The Perfect Bind

Finding and using perfect binding equipment can go a little easier with some advice from the experts.

Perfect binding is a growing business for in-plants. Already 39.2 percent of in-plants have perfect binders. Many others are eying them.

Before dropping any money on this equipment, though, it's important to analyze possible future business, not just current needs, so you're not stuck with an outdated machine.

"Too often, people buy what they need at the moment and do not anticipate the potential for growth and new business," notes Steven Calov, Heidelberg's postpress product manager for stitching and perfect binding. He suggests asking yourself questions like these:

• How often will you use the binder?

• What are your run lengths?

• How fast do you need to turn books around?

• What is your five-year plan?

• What is the potential for growth with the binder?

To help in-plant managers make the right decisions about perfect binding equipment, IPG spoke with some of the manufacturers to get their advice.

Features to Look For:

• When looking at new equipment consider features that allow for easy loading and off-loading, automated setup and changeover to minimize down time between runs—particularly if the run lengths are short—system reliability and a simple, easy-to-learn operator interface.

—Bob Flinn, Standard Finishing Systems

• For a floor model with runs of a few hundred to a thousand, we suggest a 500-cycle-an-hour machine. A user should look for pneumatic clamps, a jogger at the book block feeding position, a milling device with milling and notching, a hot melt tank with glue cutoff for the spine gluing, as well as a disk-side gluing device, paper chip removal, a glue fume absorber, and an automatic suction cover feeder with double in-line scoring.

—Steven Calov, Heidelberg

• Look for adjustments that can be made without stopping the machine. Make sure the size limitations are clearly documented and understood.

—Jody Harrison, Muller Martini

• Don't confuse cycle speed with productivity. Rated production speed on most binding systems doesn't tell the whole story and can lead to dissatisfaction down the road. True hourly production is dependent upon workflow to and from the binder, setup time, machine up-time, run length and operator proficiency.

—Bob Flinn, Standard Finishing Systems

Analyzing Automatic Setup:

• When looking at automatic setting machines, make sure you understand the difference between systems that are set up automatically versus those that are self compensating in key areas. Tight tolerances are extremely important to consistent quality output. This is particularly true in the areas such as nipper table height, nipper jaw pressure, milling guide plates, and carriage clamp pressure. Systems that utilize self compensating systems, such as pneumatics or spring tension, are very forgiving for the operator but will not hold the tolerance required for consistent binding quality. Substations that are driven to tight tolerance settings via stepper motors will provide the same quality from one book to the next.

—Bob Flinn, Standard Finishing Systems

Buying Tips:

• Document what the expectations of your purchase are. Use that document as a guide to determine which machine best fits your expectations.

—Jody Harrison, Muller Martini

• Review your average run length to determine the cycle speed of the machine you should purchase. If your deadlines are tight you may want to get the next level of cycle speed to ensure a timely delivery.

—Steven Calov, Heidelberg

• Once you have narrowed down your selections you should make all parties involved discuss new technology developments that could enhance or obsolete your purchase.

—Jody Harrison, Muller Martini

• Best is always to send or bring samples of your stock and covers to a scheduled demonstration to view the product before purchasing.

—Steven Calov, Heidelberg

A Need for Speed?

• Yes. The cost of labor is a fixed cost: 1,000 books with a cycle speed of 150 can take up to seven hours, where a 500 cycle an hour will take two hours. At $15 an hour, this means $105 vs. $30.

—Steven Calov, Heidelberg

• This depends on the run length profile you expect to produce. Automated makeready features eliminate downtime, if your run lengths are short. Automated makeready features will overcome the need to run faster.

—Jody Harrison, Muller Martini

Cover Scoring:

• Lower entry-level models will only nip the cover without scoring, which works, however on thinner books with heavier weight covers it is tricky. Four, or double line, scoring enables you to manufacture a book with the highest quality. The inner two scores are for the spine and the outer ones are the hinge for the cover. Between the cover and the hinge is where the spine glue is placed. These are items required to ensure the quality of the perfect bound book.

—Steven Calov, Heidelberg

Nipping:

• Can you adjust the amount of nipping? On certain thicker books you will want to hold the book longer for the glue to set vs. a thinner book.

—Steven Calov, Heidelberg

Blades:

• The milling blade is important. Can you adjust the height 0-3 mm? Can you adjust the nipping blades?

—Steven Calov, Heidelberg

Floor Models vs. Tabletop:

• You will want to make sure that a tabletop model will not give way to floor model six months after you purchase.

—Jody Harrison, Muller Martini

• Tabletops have a price advantage, however the quality of the spine, gluing, nipping can suffer.

—Steven Calov, Heidelberg

Glue vs. Tape Binding:

• On glue binding you can print on the spine. On tape binding this is not possible.

—Peng Chou, Duplo

Glue Advice:

• Most binders are designed with a specific type of recommended glue. Choosing the glue with the nearest recommended specifications is a plus for binding perfectly.

—Peng Chou, Duplo

• Cool-Bind Adhesives from all manufacturers seem to be doing well.

—Jody Harrison, Muller Martini

• It is always important to find a good local glue supplier. It will enable you to spec the perfect glue based on your substrates being used at your facility.

—Steven Calov, Heidelberg

• Never leave the glue to burn-out, this causes poor binding. Always use the recommended glue for the proper paper stock. For better results, always set to the recommended temperature for all glues.

—Armando Palacios, Duplo

• Timing of the glue length, as far as the start and stop on the spine, is important. Does side gluing use a roller/disk or a wire? Disk will give you a better glue line.

—Steven Calov, Heidelberg

That Smell:

• In a high-ceiling, open environment, the odor from hot melt adhesive is often diffused, although it is still recommend to vent the fumes out of the building. However in some in-plant environments, venting is just not possible, and low ceilings and perhaps close proximity to surrounding offices can compound the unpleasantness of these fumes. If this is the case look into the availability of charcoal filtration systems. Although they are a bit more expensive over time due to filter changes, they can do an excellent job of minimizing or eliminating the odor problem.

—Bob Flinn, Standard Finishing Systems

Getting Good Binds:

• For pneumatic binders, always have proper air pressure at all times. This gives better results.

—Armando Palacios, Duplo

• It is important that production planning take into consideration factors that will effect the overall quality of the bind, such as grain direction of the book block and cover, proper preparation of folded signatures, sufficient margins for spine preparation and trimming, substrates that are compatible to the binding adhesive, and cover stocks that are prepared to minimize marking and maximize consistent feeding.

—Bob Flinn, Standard Finishing Systems

• Notching is very important on Non-PUR Bound books.

—Jody Harrison, Muller Martini

• For binders with mill blades, never bind books with hard objects in the spine. This damages the blades.

—Armando Palacios, Duplo

Equipment Care:

• It is important to always follow the recommended maintenance schedule from the manufacturer to ensure the the equipment is always at its peak performance. Too often you see in the field that the required maintenance is never done. This will, in the end, shorten the life of the moving components. The machine may only take a few short minutes to lubricate and clean, which in the end will save you money and downtime.

—Steven Calov, Heidelberg

.

Find Out More

American Binding Co. www.americanbindingco.com

Baum www.baumfolder.com

Böwe Bell + Howell www.bowebellhowell.com

C.P. Bourg www.cpbourg.com

Duplo USA www.duplousa.com

Heidelberg www.heidelberg.com

Muller Martini www.mullermartiniusa.com

Rosback www.rosbackcompany.com

Spiel Associates www.spielassociates.com

Standard Finishing Systems www.sdmc.com