So you’ve finished your print run and are happy with its quality. What comes next? Print finishing can mean a variety of things to different businesses, and the terminology can possibly seem overwhelming. Here’s a quick guide to the main types of finishing equipment and their function, so you can quickly assess what your needs are and
Guillotines or Paper Cutters
Guillotines cut paper, in simple terms. In a broader sense, guillotines are available in manual or electric form, and which type you choose will depend on the volume of paper you will need to be trimming post-print. Electric guillotines, like manual ones, use external handles, but electric ones use hydraulics for precision cutting and often feature a digital display for fine-tuning your measurements. If you have bulk cutting to do with zero margin for error, you can’t go wrong with an electric guillotine.
Folding Machine
Whether you’re creating booklets and pamphlets or having to fold large volumes of paper to fit certain envelope sizes, manually folding can become arduous very quickly. Folding machines eliminate the process of spending hours folding paper, freeing up your internal resources to focus skills elsewhere. These machines can be adapted to fold many different sizes, making them a valuable and versatile bit of finishing equipment.
Creasing Machines
As the name suggests, these machines offer precision creasing to paper and card, as well as perforation production that allows for easy tearing. Creasing machines are particularly well suited to the mass production of menus and information leaflets where offset prints need to be folded accurately. Creasers make it a far easier and quicker process, making them a wise investment in the arena of print finishing equipment.
Numbering Machines
Manually stamping documents that need identifying in such a way isn’t an issue with this bit of kit. If you have a daily need for numbering or labelling documents that proves to be a large burden on time, numbering machines automate an otherwise laborious process of physically stamping.
Binding Machines
From simple hand-operated binders to fully functioning electronic booklet makers, these are a must-have for a professional finish. These machines crease the paper as part of the print process, eliminating the need to manually fold documents afterwards, meaning this is another great time-saver. Settings allow for great precision and control over your printing, so this is another versatile time-saver.
Booklet Makers and Staplers
Also including stapling machines, booklet makers allow you to create professional booklets in-house. Print-outs are easily turned into folded and stapled booklets automatically once the settings have been entered, eliminating the process of manually folding and stapling. For precise industrial stapling, this is machinery that will be cost-effective in terms of physical supplies and human resources.
While some businesses might only find themselves needing one of the above, a combination of two or more might be more cost-effective depending on your needs. There are variants of many machines with different settings and specifications that fit various types of demands and budgets of all sizes.