On-demand Finishing Finesse

One area of great debate in digital printing concerns the merits of finishing in-line or off-line. Each route has its advantages; the best solution for any specific on-demand printing concern will depend chiefly on the print shop's unique operation, requirements and goals.

In vs. Off
The benefits of in-line finishing include very high set integrity—because the sheets never leave the system, labor costs are kept low. Also, a streamlined production path is created, making in-line finishing a logical choice for many on-demand printers, especially for job quantities below 500. On the flip side, though, if the print engine goes down, the on-line finisher is idle, and vice versa. Some finishers may even slow down a print engine.