Why 1,000 finished pieces need more than 1,000 sheets

Ask for 1,000 brochures and the printer will load noticeably more than 1,000 sheets of paper onto the press. It is not padding and it is not a mistake. Every stage of production, from the first sheets through the press to the last pass through the folder, uses some material to get set up and some to catch the occasional bad sheet. Those extra sheets are called make-ready and spoilage, and the finished pieces left over at the end are called overs.

Understanding where the extra paper goes helps you read a quote, compare prices fairly between printers, and set the right expectations about the quantity that actually arrives. This guide explains each part of the allowance and what you can agree with your printer in advance.

Make-ready: setting up the press

Make-ready is everything that happens between hanging the plates and getting the first sellable sheet. On an offset press, that means bringing the ink up to the correct density, adjusting the ink keys across the sheet, getting the four colours in register, and balancing ink and water. The sheets used while this happens are printed, checked and discarded.

How many sheets this takes depends on the job and the press. A modern press with automatic plate changing and closed-loop colour control reaches colour much faster than an older machine. A simple one-colour job settles quickly; a four-colour job with large solids and a brand colour to match takes longer. The operator is looking at colour bars and registration marks at this stage, which we describe in more detail in our article on registration, colour bars and the press sheet.

Digital presses

Digital presses have no plates and much shorter make-ready, often only a handful of sheets for calibration and a check print. This is one reason digital is usually cheaper for short runs. For a fuller comparison of when each process makes sense, see digital or offset: which printing method fits your job.

Running spoilage: the sheets that go wrong during the run

Once the press is running, a small number of sheets still go wrong. A sheet may feed double or skew, a hickey (a spot caused by dust or dried ink) can appear, or the colour may drift slightly and need correcting. Operators pull samples at regular intervals and remove anything outside tolerance. These sheets are part of the running spoilage allowance.

The percentage is usually small on a long, stable run and higher on short or difficult runs, for example heavy solids, very thin or very thick paper, or unusual materials. Our article on print defects and their causes explains what the operator is looking for.

Finishing spoilage: every machine needs its own setup

Many people forget that finishing needs its own allowance. Each machine after the press must be set up with real sheets from the job:

• Guillotine cutting: the first cuts are measured against the layout, and any slight error means a few sheets are lost.
• Folding: the folder is adjusted for paper weight, grain and fold type with test sheets until the folds land in the right place.
• Binding: saddle stitchers and perfect binders need a few sets to adjust staples, trim and glue.
• Lamination, UV and foil: each coating or finishing machine is adjusted with a few sheets before running the job.
• Die cutting: the forme needs make-ready so that it cuts cleanly through without cutting into the surface underneath.

A job that goes through printing, lamination, cutting, folding and stitching therefore needs allowances for five separate setups. That is why a heavily finished job has a larger total allowance than a flat sheet that only needs cutting.

How much extra does a job need?

There is no single percentage for every job. The allowance depends on quantity, the press, the paper and how many finishing steps follow. As a general pattern:

When you compare quotes, you do not normally see these allowances listed. They are included in the paper cost and the press time. That is one reason why two printers with similar paper prices can quote differently on the same job: one may be planning a tighter allowance on a newer press, the other a more careful allowance for a demanding finish. Our article on planning a large print run covers the other side of the cost per unit calculation.

Overs and unders: what quantity actually arrives

Because the allowance is an estimate, the finished quantity is rarely exactly what was ordered. If the run went smoothly, there may be some good copies left over: the overs. If spoilage was higher than planned, the printer may be slightly short: the unders.

Trade terms in many markets accept a small variation over or under the ordered quantity, and some printers invoice overs at a run-on rate. This varies by printer and by country, so it is worth checking the terms in the quote. If the exact number matters, say so before the job starts. Common situations where it does:

• Numbered items such as tickets, certificates or vouchers, where every number must exist exactly once. Our article on numbered and perforated print covers how these jobs are controlled.
• Personalised items where each copy is different, such as invitations or letters with names.
• Mailings where the quantity matches a mailing list and postage is prepaid.
• Kits where the printed item must match a fixed number of products or packs.

For these jobs, ask for "exact quantity, no unders" on the order. The printer then increases the allowance slightly and counts carefully, which can add a little to the cost, but avoids a shortfall that would be expensive to reprint on its own.

What you can do to reduce waste

• Order the quantity you need once. Two runs of 500 each carry two make-readies. One run of 1,000 carries one.
• Keep specifications stable across repeat orders. Same paper, same size, same finishing means faster setup and a more predictable allowance.
• Approve a proof before the run. Colour changes at the press extend make-ready and use more sheets.
• Talk to the printer early about unusual stock. Synthetic papers or very heavy boards may need a trial.

Production runs at S7 Printing

Through our general printing services, we plan every job with an allowance for make-ready, running spoilage and each finishing step, based on the press, the stock and the finishing route. On the quote, we state the ordered quantity and how overs and unders are handled, so there are no surprises at delivery. When you need an exact count for tickets, mailings or personalised items, we note it on the job ticket and count finished pieces before packing. Our guide to packing and delivering a large print run explains how the counted stock is boxed and labelled.

If you are planning a run and want to understand what the allowance will be, send the specification through our contact page. We will explain how many setups the job involves and whether a small change, like combining two versions onto one sheet, would reduce the waste.

The simplest sign of a well-planned job is a delivery note that matches the order, with a short line showing the overs, and nobody needing to phone the printer about a missing box.