Signature Settings
Signature & Imposition Setup Window
Output Mode / Machine / Paper ▸
Output Method : Here you sets the output method of your outputting device. ‘Digital Print / Film Output’ for Digital printing or making films using Image setter and ‘CTP Output (Computer to Plate)’ for making Plates using CTP Machine.
Printing Machine : With CTP option you can select the included Printing Machine preset or create new printing machine If you couldn’t find your machine in the preset list. You can achieve the correct signature position by setting the value from the bottom edge of the plate to the gripper and non printable area on paper.
Plate Width / Height : (CTP mode) Actual width and height of the printing plate.
Plate Gripper Margin : (CTP mode) Distance from the bottom edge of the printing plate to the printable area of a plate. Required to position final printing image. Paper will be positioned on Plate Gripper Margin height minus (-) Non Printable Area Height. Sometimes called plate leading edge margin.
Non Printable Area Height : (CTP mode) A small area along the leading edge of the paper where the printer can not print as the machine uses that area to pick the paper. Sometimes called paper gripper margin, gripper margin or simply gripper.
Signature Position on the Plate : Set the position of the signature on plate. Make sure to use the same size of paper on layout for printing.
On Gripper Side : Places signature on the gripper side of the paper. Use for all regular jobs.
On Paper Center : Places signature exactly on the paper centre. Use for all work & tumble and perfecting jobs.
Offset From Gripper : Use custom value as distance from the plate edge.
Align to : Select the method to align signature on the gripper margin
Default : This mode places the bottom trim mark of the signature little above the non printing gripper margin with all bottom marks printable.
Trim Marks to Gripper Margin : This mode places the bottom trim mark of the signature exactly on the minimum printable gripper area.
Trim Marks to Bottom Paper Edge : This mode places the trim mark of the signature exactly on the paper edge.
Note: For creating a new printing machine, you need to setup plate gripper and non printable area height values. Check with your technical person for the correct specification of your printing machines.
Auto PDF Output Size : The margin around crop area of a signature and outputs with the margin regardless of the printing paper size.
Slug Area Margin : This is the margin space around the total trim area of the signature when 'Auto PDF Output Size' is selected.
Printing Paper Size : Set the size of paper you are planning to feed on the printing machine. There are few auto size options also available in a popup arrow menu. They are self explanatory and named as ‘Get Suitable Paper Size’, ‘Get Total Crop Sizes’, ‘Get Total Crop Sizes with Bleed’ and ‘Get Total Crop Sizes with Slug Area Margin’.
Custom Total Crop Area (For Gang Run) : Set the total crop area of a signature. You need this option when gang run printing need to resize the signature. Crop box always start from bottom left corner.
Crop Size : Set the custom crop size for the layout. There are few auto size options also available in a popup arrow menu. They are self explanatory and named as ‘Get Total Crop Sizes’, ‘Get Total Crop Sizes with Bleed’ and ‘Get Total Crop Sizes with Slug Area Margin’.
Clip Area Margin: : Set the imaging area around the custom crop area if selected.
Front & Back Print Alignment : Allows you to move the whole signature contents on the signature. This option may use to align front & back signatures on a digital printing machine. ‘ Shift X ’ values moves the signature horizontally and the ‘ Shift Y ’ values moves vertically.
Reset to Defaults.. : Discard all individual pagination settings including page numbers gaps and marks etc. and reset the layout to defaults.
More tips on plate & signature elements..
Imposition ▸
Imposition Method : Select the imposition method.
Automatic Book Imposition : Allows Imposition Studio to do automatic pagination, binding, spine setting etc. for a book. Auto Imposition should be selected for all type of Books.
Manual Imposition : All other types of the layouts like flyers, cards etc..
Job Type : Select the job type options.
• Books : (Auto) If you planning to make a book.
• Folded Leaflet : Select this option for any type brochure jobs which may require folding but no binding.
• Plain Cut Sheet : Select this option if your job is on a single sheet or the job from a single PDF page with or without folding, ex: Business Cards, Coupons, leaflets, Boxes etc.
Single Cut: Only one cut required to part each individual pages in the job. There is no gap and bleed applied between individual pages in the signature. Available only with Plain Cut Sheet option.
