Guide to printing sheets for Smart-binder processing

Guide to printing codes

A) Sheet Sequencing

Note: The first sheet to enter the Smart-binder needs to be the center sheet of the booklet. The center two pages on this sheet should be facing downwards

B) Sheet Quality

Bar codes must be printed with high enough print quality to enable them to be read by the Smart-binder code reader at high sheet velocity.

Sheets to be fed into the Smart-binder must not contain high levels of static charge, must be flat (not curled) and must not be physically damaged in any way.

Paper stock weights should normally be 60gsm or higher, although paper weights as light as 50 gsm may be used, subject to testing. Paper weights below 50gsm may require use of the optional additional in-line buckle-folder.

Sheets that are heavily coated (glossy stock) may not be suitable for ISG cold glue binding (subject to testing). Booklets made from this type of stock should be wire stapled.

Sheets that are printed to stack, for subsequent feeding into the Smart-binder using the optional sheet pile feeder (SB-095, SB-096 or SB-097) must all be the same format size and must be accurately registered to the rear edge of the pile in order to allow reliable feeding.

C) Codes to be printed on each sheet

Every sheet requires a bar code (or 2D Datamatrix code) printed on it which contains at least 8 digits. Digits 1 and 2 must show the number of the sheet in the booklet (first sheet 01, second sheet 02 etc.). Digits 3 and 4 must show the total number of sheets in the booklet (02 for a 2-sheet booklet and 03 for a 3-sheet booklet). Digits 5-8 should all be zeros assuming that no further data needs to be contained in the code.

That means if making a 3-sheet booklet then the 3 sheets should have the following codes on them:

01030000
02030000
03030000

Additional Digits may be also be used to automatically control certain special Smart-binder functions if needed. Digits may be added to show a job number or booklet ID number if needed. Refer to the IBIS Bar Code Guide for further details.

If feeding a personalized cover from the cover feeder CIF-102 then the cover also needs a code printed on it which must contain the same ID number as printed on the inside sheets. The code on the cover should be 0000 plus the booklet ID number. The Smart-binder will then stop automatically if the cover ID number does not match the sheet ID number.

D) Different types of Bar Codes

The following bar codes may be used:
ITF – Industrial 2of5, numeric characters only (0-9), digits are encoded in pairs so there must be an even number of them.
CODE39 – alphanumeric characters, however, it takes up more space because it encodes more characters.
CODE128 – has numeric only & alphanumeric forms, the reader automatically detects the correct type, the numeric form is compact like ITF.

Quiet zones:
Linear bar codes require space before and after the code to allow the reader to discriminate it from other printed marks or linear codes. There should be 5mm of clear paper at either end.

Bar code size:
The minimum code width when using the MS3 reader is 4 mm. However, wider codes can always be read more reliably so we recommend that codes are as wide as possible.

Using ITF codes:
When using a font based code we recommend that the font is at least 26pt (which produces a code approximately 29mm (1 1/8") for an 8 digit code.

Do not include check digits in the code, ITF code generators add a padding digit because an ITF code must have an even number of digits. Typically they place this at the start of the code which prevents the sheet number & number of sheets fields from being decoded.

The MS3 Laser reader will read codes of up to about 16 characters at web speeds up to 150m/min.

E) Different types of 2D Codes

Datamatrix - 2D code is a compact way of encoding alphanumeric data, can contain hundreds of characters (whereas it is usually not possibly to read linear codes containing more than 16 characters on moving sheets).

QR - similar to Datamatrix, commonly used in Japan as it can encode Kanji/Kana character sets. Widely used these days to encode URL's that you can scan with your phone.

Quiet Zone requirement
2D codes require a quiet zone of at least 1 cell width all round which is why they cannot be printed up to the edge of the sheet.

Size
For web speeds up to 150m/min the minimum cell size for use with the Smart-binder 2D reader (Microscan Mini Hawk) is 0.4mm (0.015"). Larger cells can help to make reading more reliable.

Capacity of Datamatrix ECC200 codes

Size (cells	Size (mm) for 0.4mm square cell	Numeric characters only	Aphanumeric characters
10x10	4	6	3
12x12	4.8	10	6
14x14	5.6	16	10
16x16	6.4	24	16
18x18	7.2	36	25
20x20	8	44	31
22x22	8.8	60	43

Larger capacity codes (using more cells) are available but they have to be more than 10mm square in order to meet the minimum cell size needed to read the moving code.

