Understanding Finishing and Bindery Services: A Complete Guide
In printing, finishing refers to the crucial steps that take place after the ink has been applied to paper. While some finishing procedures occur inline (during the printing process), the majority are performed offline once the prints have come off the press.
Many printers use the term “Finishing and Bindery” or “Finishing and Binding” to encompass all activities that follow the printing process, especially since bindery operations form a large part of the finishing work.
Popular Print Finishing Services
Here are some of the most common finishing services available:
Collating
Collating is the process of gathering and arranging printed components into a specific order, creating consistent, logical sets from multiple parts. This is crucial for multi-page documents or complex projects.
Cutting and Trimming
Using sharp blades or shears, cutting and trimming reduce printed materials to their desired size. This step typically includes tasks such as:
Removing excess paper along crop marks
Separating multiple images printed on a single sheet
Trimming book edges for neat, aligned pages
Scoring
Scoring creates a crease in the paper to help it fold more easily. This process is vital for heavyweight papers and cardstock, ensuring a clean fold and preventing unwanted cracking. Scoring also enhances the final look of the fold by providing consistent guidelines.
Folding
Folding reduces the physical size of printed materials, allowing them to fit into packaging, envelopes, or display racks. It is also used to create different panels, like in brochures or invitations. Common fold types include:
C-fold
Z-fold
Gatefold
Mini fold
Laminating
Laminating involves bonding a thin plastic film onto the printed piece, protecting it from moisture, wrinkles, and tears. It also enhances colour vibrancy and durability. This service is particularly beneficial for materials that undergo heavy use, such as menus, educational materials, or display items.
Die-Cutting
Die-cutting uses custom-shaped blades to cut paper, cardstock, labels, or other materials into unique shapes or patterns. This technique is often employed for creating custom invitations, packaging, or product displays.
Binding
Binding is the process of fastening together separate sheets to form a complete book or booklet. Popular methods include:
Perfect binding
Saddle-stitching
Spiral/coil binding
Wire-O binding
Insertion of components into a ring binder
Each binding method offers unique advantages depending on the project’s needs, from simple documents to high-quality books.