Binding On Demand

THOUGH PRINTING equipment may have grabbed most of the attention at the On Demand show last month, bindery equipment had a strong presence too. From desktop folding units to floor model perfect binders, the show had a range of post-press gear.

IPG visited with all of the major vendors at the Philadelphia show and collected information on their latest products for the in-plant market.

One bindery highlight at the show was the Standard Horizon BQ-470 fully-automated four-clamp perfect binder. Standard Finishing Systems was awarded Best of Show honors for this product in the bindery category at On Demand by judges from BERTL, a research firm.

Introduced at On Demand, the BQ-470 boasts fully-automated setup. It produces up to 1,350 perfect bound books per hour, with four clamps that travel on a vertical elliptical track. The binder’s 10.4˝ LCD touch screen is used to provide stepper motor-controlled automation. The BQ-470 can bind books up to 21⁄2˝ thick, and optional interchangeable glue tanks support both EVA and PUR adhesives. An optional HT-70 three-knife trimmer can be placed in-line with the BQ-470.

Lots of Perfect Binding

Perfect binding equipment both large and small was all over the On Demand show floor.

Duplo debuted the KB-701 perfect binder, to be available in early 2007. It can bind up to 200 books per hour, with a maximum thickness of 11⁄4˝. Several different books can be loaded, and the machine will read the OMR mark on the last sheet of a book and automatically know the next book is starting.

James Burn International was showing the Roby One gluing machine, from Zechini. Its air feeder carriage system picks up the material to be glued from a high pile feeder, transports it into the gluing area and places it on the other substrate located on the register board, within a very tight tolerance, pressing it lightly to assure a perfect coupling. It has a maximum speed of 720 cycles per hour, ideal for short to medium runs, and can use either hot or cold glue.

Muller Martini demonstrated its GATF InterTech award-winning SigmaLine OnDemand digital book manufacturing solution, featuring the SigmaBinder perfect binder and SigmaTower cooling tower. Sigma­Binder produces perfect-bound books at up to 1,000 variable-sized copies per hour with in-line scoring and separate spine and true side glue application. Clamps automatically adjust themselves over the entire book thickness range within a cycle. SigmaTower ensures proper cooling and provides optimal adhesive curing prior to trimming.

C.P. Bourg showed the Bourg Binder BB3002, an automated perfect binder that can bind books up to 2.36˝ thick. The three-cylinder glue tank is equipped with a side gluing device and scoring unit. The BB3002 also boasts a color touch screen.

Coverbind displayed the 101 DFS desktop binder. It can bind up to 900 documents (81⁄2x11˝) an hour with spine sizes ranging from 1⁄16˝ to 1⁄2˝. By placing a set of paper in the automatic cover size selector, users can see the spine width and place the sheets in the right cover. Up to three documents can be loaded in the binder.

Scoring Equipment Scores High

Improving the quality of folds seemed to be on many vendors minds, judging by the amount of scoring equipment on the exhibit floor at On Demand.

Baum demonstrated the new PS Digital Creaser, notable because it can crease both offset and digital prints at a rate of 8,000 sheets per hour. Setup is made easy through an LCD screen located centrally on the machine. Sheets are fed with two side alignment bars to ensure square and accurate positioning. Two sets of rollers are controlled by stepping motors, and the creasing tool is operated mechanically via a cam to ensure accurate creasing. Maximum stock size is 50x70 cm (19.7x27.56˝), though larger size capabilities are on the way.

Across the aisle, Graphic Whizard was showing another creaser, the CreaseMaster Pro, inline with a Baum 714 XLT folder. The floor model creaser is stream fed by hand at speeds up to 2,000 sheets per hour. It can put up to five scores on a sheet, with regular and inverted scoring possible in the same pass. It has menu-driven touch screen controls. Maximum stock size is 18x251⁄2˝.

Morgana Systems showed its DocuMaster system, which offers high-speed creasing with booklet making and trimming. The creaser, which can also be used to perforate, can put up to nine creases on a sheet at speeds up to 3,640 sheets per hour. It can be used as a stand-alone creaser if required or as a separate bookletmaker.

New from Rollem was the Advantage scoring and perforating system. An adjustable side guide guarantees accuracy on press sheets as large as 23x29˝. It can process up to 15,000 sheets per hour.

Technifold USA showed its Table­top Creasing Machine, which uses its popular Tri-Creaser technology. It offers letterpress-quality creasing and micro perforating, which eliminates fiber cracking on digital or offset materials. It creases 100# text stock up through the heaviest cover stock, handling sheets from 3x4˝ up to 19˝ wide.

