Discussions about paperweights often sound like a variety of people speaking in different languages. Terms like Bond, Cover, Index, Points, Tag and Offset are all used to describe paperweights. With each paper stock however there is what is called a GSM rating. GSM = grams per square meter This GSM is nearly always included on the paper package or box along with the other termanology for the stock.

 

The GSM is the actual weight of that square meter of paper as such it is what we need to know on the finishing side. For example a Duplo DBM 120 Bookletmaker may have a 25 sheet capacity of 20lb bond paper. But what if you were using a 18 sheets of 24lb bond and an 8 pt cover, would the machine accept this job? First we convert all measurements to GSM Since 20lb bond = 75 GSM Duplo DBM 120 capacity of 25 sheets of 20lb bond =1,875 GSM Proposed job 24lb bond = 90 GSM x 18 sheets = 1,620 8pt = 177 GSM x 1 sheet = 177 Total for proposed job is 1,797 GSM.

 

Given the proposed example, the job fits within the listed specifications of the machine. This is why we always use GSM as the manner of checking specifications and if certain projects are within them. See the conversion chart below OR DOWNLOAD PDF HERE. 

Bond Ledger	Offset Text	Cover	Tag	Index	Points	*Caliper (inches)	millimeters	Metric (grams/meter2)
16	40	22	37	33	3.2	.0032	0.081	60.2 gsm
18	45	24	41	37	3.6	.0036	0.092	67.72 gsm
20	50	28	46	42	3.8	.0038	0.097	75.2 gsm
24	60	33	56	50	4.8	.0048	0.12	90.3 gsm
28	70	39	64	58	5.8	.0058	0.147	105.35 gsm
29	73	40	62	60	6	.0060	0.152	109.11 gsm
31	81	45	73	66	6.1	.0061	0.155	116.63 gsm
35	90	48	80	74	6.2	.0062	0.157	131.68 gsm
36	90	50	82	75	6.8	.0068	0.173	135.45 gsm
39	100	54	90	81	7.2	.0072	0.183	146.73 gsm
40	100	56	93	83	7.3	.0073	0.185	150.5 gsm
43	110	60	100	90	7.4	.0074	0.188	161.78 gsm
44	110	61	102	92	7.6	.0076	0.193	165.55 gsm
47	120	65	108	97	8	.0078	0.198	176.83 gsm
53	135	74	122	110	9	.0085	0.216	199.41 gsm
54	137	75	125	113	9	.009	0.229	203.17 gsm
58	146	80	134	120	9.5	.0092	0.234	218.22 gsm
65	165	90	150	135	10	.0095	0.241	244.56 gsm
67	170	93	156	140	10.5	.010	0.25	252.08 gsm
72	183	100	166	150	11	.011	0.289	270.9 gsm
76	192	105	175	158	13	.013	0.33	285.95 gsm
82	208	114	189	170	14	.014	0.356	308.52 gsm
87	220	120	200	180	15	.015	0.38	312 gsm
105	267	146	244	220	18	.0175	0.445	385.06 gsm

 

Data received from Micro Format, Inc. Wheeling IL 60090. <www.SecureGuardPaper.com>