Powis Parker

Vanderbilt University Printing Services continues to thrive by combining a well-established, bustling offset operation with burgeoning business opportunities and digital solutions to meet and exceed customer demand.

It was a fairly routine day at Allegheny College Printing Services. Manager Mark Pritchard was talking with a customer when a popping noise made him turn and look toward his in-plant's Ikon CPP 650 color printer.

Beginning in the mid-90s of the last century, digital technology changed the world and the printing industry along with it. This was a revolution indeed, as the devices employed by printers—while improved over time—had remained substantially unchanged over centuries.

BYU's Print and Mail Production Center (PMPC) opened its photo book operation by "kind of hand-assembling" books, according to Assistant Director Thomas Roylance. But the in-plant quickly recognized the need for a true production solution.

When Simon Fraser University's in-plant introduced photo books in September 2009, its original goal was to create more demand for graphic color work.

During the Winter Olympics in February, Simon Fraser University Document Solutions, in Burnaby, British Columbia, successfully produced a daily 12-page color newsletter detailing the progress of the German Olympics team. The 15-employee in-plant used its Xerox iGen3 to produce 1,600 newsletters a day for 16 days, binding them on its C.P. Bourg BME booklet maker. Digital files were sent from Germany using the in-plant’s WebCRD job submission system, from Rochester Software Associates.

THE AMERICAN Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has served as an advocate, educational resource and standards bearer for U.S. doctors for more than half a century. Currently, the AAFP boasts a membership of 94,600 family physicians. Of course, the national association can't make house calls to each of its members. It has, however, made the right call by operating in-house Digital Printing and Mailing Services departments at its Leawood, Kan., head–quarters.

With on-demand printing making book production easy, in-plants are increasingly upgrading their perfect binders. Here are some of the latest models. By Elise Hacking Book Block Gluing Machine American Binding's Book Block Gluing Machine Type ID 5000 is specifically designed for the production of high-quality gauzed books. The machine is equipped with two glue trays, one for cold glue at the entrance (with infrared drying) and one with hot-melt glue and lateral gluing. Dimensions and processing of the gauze can be electronically adjusted. The ID 5000 handles paper sizes ranging from 3.9x5.9˝ to 11.8x20.5˝ in thicknesses of .11˝ to 3.2˝. www.americanbindingco.com

Printing equipment wasn't the only thing on display at the AIIM On Demand Conference and Exposition. There was plenty of bindery gear, as well. By Bob Neubauer For more than a decade now the On Demand trade show has been giving the world a look at the latest in digital printing. But an equally important part of the show has been the bindery equipment on display. Last month, IPG joined the 21,000 people who attended On Demand. As part of our mission, we sought out the latest bindery gear—a task made much more convenient by the show's relocation from New York to IPG's home

Saddle stitcher manufacturers say time is of the essence in their business, and they're looking to save it on makeready, training, production and, of course, ROI. by Mike Llewellyn "IN-PLANTS, LIKE every business, are being challenged to do more with less," says Mark Hunt, director of marketing for Standard Finishing Systems. But unlike other businesses, Hunt believes, in-plants have a more reliable stream of internal work feeding them. To vendors of finishing equipment, this makes in-plants the ideal customers in slow economic times. "In-plants are extremely important," Hunt continues. "In-plants have always been important, but especially in difficult times because they have their own