Continuous form
An endless form is a form in which a paper web is printed in one piece, i.e. endlessly, and remains uninterrupted, but can also be separated at perforations. In contrast to conventional continuous printing paper , at least one copy is always produced at the same time when a continuous form is labeled.
definition
A continuous form can be a one-part or a multi-part printed product. Especially in the advertising field of direct mail in the form of a roll-to-roll end product for later labeling via laser printer. Moreover, there is a special form of Formulares of carbonless paper in the carbonless execution, shortly SD form or called SD-set (SD stands by writing for yourself).
Economy are the side prices of this printing process, the actual reason for this is that even in the times of cheap to purchase laser printers used these (frequently mistaken as outdated shown) possibility of delivery notes, invoices, bills of lading, etc., economical on matrix or dot matrix printers to print out. The use of continuous forms is not suitable for all industries and company sizes.
Organizational means By choosing different paper colors for the copies, the allocation can be organized in-house easily and without errors. The sentence thickness (from 2 to 6 times, afterwards the sharp and clear copying is no longer guaranteed) and paper colors (white, yellow, pink, blue, green) can be individually determined. If z. If, for example, the final sheet always has to be forwarded to the accounting department with a light blue color, there is no possibility of confusion.
Document authenticity is another argument for using this type of form. The reason for this is that with a 4-fold laser print it is possible to combine different printouts and output them as copies of the cover sheet without this difference being apparent at first glance. In the case of consignment notes that also serve official and insurance purposes (e.g. CMR consignment note = International Agreement on Contracts of Carriage on Roads ), the consignment note is only permitted as a self-copying version, i.e. as a continuous form or SD set.
An SD set consists of at least two sheets, an original and a copy. 99% of NC papers (non-carbon - no carbon paper) are used, there is also the option of combining a commercially available paper with what is known as SC paper ( self-contained , i.e. self-reacting). The copy in the SD papers is the result of a chemical reaction. On the back of the cover (original) sheet there are balls of colorless crystal violet which burst under pressure and react with the surface of the next sheet, which is coated with a (also colorless) triphenylmethane dye , creating an image.
The (top) cover sheet is referred to as CB (CB = coated back ), the last sheet as CF ( coated front , “ coated on the front side”). If a 3-fold set (or several times higher set) is produced, a CFB paper (CFB = coated front and back , '(both) front and back coated') is placed between the CB and the CF paper inserted.
Basically, you can choose between differently colored papers for the copies with SD sets . This ensures orderly organizational processes. Example: The printout is created, the cover sheet (sheet 1) in white goes to the customer, sheet 2 (e.g. in yellow) goes to the archive, sheet 3 (e.g. in pink) goes to accounting, sheet 4 (e.g. in blue) is the delivery note with a copy of it as sheet 5 (e.g. in green) and has an additional blackened area (so-called sea of numbers ) on the areas where the prices are displayed , so that the Prices are not apparent.
Basic idea of the endless form
A document created by the computer program, e.g. B. an invoice should be printed out. Matrix printers - or dot matrix printers - are the most common printers that produce another copy by printing on the paper. Since you usually have to feed each sheet individually into a printer and print, this can lead to problems with the paper feed. To ensure that the printed image remains constant, the paper must run through the printer both horizontally and vertically. The decision was made to guide the paper using tractors that grip into the paper web, align the paper web laterally and precisely control the feed of the paper web.
Format of the continuous form
Since almost all elementary computer technology comes from the USA, the foot (inch or inch) was chosen as the basic unit of measurement. One foot is 304.8 mm and consists of 12 inches or europ. 12 inches (1 inch = 25.4 mm). This basic format in the area of continuous printing is also favorable for Germany, as it is almost the same as the conventional A4 format. Only the height deviates by approx. 8 mm (12 ″ = 304.8 mm, DIN A4 is 297 mm high).
Height: The formats of a continuous form and the control of the printout are basically variable. The height of the format only has to correspond to an inch or its division in sixths of an inch (approx. 4.23 mm). Nevertheless, one format has essentially prevailed: 90% of all continuous form sets are 12 ″ (304.8 mm) high.
