Production Design | Hagerstown Community College
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Production Design

Production Design

Production Design

Submission of Production Projects

Your project is a Production Project if it requires any of the following:

  • Artwork (photos, graphics, etc.)
  • Binding (coil, comb, perfect bound, saddle stitching)
  • CD/DVD duplication
  • Collating (booklets)
  • Desktop Publishing
  • File conversion/manipulation
  • File transmission
  • Folding
  • Graphic Design
  • Inserting/folding/sealing
  • Laminating Larger than 11” x 17”
  • Mail Merge
  • Mailing Services (bar coding)
  • Mounting on foam board
  • NCR (carbonless) paper
  • Padding
  • Printing Posters/Signs
  • Scanning
  • Shrink Wrap
  • Tabbing
  • Trimming, cutting
  • Typesetting
  • Vinyl Signage

If any of the above services are required to finalize your project, you MUST submit your project with the Production Requisition Webform.

Please fill out the requisition form completely, including:

  • Date Wanted - ASAP is not a date! Fill in the date you need the project, if we can’t complete the project by the date specified we will contact you.
  • Project - When submitting your project, please identify your project by name. Copies, Course Numbers, or Production Project are often confusing when we receive multiple projects at the same time. Including the name of your project helps us locate your project should you call us with questions.
  • Check All Services Required - Do not assume that we know how you want your project finished or that we can remember what we did the last time the project was in the office.
  • Special Instructions - Add any additional information that you feel will help us complete your project correctly.
  • Account Numbers - Cost Center Managers must include the proper account number that copies or project are to be charged.

Projects will not be started until we have a completed requisition. Copying projects are usually ready for pick up the next day. We stock a variety of papers in different colors and weights and can special order paper when necessary for projects.

We are committed to the enhancement and promotion of the College by producing high quality printed materials and are available to assist you in attaining the completion of your project in the most proficient manner in order to meet your expectations and goals.

Consultations regarding your project at the planning phase enable us to provide you with the maximum quality, the fastest turnaround time, and the lowest cost.

In order to avoid delay in the completion of your project, please call Digital Printing & Design Services at extension 387 when you have questions or to set up an appointment to discuss available services and the necessary steps to meet your goals.

Please be aware that Publisher files will no longer be revised in any way and will be copied/printed as submitted only if they meet the graphic identity design requirements of the College, the Print and Copy Guidelines as defined by the College Administration, and U.S. Postal regulations, where deemed necessary.

Publisher files allow limited manipulation and are not suitable for enlarging or reducing in order to obtain a specific size other than as originally created. Publisher files are NOT ACCEPTABLE for any project that has to be run on a press.

If this project is a reprint, provide a sample of the earlier printing with changes clearly marked in RED, and any new copy in an unformatted Word document.

All copy submitted for publication that requires typesetting, whether a new publication or a reprint project with revisions, must be submitted electronically, on CD/DVD, or on disk and is to be keyed in without formatting, following these specifications:

  • Typed flush left
  • No bold, italic, underlining, centering, justification, etc.
  • You may provide a sample/printout of the layout/design you are requesting for clarification (with your copy formatted) to facilitate the satisfactory completion of your project.
  • Any photos submitted for project(s) must be 150 dpi for copying and 300 dpi for printing at 100% of size requested.
  • The department or person submitting the project is solely responsible for accurate content and spelling. Digital Printing & Design Services does not proofread content submitted electronically, on CD/DVD or disk. All copy is subject to editing for conformance with the Graphic Identity Design and Copy Requirements.
  • The use of Microsoft graphics is strongly discouraged and Microsoft Publisher files are not accepted for projects requiring redesign or printing (unless provided as a sample only) due to the significant limitations of the software.
  • Digital Printing & Design Services subscribes to Shutterstock, a site that supplies quality photos, graphics, and artwork. You can view the photos at www.shutterstock.com and include the item number on your requisition.

Requests should be initiated as early as possible. The amount of time required to complete a design/printing request varies depending on the complexity of the project, if special paper or materials need to be ordered, and the workload in Digital Printing & Design Services at the time a request is received. Simple jobs that are printed in-house can often be turned around within one or two weeks. Projects requiring extensive typesetting, formatting, design, or those to be printed by external vendors, normally require more time.

