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    PostPress

    Print Decorating, Binding and Finishing

    2019 Nov/Dec

    Industry Influencer: Steve Bonoff

    Steve-Bonoff
    Steve Bonoff, president of the Printing Industry Midwest (PIM), is on a mission to engage the next generation of skilled workers for the printing industry.

    Steve Bonoff has spent almost 20 years in graphic communications’ association leadership. In 2018, his career led him to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he now works as the president of the Printing Industry Midwest (PIM) association, a five-state membership association supporting print, mail and marketing service providers.

    “We provide members with access to trusted information, cost-saving resources and cutting-edge education designed specifically for print and integrated marketing professionals in the upper Midwest,” he says.

    Prior to joining PIM, he served as the executive vice president at Idealliance and before that worked his way up to president at the International Prepress Association (IPA).

    “As president [at IPA], we initiated groundbreaking online
    programs to help our members effectively react to the dramatic changes impacting the prepress industry,” Bonoff says. “Recognizing the need to facilitate its members’ adoption of end-to-end media production workflows and technologies, I led the charge to merge IPA with the international standards body, Idealliance, in 2010.”

    He’s a visionary with a plan to promote jobs through his PIM Workforce Coalition. We visited with Bonoff to learn more about PIM and what his goals are for the industry.

    Share with us the mission at PIM.

    Our mission is to ensure the vitality, innovation and business success of our member companies and the industry we serve. Members participate to: enhance skills and stay ahead of the curve, reduce injuries and keep OSHA regulators at bay, attract and retain well-qualified personnel, discover industry best practices and learn from peers, reduce expenses through collective purchasing, gain recognition for quality work and employees, ensure production stays online and in top-form, and support efforts to reduce regulations and spur growth

    Tell us about the Workforce Coalition and why it is important at this time for the industry.

    The industry needs action NOW to ensure we have a next-generation workforce. We’re in a battle with other industries to attract and recruit our workforce, especially in the areas of press and bindery production. We’ve done a poor job of public relations about the advanced technology aspect of our industry. This includes the promotion of careers that could attract more young people to the industry if they were aware of the high-tech skills now needed in most print media companies. Our ability to attract young professionals will determine our future.

    How would you describe the lack of skilled/technical workers in the field?

    The pipeline of professionals that previously came from two- and four-year graphic communication schools has slowed to a crawl with the loss of many of these programs. If schools aren’t informing career-seekers of the opportunities in print, how do we as an industry think the next-generation workforce will be secured? It is on us to take the helm of this process of informing students and career-seekers that print as an industry is more than they know.

    The printing industry is an $898-billion-a-year global industry that drives about $3.8 trillion in related industries and is one of the world’s top advanced manufacturing sectors. There are some 42,000-plus printing companies and print-related establishments in the United States; that’s more establishments than Subway and McDonald’s (US) restaurants combined. These companies employ 847,000-plus employees in the US. While some printed products like newspapers are in decline, packaging and other print services are growing and print service companies are growing with them. We have a responsibility as an industry to do a better job telling the story of print.

    What specific programs have you started to advance the mission of the PIM? Which ones do you see the most promise in?

    The skyrocketing cost of health insurance is a huge burden facing small businesses today, and Printing Industry Midwest is addressing this challenge. Through a partnership with insurance company Holmes Murphy, all PIM members now have access to an online insurance platform that solves small business health insurance challenges and more. Through a partnership with UnitedHealthcare, we’re offering access to a unique plan specifically designed for small and medium-sized print service providers with Minnesota-based locations. The UHC program is a print-community rated program designed to reduce the costs of insurance for members of PIM.

    In your opinion, what will help attract more skilled workers to the industry?

    PIM is leading an industry-wide effort to tell the story of print to prospective students and career-seekers – that our industry is more than they know. From the floors we walk on and the clothes we wear to the signs that guide us, the mail we receive, the magazines we read and the food we eat, print plays a vital role – and is virtually everywhere we live and work. This new campaign is designed to help anyone tell this story effectively in their world.

    The PRINT IS EVERYWHERE campaign includes digital and printed brochures and presentation materials designed to share the positive stories and impact of the print industry. The campaign graphically conveys how print impacts everyday life in ways not always recognized as being borne by one industry.

    Do you see a connection between lack of workforce and engagement with print?

