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 printing system comprises: a printing unit configured to print an image on a sheet; and a control unit configured to control to perform creasing at a first pressure at a portion, corresponding to an edge of a spine cover, of the sheet on which the printing unit has printed the image, and perform creasing at a second pressure different from the first pressure at a portion of the sheet that corresponds to a hinge.

In a printing system capable of supplying a sheet of a job having undergone print processing by the printing unit of a printing apparatus to a post-processing unit capable of executing at least a specific type of post-processing among a plurality of types of post-processes, when the target job requires the specific type of post-processing, the printing apparatus is inhibited from executing print processing of the job without explicitly determining a sheet necessary for the print processing of the job by a user using a user interface unit. When the target job does not require the specific type of post-processing, the printing apparatus is permitted to execute print processing of the job without explicitly determining a sheet necessary for the print processing of the job by the user using the user interface unit.

A method of using a folding apparatus to form an outsert having product information printed thereon comprises applying a plurality of parallel lines of water to a sheet of paper; making a plurality of folds in the sheet of paper in a direction parallel to a first direction with a first folding apparatus to form a first folded article; making a plurality of folds in the first folded article in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to form an intermediate folded article; and making a final fold in the intermediate folded article in the second direction to form the outsert. Making the final fold may include forcing the intermediate folded article between a pair of adjustably-spaced folding members, the adjustably-spaced folding members to be adjustably spaced apart from each other by a distance that is within a range defined by a lower boundary of 0.25 inches and an upper boundary of 0.45 inches.

A method of using a folding apparatus to form an outsert having product information printed thereon comprises making a plurality of folds in a first direction in a sheet of paper; making a plurality of folds in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction to form folded articles; making a fold in said second direction to form an outsert; and applying pressure to at least one of said folded articles or said outsert, said pressure being at least about 30 pounds per square inch, said pressure being applied by a pressing unit comprising a plurality of pressure rollers.

A sheet folding device includes two rollers, a blade, two parallel pins, and two gears. The first and second parallel pins are passed through first and second pin through-holes penetrating through first and second shaft portions in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the shaft portions. The first and second gears have first and second shaft through-holes through which the first and second shaft portions are passed, and first and second grooves in which the first and second parallel pins are inserted, respectively. Projection portions formed on inner side wall of the second groove and projecting from both sides of the second shaft portion cause the second parallel pin to closely contact a side wall that is, in the second groove, opposite to the projection portions, and cause the second parallel pin to closely contact a portion of the second pin through-hole.

Sheet product dispensers and methods are provided. A sheet product dispenser includes a loading station for sheet material, a sheet feeding mechanism configured to feed the sheet material, a presentation station for presenting one or more discrete sheet products to an end user, a sensor downstream of the feeding mechanism and upstream of the presentation station configured to detect a presence of the discrete sheet products, and a controller configured to facilitate dispensing of the one or more discrete sheet products in response to a signal, and to determine and store data associated with the dispensing of the sheet products.

A printing system comprises: a printing unit configured to print an image on a sheet; and a control unit configured to control to perform creasing at a first pressure at a portion, corresponding to an edge of a spine cover, of the sheet on which the printing unit has printed the image, and perform creasing at a second pressure different from the first pressure at a portion of the sheet that corresponds to a hinge.

A sheet processing apparatus includes a plurality of roller pairs, a single driving force supply source, and a drive transmission mechanism. The plurality of roller pairs include a first roller pair, a second roller pair, and a third roller pair. The single driving force supply source supplies a driving force to the first roller pair, the second roller pair, and the third roller pair. The drive transmission mechanism transmits the driving force to the first roller pair and the second roller pair in a manner such that a rotation direction of the first roller pair is not switched even in a case in which a direction of the driving force is switched such that a rotation direction of the second roller pair is switched when the first roller pair and the second roller pair are driven by the driving force from the driving force supply source.

A method of using a folding apparatus to form an outsert having product information printed thereon comprises applying a plurality of parallel lines of water to a sheet of paper using a plurality of spray nozzles and being applied at positions at which folds are to be made; making a plurality of folds in a first direction in the sheet of paper with a first folding apparatus; making a plurality of folds in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and making a fold in in the second direction to form an outsert including causing a movable member of a folding apparatus to make contact with and move a folded article towards a folding roller, and so that the folded article makes contact with the folding roller to form a fold in the folded article.