A mechanism that makes it possible to output a saddle-stitched brochure in a correct page order when a post-processing apparatus that executes a saddle-stitching process by switching back a sheet is caused to execute the saddle-stitching process. Sheets discharged from a printing apparatus are switched back by reverse rotation of a conveying roller pair, and are conveyed into a conveying path for a saddle-stitch bookbinding process. The sheets are accumulated in an accumulation tray for the saddle-stitch bookbinding process. When the saddle-stitch bookbinding process is caused to be executed on the accumulated sheets by the post-processing apparatus, the order of image formation is decided such that the order of pages of images printed on the saddle-stitched sheets becomes correct. The images are printed on the sheets in the decided order of image formation.

A mechanism that makes it possible to output a saddle-stitched brochure in a correct page order when a post-processing apparatus that executes a saddle-stitching process by switching back a sheet is caused to execute the saddle-stitching process. Sheets discharged from a printing apparatus are switched back by reverse rotation of a conveying roller pair, and are conveyed into a conveying path for a saddle-stitch bookbinding process. The sheets are accumulated in an accumulation tray for the saddle-stitch bookbinding process. When the saddle-stitch bookbinding process is caused to be executed on the accumulated sheets by the post-processing apparatus, the order of image formation is decided such that the order of pages of images printed on the saddle-stitched sheets becomes correct. The images are printed on the sheets in the decided order of image formation.

A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a first sheet conveyance passage, a second sheet conveyance passage, a sheet folding portion, and a merging portion. The second sheet conveyance passage branches off from a branch portion on the first sheet conveyance passage. The merging portion is located downstream of the branch portion on the first sheet conveyance passage, and there a folding conveyance passage of the sheet folding portion merges with the first sheet conveyance passage. When performing a folding process on a sheet, a controller guides the sheet conveyed from a sheet introduction port into the first sheet conveyance passage via the branch portion to the second sheet conveyance passage, then reverses the conveyance direction to guide the sheet to the sheet folding portion to perform the folding process, and passes the sheet through the folding conveyance passage, merges the sheet into the first sheet conveyance passage at the merging portion.

A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a first sheet conveyance passage, a second sheet conveyance passage, a sheet folding portion, and a merging portion. The second sheet conveyance passage branches off from a branch portion on the first sheet conveyance passage. The merging portion is located downstream of the branch portion on the first sheet conveyance passage, and there a folding conveyance passage of the sheet folding portion merges with the first sheet conveyance passage. When performing a folding process on a sheet, a controller guides the sheet conveyed from a sheet introduction port into the first sheet conveyance passage via the branch portion to the second sheet conveyance passage, then reverses the conveyance direction to guide the sheet to the sheet folding portion to perform the folding process, and passes the sheet through the folding conveyance passage, merges the sheet into the first sheet conveyance passage at the merging portion.

An information processing apparatus includes: an obtaining unit configured to obtain book data; a cutout unit configured to cut out a page based on the book data; a providing unit configured to provide an image based on the book data to a binding portion of the cut-out page; and an output unit configured to output data including the page including the image provided by the providing unit.

A printing system includes a book body printing section including a book body printing machine and outputting book bodies sequentially, and a cover printing section including a cover printing machine and outputting covers sequentially. The book body printing machine and the cover printing machine respectively receive printing order data indicating a printing order with regard to a plurality of jobs from a print control apparatus, and perform printing in the printing order indicated by the printing order data. The print control apparatus generates the printing order data, so that an inserting order in unit of job to a bookbinding machine of the book bodies output from the book body printing section coincides with an inserting order in unit of job to the bookbinding machine of the covers output from the cover printing section.

A printing system includes a book body printing section including a book body printing machine and outputting book bodies sequentially, and a cover printing section including a cover printing machine and outputting covers sequentially. The book body printing machine and the cover printing machine respectively receive printing order data indicating a printing order with regard to a plurality of jobs from a print control apparatus, and perform printing in the printing order indicated by the printing order data. The print control apparatus generates the printing order data, so that an inserting order in unit of job to a bookbinding machine of the book bodies output from the book body printing section coincides with an inserting order in unit of job to the bookbinding machine of the covers output from the cover printing section.

An information processing apparatus includes: an obtaining unit configured to obtain book data; a cutout unit configured to cut out a page based on the book data; a providing unit configured to provide an image based on the book data to a binding portion of the cut-out page; and an output unit configured to output data including the page including the image provided by the providing unit.

An example device is provided in accordance with the present disclosure, which may be used for example for producing printed articles from printed sheets on which are imposed multiple pages of a printed article to be produced. The example device comprises a sheet feeder, a sheet path for the advance of a plurality of printed sheets fed by the sheet feeder, a cutter on the sheet path to cut the printed sheets in a direction perpendicular to the sheet advance direction, to form at least two sheet portions, and a folder on the sheet path downstream of the cutter, to fold the sheet portions.

A machine and a method of manufacturing the machine are provided. The machine comprises a sensor, a plurality of tools and a processor. The sensor is configured to detect a sheet of a bundle of sheets. The bundle of sheets includes at least a first sheet having a first edge and a second sheet having a second edge, and the sheet is any one of the first sheet and the second sheet. The plurality of tools removably is disposed in a tool housing. Each tool of the plurality of tools corresponds to at least an operation of a plurality of operations, and each tool of the plurality of tools is arranged to perform the operation on the sheet. The processor configured to position the sheet and to selectively actuate at least one tool of the plurality of tools to cause performance of at least one operation at a first location on the first sheet and at a second location on the second sheet, and wherein the first location and second location are determined by the processor based on a first input to obliquely aligned the first edge and the second edge upon aligning the first location and second location.