    Any decreased appreciation of print is directly tied to our industry’s inability to tell our story well. When the sales conversion for an embellished digitally printed mail piece is compared to a digital banner ad, the results are laughable…print blows it out of the water. Our PRINT IS EVERYWHERE campaign is designed by Gen Z for Gen Z, because we need to do a better job reaching a younger audience with the powerful story of print.

    What are your predictions for the industry in the next five years?

    Growth will continue to be found in two distinct ways: As technology advances, capacity grows. To feed that capacity, printers will continue to merge their businesses to find efficiencies and feed their presses. Those with a close eye on their clients will follow the data and take their companies in new and exciting places where they not only serve their clients with quality work, they also prove the value and effectiveness of that work through exceptional data analysis skills.

    Finally, what are some printed pieces (magazines, journals, calendars, books, etc.), that you couldn’t live without?

    I couldn’t live (well) without the printed work of our members. So my eye is on their print!

    Bonoff is an active part of the new Graphic Communications Workforce Coalition. The coalition consists of associations (including the FSEA), educators and industry representatives who have joined together to coordinate the efforts of organizations to create awareness, recruit new people into the industry, provide a framework for apprenticeship and training programs, and retain the existing workforce. The Coalition currently is drafting bylaws, soliciting members from various sectors within the graphic communications industry and surveying those on the front lines to gather information on how best to accomplish the group’s goals.

    Holography on the Front Line of ID Security and Protection

    Submitted by Andy Bruce
    on behalf of the International Hologram Manufacturers Association

    In the face of continued reports about fake identity documents and the ‘skills’ of counterfeiters to reproduce passports, driving licenses and other official papers that look like the real thing to the untrained eye, Dr. Paul Dunn, chairman of the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA), considers the latest developments in security and authentication holography.

    There can be little doubt that the illicit production of counterfeit and fake ID documents is big business. Around the world, the combined cost of fraudulent passports, drivers’ licenses and pass cards adds up to billions of dollars a year in lost revenues. It also impacts on corporate reputations, share values and issues around product efficacy and safety. Meanwhile, the cost of paying for anti-counterfeiting measures and teams tasked with bringing the criminals to justice can run into the millions of dollars.

    We continue to see the impact of identity theft on a truly global scale. There have been recent reports from China about more than a million fake identity documents seized, followed by dozens of people arrested by Chinese police after an investigation into a counterfeit gang operating across 20 provinces. Elsewhere, millions of people are falling victim to identity theft – in the last few years, identity thieves have stolen over $107 billion in the US, according to a 2017 Identity Fraud Study.

    In the UK, a national newspaper report highlighted a disturbing case involving criminals providing illegal immigrants with fake passports and documents to land jobs caring for the vulnerable. Australia is so awash with fake drivers licenses, passports and other IDs that the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs has introduced a document verification service (DVS) to check that various government-issued documents, which also include visas and birth certificates, are indeed legitimate.

    Also, modern reprographic technologies make it possible to copy many things, but the real issue is just how accurately can holograms be copied? The answer is that their intrinsic features ensure that the techniques and visual effects make it extremely difficult, perhaps almost impossible, to copy a well-designed security hologram 100%.

    But in the fight against fake IDs, holography continues on the front line, where its value in securing data and protecting against criminal interference, tampering, alteration, forgery or imitation is priceless – new technology, innovation and advanced processes ensure protection against the forgery of variable information (photographs and personal data).

    Holographic technology offers a means of protection and authentication, and a warning about the dangers of counterfeiting. Therefore, they are not solely to prevent counterfeits but perform the role of an effective detection device, making it easier for the trained eye to distinguish the genuine item from the fake.

    Manufacturers are responding to the technical challenges this imposes, and in recent times, we have seen significant growth in the number of passports and other documents issued which feature OVDs (Optically Variable Devices) to stay at the forefront of overt asset and brand protection programs. The OVD can be used as a standalone feature or combined with printed security features to create devices that are extremely difficult to replicate using conventional photocopy or scanning technologies.

    Indeed, data from a leading manufacturer of products for ID and secure document production, personalization, verification and protection – ITW – says that when it comes to passports and ID cards, 81% of them feature holograms, according to an estimate that spans the 2010 to 2016 period. That compares to 69% for the period from 2000 through 2009. By the end of 2016, 89% of passports had holograms (compared to 60% in 2006).

    New generation

    ID-cardThere’s a new generation of high-security innovative holograms emerging, which is driving improvements in ID document security and protection, helping those with responsibility for law enforcement stay ahead of the criminals.

