February 2010 - Smooth Sailing: Five Planning Tips to Make Your Life Easier

From estimate to production, the success of any project depends on an accurate and thorough exchange of project information. There are many pieces of information crucial to both estimating and job planning often not considered when bids are solicited and when projects arrive for production. To help you plan your projects for successful production and ensure all key job information is communicated, keep these five tips in mind:

Always Include the Basics –Estimate requests should always include the essential job information such as the binding method, quantity, trim size, page count, and a complete signature breakdown, as well as the cover and text stocks that will be used. Be sure to mention any other operations your project will require, such as folding, cover laminating, drilling or special packaging. If your project requires folding or film laminating, it is also necessary to include size of the sheets you will be providing. Be sure to also include your contact information and company name.

Once the job is live, these specifications and all other pertinent project details should be supplied on a purchase order, preferably in conjunction with a pre-production sample (see below for tips on creating an accurate dummy). In addition, please reference the estimate number on your PO and provide the complete contact information for each person with responsibility for the project.

Provide Paper Stock Details – The weight, finish and grain direction of your paper can have a big impact on binding and finishing operations. With paper details in hand from the estimating stage, Muscle Bound can identify areas of concern well in advance of production and offer suggestions that can save you time and money further down the road.

Case binding applications involve the exchange of many additional details, including case wrap and endsheet material selections and information on dust jackets if your job requires them. Case wrap choices include book cloth, printed and laminated paper, imitation leather and other specialty materials. There are many cover material options available, so let Muscle Bound help you make the best selection for your needs. Additional features such as foil stamping, embossing and dust jackets should also be communicated.

If your project requires endsheets, Muscle Bound would be happy to provide plain white or colored stock endsheets. You may also furnish your own plain or printed endsheets provided they meet our requirements for strength and durability.

Request Layouts if Necessary – If you are unsure about imposition, trim requirements, or positioning for your project, ask us to provide a layout. Muscle Bound would be happy to provide a customized layout for your cover, jacket or signatures, minimizing the chance of surprises during production.

Provide Samples – A folded, collated and untrimmed mock-up or “dummy” is the clearest way to communicate your vision of the finished product. It also allows us to verify trim margins, bleeds, book bulk and other key details before production begins. Your dummy should consist of a cover and complete text block – with all signatures clearly numbered – pulled from the current print run. A previously-bound sample, while helpful, is not sufficient for troubleshooting, even if the project is a reprint.

Collating and crop marks can also help speed production by allowing operators to quickly identify the order folded signatures will appear in the finished book. This ensures sheets will be aligned for best registration and overall quality.

Communicate Shipping and Packing Requirements – Shipping and packing details should be finalized before production begins, giving us ample time to meet your needs. Provide all shipping breakout quantities and destination addresses for the production run and to fulfill any sample requests. Packing instructions should include the packing method (such as skids, gaylords or boxes), the quantity per box if specified, any special labeling requirements and the number of sample books to be held out for separate shipment.

An important packing note: If the final size of your project calls for custom-size cartons, they will need to be ordered well in advance of your target delivery date to keep your production schedule on track. Muscle Bound can coordinate the ordering of custom cartons if you desire.

The Muscle Bound Advantage
At Muscle Bound Bindery, we help you manage your project’s details to make the production process as worry-free as possible. Once your project arrives in-house, a production coordinator is assigned as a single point-of-contact for questions and job updates. This individualized level of service means you’re never searching for answers or trapped in an endless phone maze. Call us today to begin planning your next successful project.