Frank Visits K&W Finishing
Published on October 6, 2017
Kathy Holmes at K&W Finishing offers the traditional die cutting, coating, and other bindery services. But this 2nd-generation binder has taken the company into the 21st Century with laser diecutting.
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Discussion
By David Straub on Oct 06, 2017
K&W Finishing are craftsmen and absolute holders of expertise in the business they do. I have been involved with them many moons ago and I am sure the values and principles they practice still hold true today. Highly recommended.
By Werner Rebsamen on Oct 06, 2017
Frank - glad you finally cover Print-Finishing subjects. Great reportage. Take a look at the latest PI digital issue. Trish Witkowskis presented a unique, laser-cut example. Maybe Kathy did it on this new machine.
We have come a long way since we conducted laser-cutting research
with graduate students thesis at RIT. That was back in the 1980/90's!
Keep up the good works.
By Dov Isaacs on Oct 07, 2017
What would be very interesting is how they integrate the die-cutting into the end-to-end workflow. How does a designer specify the cuts in or with the original artwork and how is that communicated through the entire print production workflow?
- Dov
By Kathryn Holmes on Oct 09, 2017
Thank you for all the kind comments. Dov, the workflow of each job must be engineered differently depending on the intricacy of the die-cutting and how it is incorporated into the final product. Our folks here at K&W are very knowledgeable about finishing. Clients that involve us in the design phase of their unusual projects are able to benefit from this expertise.
Artwork...
The designer needs to send in a Vector art file; .ai, .eps, or .pdf format preferred. Nothing but the lines to be cut, perfed, or etched, should be in this file. Indicate which lines are which by using different RGB colors for cut, score, perf, or etch lines and provide a key.
If a registration mark is printed on the sheet, we are able to register sheet to sheet. Variable data is possible using a QR Code.
By Dov Isaacs on Oct 09, 2017
Kathryn,
Thanks for your response!
You and/or the provider of your equipment should become (if not already) aware of a new ISO TC130 standard nearing completion, ISO 19593, which provides for providing a PDF file that not only has the artwork for printing, but also the vector art for die cutting, folding, etc.
This will allow the designer to specify these production and finishing features in special layers within the same PDF file as the graphics to be printed. When this standard is completed and implemented in products such as you are using, end-to-end workflow should be much simpler and reliable!
- Dov (Chair, TC130 WG2/TF2 responsible for PDF-based print standards)