    These include Surys’ Spectreod, which scooped the Innovation in Holographic Technology category at the Excellence in Holography Awards 2018 for its advanced utilization of phase-shifting micro-optic authentication elements. These enable the viewer to pick out and identify information using a smartphone light source. When observed at a direct angle, Spectreod is recognizable to the naked eye, but when it comes under a light source, pre-selected floating colored information appears that follows the movement of the light. This can help to confirm the authenticity of a document at a glance.

    The company also has continued to further expand its diffractive identity device (DID) technology platform with a portfolio of products for identity applications, including its latest DID Wave and DID Virtual products.

    Another pushing the boundaries is the Singapore University of Technology and Design, which has developed a new holographic security device that shows as a color image when viewed in white light but reveals up to three different hidden holographic projections under red, green and blue laser illumination. It’s believed to be the first time that holograms have been encrypted into a color print for enhanced optical security applications across a wide spectrum of ID document security applications.

    Offering a high level of counterfeit resistance, a new generation of optical features – which incorporate holographic effects and offer overt, covert and forensic features – will herald a step-change in the secure document industry over the next few years. OpSec Security is in the vanguard with proprietary Advanced Colour Control (ACC) technology that can be changed by wavelengths/intensities of light, altering the liquid crystal molecules and the color they reflect.

    Zhongchao Special Security Technology’s ColorSpace is a new micro-optic feature that utilizes holographic micro-nanostructures to provide colorful 3D dynamic graphic features with full parallax. The colors are fixed and can be precisely controlled at the nanometer level and also are easy to observe and describe. ColorSpace is ultra-thin (less than 30 microns), enabling it to be easily integrated into security threads, foil stripes, labels and ID applications.

    Promoted as a significant step forward in moving further than the current state-of-the-art in light transmission, optically variable colored effects are visible through Surys’ metallic foil Plasmogram: a new-generation, high-security DOVID that combines reflective and see-through effects on a nano-structured film incorporating physical properties. It’s one of several “break through” technologies that now are available for the high-security ID sector.

    For instance, we are seeing optical security features coming through that can be integrated with almost any substrates – plastic cards, polycarbonate material, composite and paper – to deliver “smart” ID solutions, which combine optical and digital technologies to offer both visual and automatic authentication based around the interactions of the user and smart devices.

    Companies at the forefront of these developments include OVD Kinegram with digital seal. The technology integrates digital ID with the physical document in a secure manner in an innovative way, which takes the biographical data found in the optical character recognition (OCR) line from an identity document and encodes the information into a quick response (QR) code that can be easily and quickly read using a smartphone. The QR code can be encrypted if required and is protected against counterfeiting or manipulation using a Kinegram optical structure. The information is read using an intelligent smartphone app that does not require any special add on. Surys also has developed its Optical Smart technologies that combine a digital data matrix code with a high-definition micro image, which is part of the holographic security design. Using a dedicated app, specific images and properties can be authenticated without the need for an Internet connection.

    QR-code

    Future challenges

    packaging-holograms
    The IHMA’s Paul Dunn says a new report highlights opportunity for packaging holograms.

    Looking to the future, while holography undoubtedly faces challenges as ID technology and associated criminal behavior continue to evolve, if it remains focused on its role as an effective, flexible and reliable anti-counterfeiting measure, then its position among governments and those responsible for law enforcement will be assured. It will continue to play an important part in moving ID documents to the next stage of development, ensuring quality and checking the trade in fake IDs while those documents not displaying security holograms are seized and destroyed.

    Those involved in law enforcement, border protection and ID security will benefit from the presence of holography technologies and devices on passports and other documents, clearly seeing and benefiting from the advantages they provide.

    The technology may have been around for decades, but holograms for secure authentication still are standing strong as an effective document security feature. Moreover, the use of well-designed and properly deployed authentication solutions, as advocated by the ISO 12931 standard, enables those with ID protection responsibilities to verify the authenticity of a legitimate product, differentiating it from counterfeits.

    Even those that carry a “fake” authentication feature can be distinguished from the genuine item if that item carries a carefully thought-out authentication solution. And, it would appear that the advantages holography offers will continue even as digital and mobile ID technologies gain increasing traction.

