A process for the production of books (22) with digital printing from signatures, in which the book comprises signature groups (33), each formed with basic sheets (34), are parts of respective signature sheets (42). The process employs a manufacturing system (21) which includes a transversal cutting equipment (41) for cutting transversally the signatures sheets, and transversal and longitudinal folding equipment (46) for the formation of respective signatures (48). For a book with at least a sheet section devoid of text and/or figures in a last signature group, the method provides: a) identify a reduced signature group (59) including a number of sheet sections having at least a page with text and/or figures; b) cut the paper strip (23) to separate the reduced signature group as reduced signature group; c) actuate the transversal folding equipment (46) limited to the sheet sections having at least a page with text and/or figures and skipping the actuation of the transversal folding equipment (46) for a single sheet section; and d) actuate the longitudinal folding equipment (47) for folding longitudinally the reduced signature group.

A first sheet conveying path extends from a sheet supply portion toward a sheet discharge portion. A second sheet conveying path extends, from a diverging position in the first sheet conveying path, toward a switch-to-back portion. A third sheet conveying path is a conveying path for the sheet that is reversed by the switch-to-back portion. A first movable guiding portion is rotatable between a first posture in which the sheet that has reached the diverging position is guided toward the sheet discharge portion, and a second posture in which the sheet is guided into the second conveying path. A second movable guiding portion is rotatable between a third posture and a fourth posture, in the second sheet conveying path. In the third posture, the second sheet conveying path is formed in conjunction with the first movable guiding portion. In the fourth posture, the third sheet conveying path is formed.

A sheet binding processing apparatus includes a binding device which performs a binding process on a sheet bundle stacked on a stacking unit and a sheet bundle set at a manual setting portion, the stacking unit stacking introduced sheets, a sheet bundle being set to the manual setting portion from an outside; a moving portion which moves the binding device to a first binding position for performing the binding process on a sheet bundle stacked on the stacking unit and a second binding position for performing the binding process on a sheet bundle set at the manual setting portion; and a controller which causes the binding device, in a case that the binding process is not performed on a sheet bundle stacked on the stacking unit, to wait due to the moving portion at a position different from the first binding position.

A sheet binding processing apparatus includes a binding device which performs a binding process on a sheet bundle stacked on a stacking unit and a sheet bundle set at a manual setting portion, the stacking unit stacking introduced sheets, a sheet bundle being set to the manual setting portion from an outside; a moving portion which moves the binding device to a first binding position for performing the binding process on a sheet bundle stacked on the stacking unit and a second binding position for performing the binding process on a sheet bundle set at the manual setting portion; and a controller which causes the binding device, in a case that the binding process is not performed on a sheet bundle stacked on the stacking unit, to wait due to the moving portion at a position different from the first binding position.

A bundling mechanism creates a sheet bundle including N sheets including an M-th sheet to be included in a k-th booklet and a first sheet to be included in a k+1-th booklet. The k is an integer from 1 to L?1. The M is not a multiple of N. A adhesion mechanism bonds together a preceding sheet and a subsequent sheet stacked at a stacker, except for the M-th sheet to be included in the k-th booklet and the first sheet to be included in the k+1-th booklet.

A bundling mechanism creates a sheet bundle including N sheets including an M-th sheet to be included in a k-th booklet and a first sheet to be included in a k+1-th booklet. The k is an integer from 1 to L?1. The M is not a multiple of N. A adhesion mechanism bonds together a preceding sheet and a subsequent sheet stacked at a stacker, except for the M-th sheet to be included in the k-th booklet and the first sheet to be included in the k+1-th booklet.

The present invention provides a post process control apparatus including a post processing unit configured to perform post processing on a printed sheet printed in accordance with a job, and a method for controlling the same, where the post process control apparatus and the method of controlling the same obtain a number of sheets in one copy of printed sheets instructed by the job, control the post processing unit to, if the obtained number of sheets in one copy is singular, execute the post processing in one batch on printed sheets corresponding to a plurality of copies, and to control the post processing unit to, if the obtained number of sheets in one copy is plural, execute the post processing individually by printed sheets corresponding to one copy.

The present invention provides a post process control apparatus including a post processing unit configured to perform post processing on a printed sheet printed in accordance with a job, and a method for controlling the same, where the post process control apparatus and the method of controlling the same obtain a number of sheets in one copy of printed sheets instructed by the job, control the post processing unit to, if the obtained number of sheets in one copy is singular, execute the post processing in one batch on printed sheets corresponding to a plurality of copies, and to control the post processing unit to, if the obtained number of sheets in one copy is plural, execute the post processing individually by printed sheets corresponding to one copy.

A device and a method for separating sheet material is provided. The separation of sheet material is not effected statically, but a suitable pick-up position and/or a suitable pick-up mechanism is selected for each sheet material piece, for example in dependence on the quality of a surface of the sheet material piece to be picked up, in order to pick up the sheet material piece from the sheet material stack and remove it from the same.

A sheet conveyance apparatus which conveys sheets fed from a first sheet feeding unit and sheets fed from a second sheet feeding unit to a merging point, inserts the sheets fed from the first sheet feeding unit into the sheets fed from the second sheet feeding unit in a predetermined order at the merging point, and discharges the sheets fed from the first sheet feeding unit and the sheets fed from the second sheet feeding unit to a downstream side includes: a jam detecting unit configured to detect a jam of a sheet in the first sheet feeding unit; and a control unit configured to newly feed sheets which are before the predetermined order, in which a sheet causing the jam is supposed to be inserted, and have not been fed from the second sheet feeding unit, and convey the newly fed sheets to the downstream side.