Additional Services

CD/DVD Services

  • Duplication - The CD/DVD duplication process “burns” your content directly onto pre-existing CDR/DVD-R disk. We duplicate only, we do not author, modify, or remaster CD/DVDs.
  • Disc Printing - We offer full color inkjet printing directly on to the disk. If you supply artwork it should be in vector format or if you submit a bitmap, it must be 300 dpi or higher.
  • Jewel Cases - Standard clear plastic cases are available to store the CD/DVDs and an insert with a graphic design identifying the contents can be provided.

Laminating

Laminating is used to preserve and protect cards, certificates, color printer/copier output, photos, newspaper articles, and documents. In-house laminating is available in sizes up to 11” x 17”. Lamination of larger sized projects is available from outside sources.

Folder/Inserter/Sealer

Our Secap SI3400 Inserting System is capable of inserting and folding up to 5 sheets, in addition to inserting a #9 envelope or return postcard into a #10 envelope and sealing the envelope. For specific details on additional folding and inserting capabilities of this equipment, please contact Digital Printing & Design Services at ext. 2275.

Vinyl Signage

Custom vinyl decals are shapes, such as letter forms or logos cut out of adhesive backed vinyl by a computer guided laser based on vector art. Vinyl lettering is suitable for either indoor or outdoor use.

Vinyl letters can be applied to many sign background materials including plywood, aluminum, plastics, corrugated plastic, foam display board, glass, and almost any other smooth surface.

Standard available colors:

  • Green
  • Blue
  • Yellow
  • Black
  • Gold
  • White
  • Red

Digital Printing & Design Services stocks white sign blanks in sizes up to 36” x 24” and metal stakes to support the signs when placed in the ground. We also stock heavy white vinyl banner material in 200’ rolls which is molecularly fused into solid lengths with grommets on the top and bottom edges. This material is 24” high and can be cut to any desired length. Both of these products are very durable and hold up well when exposed to inclement weather, thus making them reusable for multiple events.

Coil Binding

Coil binding is one of the newer forms of binding, in which coils, comprised of a single coil of plastic, are wound in a continuous spiral and feed through holes in the binding edge of the sheets. Pages turn very easily and the book will lay completely flat. Pages may also be opened back to back, while remaining flat. This type of binding is very durable and crush-resistant. Spiral coils are stocked in black, but are available in 12 additional colors by special order.

Plastic Comb Binding

Plastic comb binding (also referred to as GBC binding) does not allow pages to be rotated in a full circle, but they do align. Pages can be inserted and removed if necessary, which is an advantage for reports and works in progress. Plastic combs are stocked in black only, and will accommodate a quantity of pages up to two inches in thickness. For those who need their books to lay flat, this type of binding is ideal. Ten additional colors are available by special order.

Perfect Bound Binding

Perfect bound binding consists of a thermal cloth or leather strip with a heated glue backing which is wrapped around the binding edge, and partway onto both covers, holding each page in place. An attractive and modern alternative to comb and coil binding, thermal tape or leather binding offers a high quality professional appearance. Cloth strips are stocked in black. Fifteen additional colors are available in cloth and seven colors are available in leather by special order only.

Saddle Stitching

Saddle stitching is a form of binding in which a document of two or more pages is folded in half, and two staples are forced through its backbone or spine. This binding is very durable and is excellent for newsletters, catalogs, programs, and pamphlets.

Paper Drill/3-Hole Punch

Three-hole punching in conjunction with a three-ring binder provides a durable binding solution. Pages turn very easily and will lay completely flat. Pages can be inserted and/or removed at will, which is an advantage for reports or handbooks that will need to be updated periodically.

Tabbing

Tabbing offers fast efficient sealing of self- mailers. White tabs or clear wafer seals are applied to newsletters, double postcards, small catalogs, tri-fold brochures, and other open-ended mail as required by the U.S. Postal Service in order to qualify for postal discounts.

Padding

Padding compound glue is used to make notepads and scratch pads. A special adhesive is utilized to make NCR carbonless sets. The glue or adhesive is brushed on and allowed to dry to hold sheets together.

Booklet Maker

Our Horizon SPF-9 Booklet Maker has the capability of collating, stapling, folding, and trimming up to 10 sheets in one operation to automatically create booklets. Booklets can be created in finished sizes from 5 ½” x 8 ½” up to 8 ½” x 11”.