DataMatrix codes can be rectangular (eg 8x32) which can be useful if trim-off is limited.

QR codes are approximately 15% larger than Datamatrix codes of the capacity, for example a 21x21 QR code holds 41 numeric or 25 alpha numeric characters (similar to an 18x18 Datamatrix) with the lowest level of error correction. They take slightly longer to decode but that does not affect their use with Smartbinder as the readers decode much faster than sheets can be fed. QR codes must be at least 21 modules square (so their minimum size is about 8mm (0.3") square.

F) Code position when feedering a Smart-binder directly from a web cutter

(or from a sheet feeder with the code reader positioned on the Smart-binder infeed)

The bar code (or 2D Datamatrix code) on each sheet needs to start at least 6.7" from the leading edge of the sheet. This bar code should be very close to the right edge of the sheet and facing upwards as the sheet feeds into the Smart-binder.

Dimension		Linear code	2D code
(1)	Minimum distance from leading edge of sheet	170mm (6.7")	170mm (6.7")
(2)	Maximum distance from leading edge of sheet	Up to trailing edge of sheet	210mm (8.25")
(3)	Minimum distance from edge of sheet	Can be printed to edge of sheet	Quiet zone defined for code
Minimum width		Depends on which reader is used

G) Code position when running off-line from a sheet pile feeder (SB-095 or SB097) with a code reader mounted in the feeder

Each sheet needs to have a bar code printed on it which is positioned at least 80mm from the leading edge of the sheet. This bar code should be 2mm from the right edge of the sheet and facing upwards as the sheet feeds into the Smart-binder.

Notes

Minimum code width depends on the reader used.

* Codes must be printed a small distance away from the edge of the sheet. This is because the sheet moves slightly as it is picked up by the separator and this can expose the code on the sheet below, hence preventing the reader from decoding the code on the top sheet.

** The code must be positioned no more than about 25mm from the edge of the sheet. This is because there are parts of the feeder which prevent the code reader from being moved to these positions. Normally the code is printed close to the edge fo the sheet so that it is removed by then Smart-binder front knife

H) Image creep

When producing saddle-stitched or thin ISG-glued books, the thickness of the spine causes the outer sheets to appear shorter than the inner sheets when looking at the front edge of the untrimmed book. This is called the 'wrap round' effect. The Smart-binder trims this edge to create a square edge to the book, but, unless this effect is taken into account when impositioning the pages of the book, the print on the inner pages will not line up with that on the outer pages. The effect of this is referred to as image 'creep'.

When impositioning the printed image on each sheet dimension 'y' must increase by the amount 'x' from the outer sheet to the innermost sheet. If there are 32 sheets in the book then 'y' increases by 'x'/32 from one sheet to the next sheet.

The relationship between the total creep dimension 'x' and the total number of sheets and pages in the book for different paper weights is shown in the table below. For book thicknesses not shown, interpolate values from the table, e.g. for a 9-sheet (36 page) book, use the value for 'x' half way between those for 6 and 12 sheets. For thinner books than those shown, it is not usually necessary to compensate for image creep.

If a separate cover is used, its page layout should be arranged to align with the outer sheet.

Paper Stock Weight
Gsm		60		70		80		90		100		110
Lb bond		16		19		21		24		27		29
Lb offset		41		47		54		61		67		74
Sheets in book	Pages in book	Approximate total creep dimension 'x'
		mm	inch	mm	inch	mm	inch	mm	inch	mm	inch	mm	inch
6	24	1.2	0.05	1.4	0.06	1.6	0.06	1.8	0.07	2.0	0.08	2.2	0.09
12	48	2.3	0.09	2.7	0.11	3.1	0.12	3.5	0.14	3.9	0.15	4.3	0.17
18	72	3.5	0.14	4.1	0.16	4.7	0.19	5.3	0.21	5.9	0.23	6.5	0.25
24	96	4.7	0.19	5.5	0.22	6.3	0.25	7.1	0.28	7.9	0.31	8.7	0.34
30	120	5.9	0.23	6.9	0.27	7.9	0.31	8.9	0.35	9.9	0.39	10.9	0.43
36	144	7.1	0.28	8.2	0.32	9.4	0.37	10.6	0.42	11.8	0.46	NA	NA
42	168	8.3	0.32	9.6	0.38	11.0	0.43	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
48	192	9.5	0.37	11.0	0.43	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA

NA = Not available (this is outside the Smart-binder SB-1, SB-2, SB-3 thickness specification)