Like the name implies, finishing services refer to activities performed on materials used after printing is done. This includes everything from fastening to binding of the sheets individually together. If you want to get your product through a finishing service, you can always request a free quote from a reliable company.
Processes of Finishing Service
Finishing services involve laminating, embossing, and die stamping. They can be achieved in two major ways which include:
1. In-line Process
These have units that are put together at endpoints of printing which are used to finish operations. These are the case with digital presses and web presses. For both web presses and digital presses, in the absence of an inline process, the finished product would not be produced properly.
2. Offline Process
These include finishing and printing, which are individual processes.
Uses of Finishing Service
Below, you will find out some of the finishing services you can try out for your project, and what you can use them for.
1. Trimming and Cutting
Sometimes during a print project, you may need to trim or cut paper stock that is used for printing the materials. This may be because the paper stock is large before production, sheets require trimming before they can fit into a folding machine, or several signatures are joined on a single press sheet.
These trimming and cutting are done using guillotine cutters. Guillotine cutters refer to a stack of sheets placed at the cutter beds and angled stainless steel. The stacks are placed inside joggers. Joggers are vibrating tables that square different stack sheets.
2. Folding
For brochures, magazines, books, and large sheets are used for the press. They need to get folded into a variety of signatures. To do this, you need to involve a variety of right-angle folds. Here, the sheet will be folded severally.
The two main types of folding are the buckle and knife folder. While knife folders help for folding heavy stocks, buckle folders are mainly used for lightweight paper.
3. Gathering and Collating
Gathering and Collating refer to placing sheets using the appropriate sequence. There are a variety of laser copiers and printers that have functions essential for collating. Gathering involves a similar process as collating, but then, it involves signatures that are folded.
4. Binding
Binding involves gathering separate sheets together. There are lots of options one could use to bind materials. These include gumming pages using staples for them to look like spines.
5. Debossing or Embossing
Embossing refers to the method of adding images of relief to the cover of printed materials or books. At times, a foil or ink is used to bring out the image used for relief. Debossing, on the other hand, refers to a process where sunken images are created on substrates.
Final Thoughts
Finishing services include a foil added at the end of the printing process on magazine covers and books. These foils are metallic, and they shine lights. In the end, you have either golden or silver glue. These folds are put in using heated die patterns that heat foil rolls against substrates.