Job Style: Select the job style options
• N-Up : Select option to print all imported PDF pages in a sequence. More signatures will be added when required.
• Step & Repeat : Select option for jobs with auto repeat to complete the signature.
Three step & repeat modes are available on the ‘ Setup.. ’ button.
• Repeat All : This mode will repeat all page boxes with a single PDF link.
• Column Wise Repeat : This mode will repeat all page boxes in each columns with every PDF link.
• Row Wise Repeat : This mode will repeat all page boxes in each rows with every PDF link.
• Cut & Stack Set : This is the option for numbered page groups, so you may stack later to get a sequenced job.
PDF links are printed on each signatures sequentially. For example, PDF link 2 will print on the next signature and 3 on the next... The next column will start with the page after the sheets in a stack count. More options are available on the ‘Setup..” button
Setup.. : Opens Cut & Stack Set Setup window
Note: For front & back layouts, keep the back PDF pages after the front PDF pages.
Example: Use the front pages as 1,3,5,7... and back pages as 2,4,6,8..etc. So always keep all backside PDF pages in the second master signature page.
Signature Sides : Select number of signatures required to make a print form. For front & back sheet wise jobs, select ‘2 Sides (Front & Back)’. For single sided, work & turn and work & tumble jobs select ‘1 Side’ for the layout.
1 Side : Select for single sided or single set work & turn and work & tumble jobs.
2 Sides (Front && Back) : Select for front & back sheet wise jobs.
Make Combo Half Form from Extra Pages : On an auto book layout, if the number of pages are not sufficient for making more than one complete form, then the remaining pages are called ‘Extra Pages’. Enabling this option allows to print extra pages as work & turn or work & tumble single sided half form within the layout automatically.
Combo Half Form Mode : Five modes are available for half form extra pages.
• Use Outside Pages as Extras : Extra pages are counted from the outer most sheets in saddle stitch mode.
• Use End Pages as Extras : Extra pages are counted from the end pages in perfect binding mode.
• Use Inside Pages as Extras : Extra pages are counted from the inner most sheets in saddle stitch mode.
• Use Starting Pages as Extras : Extra pages are counted from the starting pages in perfect binding mode.
• Use Cover Pages as Extras : Cover pages are counted as extra pages.
More tips on ‘Make Combo Half Form from Extra Pages’..
Front & Back Paper Turning : This option sets how you turn the paper after completing the one side Printing. There are two options available for one sided documents.
If the document contain single side:
• Work & Turn (Left-Right) : This method turns the paper horizontally with the same signature - Left to Right.
• Work & Tumble (Up-Down) : This method turns the paper vertically with the same signature - top to bottom.
If the document contain 2 sides:
Work & Turn - Sheet wise (Left-Right) : This method turns the paper horizontally with the backside signature - Left to Right.
Work & Tumble - Sheet wise (Up-Down) : This method turns the paper horizontally with the backside signature - Left to Right.
Total PDF Links Used In A Form : Enter the number of PDF pages to complete a master form (including back side if the layout has two sides). Auto imposition does not require this option. For manual layouts, enter only the required pages exactly. If you are planning for repeating the same pages, enter only the number of source PDF pages used on the master form.
Custom Number of Original PDF Links : Use this option if you want to use repeated pages in a form. For example you used only 2 source PDF links with repeats on a 4up layout then enter 2 in this field.
Number of Page Columns : The number of horizontally placed PDF pages in the signature (as per the preview).
Number of Page Rows : The number of vertically placed PDF pages in the signature (as per the preview).
Number of Cloned Pages : Useful for creating small books, user manual etc. Small books are very difficult to bind individually. Clone option creates multiple copy of the books together automatically. These combined books can be separated after binding.
Page Orientation on the Signature : Orientation of PDF pages on the layout preview. Vertically or horizontally / portrait or landscape.
Note: Above options will affect the page numbers of your signatures.
Page / Box ▸
Single Page Box Size : Set the default final crop size of the pages without bleed. It is common for all pages in the layout. You may change size and other properties of individual pages by using ‘ Gang Run Transformations.. ’ or PDF Link Transform menu item.
