Booklets are produced within seconds after printing: no delays
Reduced number of operators needed: no intermediate paper handling
required
Printed sheets are immediately converted into finished booklets
which increases security and reduces risk of any data breach. This
is particularly important for high security printing such as examination
papers
No additional roll re-winders or un-winders or sheet feeders are
needed, so in-line is the lowest cost (hardware) solution
Disadvantages
Printer speed may have to be reduced when making very thin booklets
(e.g: 8pp or 12pp?)
Finishing directly from a web does not suit production of smaller
format booklets since this requires web width to be reduced or,
complex additional in line folding and/or sheet rotation
Printer efficiency will be slightly reduced because printer must
stop if the finishing system stops
Some printers can take a few minutes to restart after a stop which
reduces the finishing system efficiency
Summary
In-line finishing is best suited to high security print applications
where the booklet format size does not change and booklets must be
produced immediately after printing.
Finish near-line fed from a roll-unwinder and web-cutter
Smart-binder
Web-cutter
Roll-unwinder
Advantages
The printer is free to run at full speed with maximum printing
efficiency when printing roll to roll
The roll un-winder can be set at the optimum speed to suit the
finishing system
The system can be restarted quickly after a stop
The finishing system can handle the output (rolls) from multiple
printers
Compared with off-line finishing it is easier to manually move
a printer roll every few hours compared with frequently moving small
piles of sheets
Disadvantages
It can take up to 2 hours for the printer to produce a printed
roll which delays the finishing process
An additional roll re-winder and un-winder are needed (extra cost
compared with in-line finishing)
Paper rolls have to be manually moved from the printer and loaded
onto the finishing system roll un-winder
Finishing directly from a web does not suit production of smaller
format booklets since this requires web width to be reduced or,
complex additional in line folding and/or sheet rotation
Summary
Near-line finishing is best suited to applications requiring maximum possible system operating efficiency, and where there is not
much variation in booklet format size.
Note: In-line or near-line Smart-binders may be fitted
with the optional SB-097 sheet pile feeder in order to offer also
the benefits of feeding off-line, when needed.
Finish off-line fed from a sheet pile feeder
Smart-binder
Sheet pile feeder
(Optional pile loading trolley available)
Advantages
Sheets may be easily cut to a smaller format size to allow production
of smaller format booklets. Off-line operation is therefore recommended
if a large range of different booklet formats are needed
The printer is free to run at full speed with increased printing
efficiency
The sheet feed rate can be varied automatically to suit the number
of pages in each booklet
Cover matching is easier when running off-line because the codes
on the sheet and the corresponding cover for each book can be checked.
Also it is easier to recover after a system stop
The system can be restarted quickly after a stop
Disadvantages
The print line has to include a sheet stacker and the finishing
line has to include a sheet feeder (additional cost compared with
in-line finishing)
The Smart-binder must be stopped to reload the sheet feeder which
reduces production time and required additional manual paper handling
The sheet feeder will occasionally mis-feed which reduces the
efficiency of the finishing operation
The sheet feeder requires additional operator skill and training
The reliability of sheet feeding will be reduced if the paper
is light-weight or curled or contain too much static charge
Summary
Off-line finishing is best suited to production of different format
sized booklets and when booklets are personalised with matching covers.