    The IHMA is made up of almost 100 of the world’s leading hologram companies. Members include the leading producers and converters of holograms for banknote security, anti-counterfeiting, brand protection, packaging, graphics and other commercial applications around the world, and actively cooperate to maintain the highest professional, security and quality standards. To learn more, visit www.ihma.org.

    Foil Innovation Catches the Eye for Added Value Brand Packaging

    By Lara Copeland, contributing editor
    PostPress

    The visual appearance of a package is critically important to a product’s success and lasting shelf appeal. The packaging itself offers the brand owner the last opportunity to convey important messaging to discerning consumers and influence their purchase. Through the use of special effects beyond printing, the look of the package can be elevated to a new level to engage, stimulate and tempt the consumer, producing a premium brand experience. It also provides a measure of deterrence against piracy.

    Fresnels Inc., Stamford, Connecticut, manufacturer of optical variable foils, hot stamping foils and laminates, called upon Glory Innovations, Inc., New Taipei City, Taiwan, to help create a special wine box to showcase the company’s foil capabilities. Glory Innovations is a printing company and luxury rigid box manufacturer with locations in Taiwan and China.

    The Tenute Glory wine box, entitled Spumante Brut – Rosé, was first 4-color printed with a vibrant flower design on white carton stock from Iggesund. Fresnel’s optically variable clear Peacock foil then was applied to spell out the word “ROSE” with a separate letter on each side of the wine box. This was foil stamped on the white surface to see the shifting of color utilizing an etched die from Carlo Gasperini that created a “chiseled” effect within each letter.      

    The Peacock foil also was used with a combination (foil and embossing) die from Carlo Gasperini embossing the 4-color printed flowers in perfect register.

    “The idea was to showcase our clear optically variable foil on both a flat white background and also on a colorful embossed image for viewers to see it used in both types of applications,” explained Fresnel’s COO Dr. Glenn Wood. “It was amazing the perfect registration that was achieved with foiling and multi-level embossing the flower image.”

    The other important embellishment that Fresnel wanted to showcase on the box was its Cellini technology. It is a nanotechnology-based imaging technology that creates colorful, 3D holographic images. A special image with the Fresnel and Cellini name was created and applied to each wine box utilizing a hologram registration system to read each hologram as it enters in position.

    Custom-made using proprietary technology designed for high-security application, each Cellini image contains three levels of security. Level one is overt and intended for consumers. Level two requires a handheld device, such as a magnifier, which can reveal features such as microtext. Level three is the forensic level, which is discussed only with the brand owner who can feel reassured that this decorative feature is doing double duty as an eye-catching print enhancement feature and an anti-counterfeit device.

    Glory_Rose_GoldLastly, a soft copper metallic foil was applied to display a Tenute Glory logo on three sides of the wine box and a circular pattern of dots around the word “Rose” on the front side of the box.

    The Spumante Brut – Rosé promotional wine box has been recognized by FSEA, receiving the Gold Leaf Award for technical difficulty in the Best Use of Foil Embossing on Folding Carton category. As relative newcomers to the stamping foil market, Wood was pleased to accept the award.

    “It’s encouraging to be recognized as serious players in the highly competitive market,” he commented. “We are bringing highly innovative, eye-catching features to luxury packaging, which incorporate advanced optical technology. This provides packaging designers with new graphic tools in response to the current trend for color-shifting effects and provides a measure of deterrence against piracy.”

    Magic in the Cards: Foil Graphics Celebrates the Holidays with Special Christmas Card

    By Brittany Willes, contributing editor
    PostPress

    Bing Crosby may be dreaming of a white Christmas, but most designers and decorators would agree that Christmas is all about the bright, cheerful colors. It simply wouldn’t be the holiday season without a decadent array of red, gold, silver, blue and, yes, a little white. All of these traditional Christmas colors can be found in the very untraditional, stunningly unique card from Foil Graphics. The promotional “Merry Christmas Pop-Up Card” takes the classic Christmas card and gives it a bit of modern “pop.”

    “We were after a design that could be kept as a unique piece that illustrated the special abilities we have developed over the years,” said Foil Graphics President Guy Pepoy. “We always try to push the envelope when creating a project that will represent our unique blend of capabilities.”

    Naturally, pushing the envelope comes with certain challenges. For this particular piece, given the complexity of the design, finding the time to actually bring the final product to life was a challenge in and of itself. According to Pepoy, “Like all other self-promotional pieces, it was very difficult to get the press time to produce such a complicated item. Customers always come first, so with 12 press passes and the time required to hand assemble the piece, logistics became an issue to overcome.”

