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.

—Si Nguyen, Duplo USA

Request a demonstration of your product being collated. But because the machine has been prepared for your product, plan to request on the spot that they run the other materials the collator was advertised to do.

—Paul Byrne, Vijuk Equipment

Features to Look For:

Automation, programmability, missed/double sheet detection without stopping, loading without stopping, quick setup and low waste. Also, diversity: can it change sizes (paper format) in seconds? Can it run different stock weights per pocket?