Collation blocks

Collation blocks, also known as collation marks, are essential tools in the printing and bookbinding processes. These small notations and markings play a crucial role in ensuring the correct order and completeness of all sections within a book. Typically placed on the spine or margins of a book block, collation blocks serve as a guide for manual or semi-automatic assembly. By imprinting a mark on the back or edges of a section, a continuous series or specific pattern is created when the sections are stacked in the proper sequence. Any missing or misplaced blocks immediately indicate errors in the assembly, alerting bookmakers and printers to potential issues. Whether used in manual inspections or integrated into modern automated systems with barcodes or optical markers, collation blocks are indispensable in the production process. A katern, or section, consists of folded sheets that form a component of a book block. These sheets, typically printed in multiples of 4, 8, 16, or 32 pages, are folded, gathered, and bound together. In large-scale production, the implementation of a reliable control system like collation blocks is vital for error prevention and quality assurance.

January 20th 2025 | Laura Schouw