Cut and stack layout is a more advanced style of merging files. It’s one you most likely won’t use on your home printer. It’s a style used in commercial printing so that large quantities of files can be printed in an order. Often times the pages are then trimmed into stacks for further sorting, bindery or collating.
How Cut & Stack Imposition Looks
It’s hard to visualize if you’re not familiar with pre-press or printing. Here is a very simple graphic. The below image shows cut and stack imposition and then we’ll describe it below.
There are a few different directions you can build cut and stack imposition. We currently do it (more styles to come) deep down and right. That means the first file is placed at the top left corner and then it’s built down the stack. Once the the quantity required is met and then the next file starts. When the bottom of the stack is reached it moves back up to the top page and to the right. That process repeats over and over across the page and down to the next row.
Cut and Stack Page Size Selector
Cut and stack files are sometimes trimmed with a large guillotine cutter and the stack can only be so tall. If the stacks are too tall they won’t fit in the cutter or allow for the operator to manipulate it efficiently. With that in mind we’ve built in a function where you can select the amount of pages per build.
Web Based Cut & Stack Software
Most if not all PDF merge tools require you to download software in order to get your files merged. With File Splice you can upload your files from anywhere easily collecting files from your team or organization across the world and then merging them in just a few clicks. Once merged anyone within your group can download the finished build.
Do you have more questions about cut and stack layout? Contact us and we’ll be happy to answer any of your questions or give you a quick demo of how File Splice works.