Width: The width of the form is not tied to any specifications. In accordance with the German A4 format, a width of 210 mm (net without perforated edge) is common. In addition, there is a guide hole edge on both sides of mostly 15 mm each.
The most common continuous form in Germany is therefore 12 ″ × 240 mm, comparable to the German DIN A4 format.
Components of the continuous form
- Guide hole edge
- A hole is punched every 1/2 inch (1.26 mm) to guide the paper web. That means that with a 12 ″ form there are 24 holes in the edge of the hole, with an 8 ″ form 16 holes. Since the edge of the guide hole has served its purpose after printing in the matrix printer, it is then cut off by hand or in a cutter or ripper so that the paper edges are clean.
- Perforations
- Their purpose is to separate the edge of the hole after printing. A distinction is made between the line or normal perforation, which can be recognized as a broken line, from the micro or point perforation, which results in a cleaner edge, but is only possible with a thicker cover sheet, as thin papers tend to tear with the point perforation. The longitudinal perforation runs parallel to the paper web / the edge of the hole. The transverse perforation enables the folding and subsequent folding in the fan-fold pattern in the folding delivery of the machine and, after printing in the matrix printer, the separation of the individual sets from one another.
- Filing holes
- It is used for filing in standard file folders without having to use a punch. Since the paper webs are printed individually, it is possible, for. B. the cover sheet without filing holes to choose the copies with filing holes.
Manufacturing process
The wholesalers deliver the paper to the continuous printing plants on rolls without any holes or perforations. The paper web is printed in the continuous roll printing machine in the printing units and the edge of the hole is punched out and the lateral perforations punched in the tool / punching stations. Finally, the transverse perforation is punched and the paper is laid out in the fan-fold pattern with the help of the fold delivery. Each paper web is printed individually. So you can also print different print motifs on the paper webs.
Example: “Invoice” is printed on sheets 1 to 3, sheets 4 and 5 are “delivery note” and a copy of it and also have a sea of numbers printed on them.
With a 4-up set you have four stacks after the print run: one stack of top sheets, two stacks of middle and one stack of bottom sheets, each separately. These stacks are now brought together in a collator (gathering machine) so that the actual endless set is created.
Stapling - ways of connecting the paper webs
Crimp lock stapling: Tools punch through the paper webs and the paper webs hook into each other. Usually this is the cheapest and easiest way. This stapling is recommended up to a set width of 3-fold forms.
Multiflex stitching. Is mostly only offered in connection with crimp lock stitching and is strongly recommended for sets of 4 or more. In addition to the crimp lock punching, green ribbons are glued in at a distance of 4 ″ (after every 8 guide edge holes). This stapling connects the top and bottom sheets permanently and securely, the middle sheets are also positively guided and the paper web cannot slip, which can sometimes lead to problems with printers with a small deflection roller.
Decision-making aids for continuous form printing / single sheet printing
Rule of thumb:
- If there are only a few printouts (up to 25 printouts / day), a single sheet is the more economical option (e.g. car dealership, travel agency, assembly company, house building).
- For many printouts (from 25 printouts / day) the continuous form will be the cheaper version (e.g. hardware, sanitary wholesalers, building materials market, freight forwarders, wholesale food markets).
Continuous forms have the following advantages:
- Consumables are cheap, which is why the page price is the most economical of all currently known printing processes
- They are document-proof (with a laser printout, copies with other content can be made, which is not recognizable at first glance. With a matrix printout this is not possible, therefore, for example, waybills that are made with laser printouts are not document-proof)
- The printer is insensitive to dust, dirt and temperature influences. You can use a matrix printer to make printouts in the cold store or in the goods issue of a stone sawmill, but not with a laser printer - or at least not for long.
- Additional copies are made when printing.
- Problem-free, jam-proof run
- Organizational advantage through different paper colors
Advantages of single sheet printing:
- The quality of the typeface is cleaner.
- Graphics and images are printed cleanly and with high resolution.
- The continuous forms are more expensive to buy, but the page price is cheap
- The speed of the printing process is significantly higher
- With a needle printer, the printout is unmistakably mechanical, a single-sheet laser or inkjet printer is barely audible.
