Helpful Tips

This Month's Topic: Multiple-Up Perfect Binding
February 2004

Today’s large-format printing presses allow for projects to be laid out multiple-up on the press sheet for more efficient production. For small-format book projects, two-up perfect binding can significantly reduce printing and binding time and costs.

However, two-up perfect binding requires specialized capabilities and plenty of advance planning in order for production to go smoothly. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help you take advantage of two-up perfect binding:

The multiple-up binding process
On two-up perfect-binding applications, two books are printed, folded and bound as a single book block. The books are then split inline using a specialized book saw and final-trimmed individually.

The main advantage of two-up perfect binding is that it allows printers to maximize press economy by using popular sheet or web cutoff sizes for smaller-format projects. The reduced press impressions and passes through the binder result in faster turnaround times and lower production costs.

Two-up and Come-and-Go Layouts
Two-up perfect-bound projects can be designed with either standard two-up or come-and-go layouts. Standard two-up layouts orient both books in the same direction on the press sheet. For come-and-go layouts, the books are oriented foot-to-foot, with one book reversed so that the binding edges are on the same side of the sheet.

Planning tips
• Regardless of layout, all books should have minimum trim margins of 1/8” at the head, foot and face. Also, leave an extra 1/8” margin between the books to account for the book saw. This results in a total trim margin of 3/8” between the books, regardless of layout style.

• Let Allied Bindery help you plan your books for efficient two-up binding. Sometimes, design modifications as small as a fraction of an inch can give you the flexibility needed for a multiple-up layout.

The Allied Advantage
With our unique capabilities and commitment to quality, Allied Bindery is the obvious choice to take care of your multiple-up binding needs. We have the only in-line book saw capabilities in Michigan. And, with our ISO 9001 certification, you can rest assured that your books will meet stringent quality control procedures.