The invention concerns an automated method for manufacturing printed publications, for the flexible production, on demand, of a single publication or small series of publications. To this end, an automated method is proposed for the production of printed publications, each consisting of a content block (425) and a cover (426), according to which: the feasibilities of manufacturing the content blocks (425) of the publications are determined (414), an order of priority is established for the manufacture of the publications, the covers (426) to be assembled with the content blocks are manufactured, the manufacture of the content blocks (425) is ordered according to descending order of priority subject to feasibility, which takes precedence over manufacturing priority, and the content blocks (425) are assembled with the corresponding covers (426).

Methods and apparatus for use with a trimmer to produce a plurality of books having different trim sizes are disclosed. An example method includes obtaining recipient data; based on the recipient data, generating an order to produce first books and second books, the first books having a first size and the second books having a second size, the second size different from the first size; and producing the first books and the second books in accordance with the order by: actuating a first backstop to enable a first book of the first books to engage the first backstop; trimming the first book with a cutting device; and actuating a second backstop to enable a second book of the second books to engage the second backstop; and trimming the second book with the cutting device, the first backstop at a first distance from the cutting device and the second backstop at a second distance from the cutting device.

Apparatus for use with a trimmer to produce a plurality of books having different trim sizes are described. In a described example, a trimmer for use with a bindery system includes a cutting surface and a first movable backstop adjacent the cutting surface to be engaged by a first book. Additionally, the trimmer includes a second movable backstop adjacent the cutting surface and spaced from the first movable backstop. The second movable backstop is to be engaged by a second book. Further, the trimmer includes a cutter movable relative to the cutting surface to cut a face of the first book to form a book having a first size and to cut a face of the second book to form a book having a second size different than the first size.

A cover feeder for providing book covers to a production unit of a book completion line includes a first receiving device for book covers of the same format, which can be positioned individually, in an overlapping flow and/or in a stack thereon, and a second receiving device that is arranged upstream of the first receiving device for a stack of book covers having different formats. The cover feeder includes a control unit to which information can be transmitted relating to the format and sequence of book covers in the stack of book covers having different formats, and a laterally adjustable centering device connected to the control unit for a defined lateral displacement and/or aligning of respectively one book cover that is separated out from the second receiving device and is positioned on the first receiving device.

A printing control apparatus according to one aspect of this invention controls to print images on sheets based on image data of a plurality of pages, generate a bookbinding product by executing folding processing for the image-printed sheets, and output the bookbinding product. The printing control apparatus further accepts the position of an insertion sheet to be inserted into the sheets for which the folding processing is executed, and controls to output a plurality of bookbinding products by using, as a reference, the accepted position of the insertion sheet.