Systems and processes for producing products having cards attached thereto

A finishing process performed entirely on a folder/gluer line comprising at least a first folding station, at least a first gluer unit, a hook and lift mechanism, and at least a mid-line rotary die cutter to manufacture a finished, mail-ready product comprising a carrier and at least one card secured thereto so that the carrier and the card of the finished mail-ready product are entirely formed by regions of a single, individual contiguous blank consisting of a paper material and comprising at least a first carrier panel and at least a first card panel with a fold line therebetween, the processing being performed on the folder/gluer line so that the carrier and the card are never physically separated or out of contact with the blank or with one another throughout the process,

• the process comprising printing text and/or images on a sheet, cutting the sheet to create the blank, and
• while the blank is conveyed through the folder/gluer line:
• using the mid-line rotary die cutter to cut the first card panel to at least partially define a first partial cutout card therein such that the first partial cutout card remains partially attached to the first card panel and a first remaining portion of the first card panel surrounds the first partial cutout card;
• using the first gluer unit to apply glue to the first partial cutout card on the first card panel or to the first carrier panel at a location aligned with the first partial cutout card on the first card panel, using the first folding station to fold the first card panel over and onto the first carrier panel such that a spine is formed between the first card panel and the first carrier panel and the first partial cutout card is secured to the first carrier panel with the glue;
• performing a slitting operation on the first card panel to detach the first remaining portion from the first partial cutout card by removing the spine so that the first partial cutout card is the only part of the first card panel that remains attached to the first carrier panel;
• removing the first remaining portion of the first card panel as waste material so that the first remaining portion is separated from the first partial cutout card,
• only the first partial cutout card remains secured to the first carrier panel and defines at least a portion of the card of the finished, mail-ready product, and the first carrier panel defines at least a portion of the carrier of the finished, mail-ready product, wherein the first remaining portion is removed from the first card panel by using the hook and lift mechanism to engage a leading edge of the first remaining portion that protrudes beyond the first carrier panel;
• and
• finishing the blank to form the finished, mail-ready product in which the card is secured to the carrier;
• wherein the card and the carrier of the finished, mail-ready product are produced entirely from the paper material of the blank, except for the card there is no residual evidence of the card panel on the finished mail-ready product, the card consists of the paper material, and the card is never physically separated from the blank throughout the process.