Set From PDF Link 1 : Single page box size will be taken from the first PDF link you imported on the PDF links window.
Page Crop Width : Width of the default page box. Depend on how pages appear on the signature preview regardless of page orientation whether portrait or landscape.
Page Crop Height : Height of the default page box. Depend on how pages appear on the signature preview regardless of page orientation whether portrait or landscape.
Bleed : It is necessary to print a slightly larger area than is needed and then trim the paper trimmed down to the required finished size. This extended area is called bleed. Always use 3mm bleed for all regular layouts.
Horizontal Scale : Scale value in percentages for placing the PDF page horizontally.
Vertical Scale : Scale value in percentages for placing the PDF Link file vertically.
Book Reading Order : This option is only required if you want to make a book in Arabic, Hebrew or similar right to left reading languages. Otherwise use the default option. Symbolic page numbers will remain same on both modes. Use only right to left option when the first page of the PDF is the first page of a right to left reading book.
Left to Right (Default) : Regular mode for making books in all left to right reading languages.
Right to Left (Arabic) : Option for making books in Arabic, Hebrew or similar right to left reading languages.
Note: use only ‘Right to Left’ option when the first page of the PDF is the first page of the book in reading order (Last page of the normal reading books)
Binding / Folding ▸
Binding Method : Select the binding method of the Job.
• Saddle stitch / Stapling : Select this option if you planned a stitch of thread or a wire staple to bind the book. This option not required binding margin. So keep the margin as ‘0’.
• Perfect Binding : Select this option if you planned to bind your book in small folded groups combined and glued on the spine. Perfect binding may require some binding margin on the spine area.
Section Sewing / Smyth Sewing : Use this option if you want to fold the printed sheets as small sections and each section is then sewn into the following section along the spine. Then binding together with a cover to make a book. This option is also useful for some situations when more than one form required for a section sewing or perfect binding group.
• Pages In A Section : Enter the required number of pages to make a single section for binding.
• Section Starting Number : Enter the starting section number for current layout.
Creep / Shingling : Saddle stitched books with more pages require creeping to get the pages are aligned on the outer edge after cutting. Imposition Studio will calculate the value automatically when you enter the correct paper GSM in the ‘ Creep Setup ’ window. Check Creep Setup section for more details.
Creep Setup : Opens Creep Setup window
Auto Gutters / Gaps : Apply new values to all gutters in the layout
Keep Default / Current Values : No change in gap settings (default). The values in the vertical and Horizontal folding gaps are the default values from the Global Layout Preferences.
Auto Distribute to Print Run Paper Size : Keep all gaps in same size by distributing the folding gaps evenly on the specified print run paper size. This will ensure easy folding & binding on some automatic machines.
Apply New Values to all Gutters / Gaps : Apply changed values to all vertical & horizontal gaps.
Binding / Routing Margin : Use 0 for Saddle Stitch / Stapling jobs. For Perfect binding jobs, use the routing margin required for your binding machine. Included perfect binding templates use 6mm as routing margin. Check with your technical person for the exact values.
Gutter / Folding Gap Settings : The values in the vertical and horizontal folding gaps are the default values from the preferences. Select ‘Apply New Values to all Folding Gaps‘ to apply new values to all vertical & horizontal values in the layout. ‘Auto Distribute to Print Run Paper Size’ is an option to keep all the folded pages in same size by distributing the folding gaps evenly on the specified print run paper size. This will ensure easy folding & binding on automatic machines.
Use main layout editor window to edit individual folding or routing gaps. Check the Edit Gaps section for more information.
Reset to Defaults : Discard all individual pagination settings including page numbers gaps and marks etc. And reset the layout to defaults.
Note: You can edit individual Binding Gap / Folding Gap / Routing Margin values. On the layout editor window, double click on the desired page gaps on layout preview to edit the ‘Vertical Folding Gap’ and ‘Horizontal Folding Gap’ between two adjacent pages. Select the ‘Change All’ check box to apply the new values to all corresponding folding gaps (Horizontal or Vertical) on the signature. Changes will apply to both sides if the layout contain two master signatures.