Graphic Finishing Industries of Illinois Spoilage Allowances

Graphic Finishing Industries
of Illinois

70 East Lake Street
Suite 540
Chicago, IL 60601
P: 312.704.5000
F: 312.704.5025
e-mail

Graphic Finishing Industries of Illinois

Guidelines for Normal
Spoilage Allowances

ecause spoilage occurs in every bindery operation, your finisher needs sufficient print overruns in order to deliver full counts.

The following spoilage guidelines were developed by the Graphic Finishing Industries of Illinois to help customers plan print production needs.

Please bear in mind that these guidelines can not apply to every job, so check with your bindery supplier to confirm their spoilage requirements.

Spoilage Headings... Fast Find

Inserter/Sticher/Trimmer

Added Finishing Services
(Die Cutting, Embossing, Foil Leaf, Auto Fold/Auto Glue)

Additional Guidelines

Inserter/Stitcher/Trimmer

(Normal job on paper stock of 45# coated up to 100# coated)

1 pocket.....	2% of the finished count, plus 500 signatures for make-ready
2 pockets....	2 1/4% of the finished count, plus 500 signatures for make-ready
3 pockets....	2 3/4% of the finished count, plus 500 signatures for make-ready
4 pockets....	3% of the finished count, plus 500 signatures for make-ready

Example:
	500,000 finished books of four 8-page signatures. Spoilage allowance 15,500 of each signature, plus 500 (four 8-page signatures; 4 pockets = 3% of 500,000 finished books or 15,000, plus 500 for make-ready = 15,500.)

Signatures received with bent laps could increase this spoilage guideline.

Additional percentages:

1 1/2% for one-up oblong books
1/2% for all two-up jobs
2% for 4-page signatures of 50# book weight or lighter
1/2% for each 8-page signature
2% for jobs on uncoated stock lighter than 45#
1% per vacuum-fed signature

Flat Cutter


1/2% per 1,000 finished pieces
Additional percentage:
	1/4% additional allowance for stock with remoistenable gum strip
Example:
	500,000 finished 8 1/2 x 11 flat pieces = 1/2% of 500,000 or 2,500 pieces for spoilage.
For paper stock lighter than 45# do not use these specifications...consult your finisher.

Buckle Folders


Make-ready/set-up = 1 % of stock for each folder, plus 1 % of the finished pieces.
Additional percentage:
	1/2% of the folded finished pieces for each additional folding machine section used whether used in parallel or right angle.
Example:
	100,000 17 x 22 sheets folded to 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 (3 right angle folds) to be run on two folders. Spoilage allowance: 1% of 100,000 or 1,000 pieces (1/2% for each of two additional folding machine sections) plus 1% of stock for each folder set-up.
The following items will increase basic spoilage:
Curly stock Lightweight (less than 45# uncoated) Gluing or pasting Pin perforation Perforations close to the fold Gatefolds
When these conditions exist, please consult your finisher.

Adhesive Binding

Up to six, 16-page signatures:

Quantity	Set-Up	Spoilage
Less than 1,000	10%	10%
1,001-5,000	100 pieces	5%
5,001-10,000	100 pieces	4%
More than 10,000	100 per set-up	3%

Increase above percentages by 1/4% for each additional form.

The following items will affect spoilage for adhesive binding:

Lightweight (less than 45# uncoated)
6- and 8-page covers
Short forms
Fold-out forms

When these conditions exist, please consult your finisher.

Added Finishing Services

Quantity	Die-Cutting	Embossing
Set Up	250 Sheets	250 Sheets
Less than 1,000	10%	10%
1,001-2,500	6%	5%
2,501-5,000	5%	4%
5,001-10,000	4%	3%
10,001-20,000	3%	2%
More than 20,000	2%	1.5%

Quantity	Foil Leaf per color	Auto Fold / Auto Glue
Set Up	350 Sheets	500 pcs.
Less than 1,000	10%	10%
1,001-2,500	7%	9%
2,501-5,000	6%	7%
5,001-10,000	5%	5%
10,001-20,000	4%	4%
More than 20,000	3%	3%

Mechanical Binding

Mechanical Binding, unlike other binding services requires a very labor intense process. It has different spoilage requirements than most automatic binding methods. In most cases, the material is handled as individual units, unlike automated processes that, after a machine is set, the theoretical “bugs” that cause spoilage, are out of the production process. Certainly, some of the spoilage allowances are similar. The following “additional guidelines” also apply to Mechanical Binding. Please contact the bindery involved, to obtain their spoilage requirements.

Additional Guidelines

The following factors could adversely affect these spoilage guidelines:
	1.	Condition of material as it is packed on pallets or skids going to the finishing operation.
	2.	Stock curl.
	3.	Kind and weight of paper, depending upon application.
	4.	Numerous lots or codes.
	5.	Paper that does not lay flat due to heavy ink coverage, special coatings, tape, spot U.V., perfs or scores.
	6.	Quality control sample pulls should be a consideration.
Keep in mind the following:
Additional waste occurs in packaging. Allowable overrun is an important part of the target figure; therefore, when no underrun is allowed, an additional 10% beyond expected spoilage must be delivered to the finisher on most jobs.