If you’re in the market for a collator, these tips should help you find the most appropriate device for your in-plant and get the best results from it.

The Friction vs. Suction Debate

Friction collators: This feeding method uses a combination of top rubber rollers and a bottom silicon paper separator pad or a bottom rubber roller design. It is usually a top-feeding method, meaning that the feeding takes place from the top sheet of a paper stack. As the rubber rollers rotate to feed the top sheet of a pile, the paper separator limits it to one sheet at a time, thus preventing double feeding. The method is repeated until the paper bin is either empty or an error occurs.

Pros: Inexpensive, compact in size and easy to operate.

Cons: Designed to feed bond stocks up to 90-lb. index. Coated stocks are usually not recommended. Friction collators have a tendency to cause marking problems in the feeding area where the rubber rollers make contact with the sheet and the paper separator. Friction collators have a small paper bin capacity and are designed for low- to medium-volume use. They are unable to cope with static and offset powder.

Suction collators: This feeding method uses a pump to generate air for sheet separation between sheets—unlike the paper separator in the friction method—and the same pump also generates suction for suction cups to pick up and deliver each sheet to the transport belt. Some advanced air feeding methods use suction belts instead of cups, mainly designed for speed and greater pick-up of surfaces.

Pros: Versatile. Able to feed bond, coated stocks and up to 12 pt. stock. Fast, efficient and productive. Built to run medium to high volumes. Modular: able to add multiple towers in a single system.

Cons: Larger footprint, air pumps are noisy, more expensive.

—Si Nguyen, Product Marketing Manager, Duplo USA

Selecting a Collator:

If there is a big difference in price, there is usually a reason. It is always good to test the equipment on equal footing and speak to owners about what they like or dislike about the system they own and what drove their purchasing decision.

—Bob Flinn, director of Business Development, Standard Finishing Systems

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Collator Buying Tips