Looking for a Imposition Software that will help with single sided pdf placement?

Hi all,

Many thanks for looking at this message.

I am currently looking out for a software that will help us with Imposition PDF files, we currently get files from our customer in sizes eg 150 page pdf which consists of 50 versions etc eg pages 1-3 are one version, 4-6 is another version etc.

We want some software that can help us create the layout, place CAD marks and tick marks outside the print area as well as place a code on the bottom of the pages if possible so it is easier to see what version is being printed rather than looking for the tiny number once printed etc.

It would be great if it could do a cutter file too so we can incorporate that into our CADing machine too.

There are so many imposition software places out there, which is better than the other and also what will do this job we require?

We know it can be done but all the imposition packages i have seen seem to be aimed at book printing or stepping the same image so many up.

We usually try and only use Illustrator at work as it is ideal for what we need however i have seen many a plug-in for InDesign, this could be helpful however how can you incorporate a plug-in and create the cutters separately? Getting the plug-in to follow the already created cutter is something nothing seems to follow as what i have read up on nothing creates the cutter file alone from the pdf artwork needed to print.

I hope my words make sense, i am attaching a picture of what we create by hand and just replace the pictures via links within Illustrator, with them all being the same size, they just replace what is already there with no adjustments to the image size etc.

It seems you can not attached a picture from my computer via this message as it keeps asking me to for a web address so i can not post the picture until someone lets me know how lol.

Many thanks

Phil.

 

I've used both Montax Imposer and Quite Imposing.
Both worked pretty well for day-to-day print production, but i'm not 100% certain I understand what you're trying to accomplish.

Montax will run you about 300-500 USD depending on the version you select. Quite Imposing is much more expensive, coming in a $1000+ if I remember correctly.

 

Hi Biggs,

This is not the first time someone has said that to me today, i am going to attached a photo of the layout we are wanting to this post, we created this by hand within Illustrator, that is usual way of creating these jobs but it is soooo time consuming if we have an order for quite a few.

Basically i want to set up templates within Quite so i can create these single page artworks into 3up files as shown in the picture.

The person i spoke to yesterday at Quite was very polite and i wish i managed to remember more of what he was saying but they rang out the blue at the end of a working day lol.

I have tried to re-create the actions he told me yesterday about adding custom background that already has the pre made ticks and CAD marks on which i created already within Illustrator, i have tried to follow the online video about placing colour bars but it is using the standalone program rather than the acrobat plugin plus the blurred video resolution does not help either.

Basically this is what i think i need to learn and create:

Create Custom Background PDF of the ticks and CAD marks - Done

Create 3 up file within Quite within the sheet size and with the correct double cuts - Done

Drop in the Custom Background into the sequence of things - Tried to do but do not see anything

Create a template for that size of job so i can use it for many versions of the same size - Can not figure that out

Drop in the artwork pdf pages into the layout and then create the pdf artwork to rip to our press - Can not figure this out either.

Sorry if again it makes no sense?

Many thanks

Phil.

 

It's a bit clearer now.
Let me just confirm - So the only variable component you're trying to implement is a background of some kind?
or by background do you mean the entire artwork, less the crop marks?

how many unique spreads do you have altogether?
It looks like a rather simple menu, you can't achieve what you need in Indesign?
You can simply set up one spread and proceed to "re-link" the unique backgrounds from the links pallet.
unless we're talking 100's or 1000's of spreads, but i can't image that being the case.

maybe link several of the unique items, so i can see what varies from spread to spread.

Before I had imposition software i would step and repeat, say, one lot of business cards. Then, when i had another order for business cards, i would simply re-link the prior with the new. Rather than imposing each set of cards over and over again.

 

We run hundreds of versions of menus in a similar fashion. Some have over 100 press forms on 40" press forms. Use Prinergy to process pages to versioned pdfs. Create template in Preps and drag and drop the order you need. Preps has file name for id (pagename) printed in gutters for easy identification. Some of my run lists have over 2,000 pages.

I have done this for digital presses too so they can stack collate in sets if needed. All kinds of codes can be added in gutters to make it simple for finishing dept.