Coil Binding and Beyond

Gateway Bookbinding Systems showed the PBS 3000 QS, its quick setup auto coil inserter. It inserts pre-cut lengths of coil into pre-punched books, processing as many as 600 books an hour. The maximum binding edge is 12˝. The inserter takes just two minutes to set up and requires no tools.

GBC, an ACCO Brands company, showed a new type of binding that resembles a plastic comb bind but is much easier to work with. The GBC ProClick Pronto P2000 uses pre-loaded cassettes that hold the ProClick binding elements (spines). The ProClick elements, available in three sizes and four colors, can easily be zipped open to allow removal or addition of pages, and then re-bound with the same element. ProClick-bound documents lie flat and pages can be rotated 360° for convenient note-taking and copying. The ProClick Pronto comes in two models: the P2000, a bind only product, and the P3000, a punch and bind unit.

Renz America demonstrated the APSI 300 automatic plastic spiral inserter. It inserts pre-cut lengths of coil into pre-punched books. Requiring no tools for setup or changeover, it is foot pedal actuated and produces as many as 600 books an hour.

Spiel Associates showed its new Coilmaster Jr. automatic plastic coil binder. It will insert coil into a book from the first hole onwards and then cut and crimp automatically. The Coilmaster Jr. can bind books between 8mm and 22mm automatically at speeds of up to 500 books per hour.

Spiral Binding demonstrated its HD7700 Electric Punch attached to the APES auto paper ejector. The HD7700 will punch up to 45 sheets of 20-lb. bond in a variety of punching patterns. It has a patented anti-jam feature and a new overload detection feature that triggers an auto-reversing function to eliminate jamming.

Folding, Stitching and Cutting

ISP Stitching & Bindery Products had its AutoBook bookletmaker on display. It automatically folds and staples collated sets of up to 15 sheets of 20-lb. bond. Users choose one of six preset sizes or program up to six additional sizes. Paper size changes are quick.

MBO showed its DIGI-Finisher, which combines buckle folding and plow folding in one unit. Comprising a B-21 folder and a Hohner saddle stitcher, the DIGI-Finisher folds, collates, stitches, covers and trims, producing a finished booklet. It can be used for digital as well as for offset printed products, even within the same job. A barcode control and monitoring system allows the production of individualized brochures.

Martin Yale displayed the new model 1701 desktop folder, which automatically feeds and folds stacks of documents up to 81⁄2x14˝. It creates six different folds: letter, half, Z-fold, double parallel, French and baronial. It operates at 9,000 sheets per hour. Electronic controls automatically preset letter, legal and A-4 paper sizes with 17 preset folds.

MBM’s BC 10 tabletop business card cutter can cut up to 10 sheets or 100 cards per minute. Its self-sharpening blades and self-correcting cut lines ensure accurate cuts each time. The control panel includes an LED four-digit counter with addition and preset subtraction functions. A perforator and a scorer are optional.

Rollem showed its new JetStream business card cutter. Sheets with multiple business card images are trimmed and cut in two directions, producing stacks of finished cards.

Envelope Inserting

The Buhrs Inserter Series BB100 was shown for the first time in the U.S. It can process up to 10,000 envelopes per hour (#10 and 6x9˝), using C- or Z-fold. It accumulates up to eight sheets. Also on hand was the BB600 inserter, which handles up to 14,000 products per hour.

Launching in early 2007, the Duplo MI-3500 mail inserter can feed, fold, insert and seal up to six sheets into an envelope at 3,500 sets per hour. Duplo’s air-assisted inserting mechanism opens envelope flaps. It comes with three paper feed stations, and a fourth station for booklet feeding.

Inline Cutting/Stacking

Lasermax Roll Systems showed an RS Stack system cutting and stacking three-up book blocks. Its Precise Page Offset Option enables side-by-side processing of independent multi-up book streams of varying lengths without wasting paper by adding pad pages. Options include three-hole punch for ring binder applications and a strip cut/gutter cut combination to create full-bleed sheets from pre-printed forms. The RS Stack system runs at up to 300 feet per minute, printing either simplex or duplex on pinfed or pinless stock.

Laminating

At the On Demand show, Banner American Products displayed its Economy single-side laminator for the first time, featuring an inside infrared heating system. It has adjustable speed and temperature, adjustable film tension, an LED display and 10-bit microprocessor control with memory and preheating functions. The maximum stock width is 13˝. IPG