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.

—Bob Flinn, Standard Finishing IPG

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.