38 sheet near the gripper or from the corner near the tail of the press sheet - think of the difference between 2 up 8.5x11 on 12x18 versus 8 up on 25x38 and every combination in between - this is why good cutter operators keep the lifts separated and organized on critical fold jobs like you are describing)

If your job is printed on cover stock versus text weight stock that amount of wrap around on the fold will be much more on cover stock than text weights.

There's also little production things like is the cutter blade new, or has it been in the machine for a few hundred cuts? Even though the job planner may have specified the correct final grain for folding, did a production supervisor decide to use up some old stock where the grain would be opposite the fold? Or did they switch presses, changing it from 8up to 4up, because (insert crazy thing that happened today at the print shop)

If it's really important to hit it exactly every time (fully automated production) you'll need to do the work to come up with the different allowances for different types of paper and control the grain direction and scoring as part of your process (think LEAN). If you do a lot of similar work, it'll be great. If you do everything under the sun, let the skilled cutter and folder operators work together and you'll find the cutter operator will start to know what the folder needs and maybe you can document procedures based on experience at that point. You can also take a bunch of previously printed jobs on different papers and measure the panels and come up with good guidelines.

To take some of the guesswork out of folding issues, we've been using Template Master for about a year now and have liked the results.
foldfactory.com

 

[giant1958]

we have a panelizer on our web site that i use daily.. Precision Litho Service - Commercial Sheet and Web Press Printing Located in Tampa Bay, Florida