    Creating the card was not the only thing that required a great deal of time. Simply choosing the design was itself a labor-intensive task. “We were not originally looking to make a two-sided pop-up,” said Pepoy. “After hours of scanning the Adobe stock pages, these two designs really stood out. After several more hours of planning, we found a way that they could be used together.” Thus, the double-sided pop-up was born.

    Once the design was settled, the process didn’t necessarily speed up. The first of 12 press passes consisted of applying silver holographic foil to select snowflakes. Next, digital printing was registered to it.

    The next three passes consisted of foil being stamped on one side of the sheet, followed by eight passes of foil stamped on the other side. For the next pass, laser cutting technology was used to create the scores and cut the center Christmas tree and the perimeter. For the final step, the bottom edge of the card was glued by hand.

    The card itself was digitally printed on 130# digital C2s cover stock. The brass dies used were supplied by Metal Magic and the card was stamped on a Kluge stamping press. The red, silver and gold foils were supplied by Great Western Foils. 

    “We are used to hearing our customers say, ‘I don’t know how to do this, so I thought of you guys,’” remarked Pepoy. As a result, Foil Graphics has become skilled at coming up with unique products and designs. “We have found it to be challenging, but that’s what makes the work so exciting. This particular card has led to the creation of many other projects.”

    The challenge is certainly worth it when the final product receives such positive feedback. Pepoy noted, “The card has been very well received by printers, graphic designers, agencies and anyone who has seen it. We’ve had many discussions from people asking, ‘How did you do that?’ or ‘You put digital over the foil?’”

    Given the positive attention the card has been given, it’s little wonder why it recently received a gold award for technical difficulty during the 26th Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards in the Best Use of Foil/Embossing – Greeting Card Self-Promotion category. The award is sure to add a little extra Christmas cheer to a piece that is already merry and bright. 

    A Carton that Conveys a Message from Studio On Fire

    By Lara Copeland, contributing editor
    PostPress

    Studio-On-FireFor thousands of years, humans across several civilizations have cultivated cannabis, and the controversy surrounding the plant is just as ancient. In the spring of 1909, along the central coast of California, William “Bull” Lowell started growing what he called Indian Hemp (since the term “marijuana” was relatively unknown by Anglo Californians) on his farm.

    Public concern about Indian Hemp was nonexistent, but that changed in 1913 when Henry J. Finger conspired to outlaw cannabis and helped pass the 1913 Poison Act. This, however, did not deter Lowell. Believing in a man’s right to smoke the dried plant and enjoy its benefits, he refused to stop growing it. When Finger caught wind of this act of rebellion, he shut down Lowell’s farm and eventually threw him in jail. Over 100 years later, Lowell Herb Co. still is in operation. Paying homage to Bull Lowell’s respect for the plant, the company’s standard is to only use “natural materials from seed to sale,” and this is evident even in its packaging. The organic cannabis farm turned to Twin-City-based Studio On Fire to help create packaging for its pre-rolled smokes.

    “When assessing the goals of the packaging early on, it was obvious that the organic process should be seamlessly conveyed to the consumer,” said Ben Levitz, Studio On Fire founder. “It also was important that the final product should feel like a piece of design ephemera from another time, nodding to the 100-plus-year history of the farm itself.”

    Studio On Fire offers letterpress and foil stamping/embossing – all of which use special letterpress and foil stamping equipment to create designs by means of pressure. As a result, Studio On Fire creates pieces that are eye-catching and tactile, much like the carton for Lowell Farms. Made out of Neenah Folding Board 26pt Grocer Kraft, the carton features original artwork of the farm’s logo. The logo – an emblem featuring a bull’s head on a human body encircled by the company name and other details – was created on scratchboard, which then was provided to Studio On Fire to translate to vector artwork. The packaging design was completed by Lowell’s team and translated into the final foil stamping of the emblem on the front of the carton.

    “We thrive when combining techniques, and several were used on this project,” Levitz said. In this case, Studio On Fire needed “to produce an aesthetic that walks the line of raw/refined,” he added.

    To create this look, a flood of letterpress ink was used to naturally provide a textured area that supports the ephemeral quality of the piece. The carton was passed through a Heidelberg cylinder press for letterpress on the interior as well as the exterior, and the pass utilized photopolymer plates that Studio On Fire makes in-house to apply a soy-based ink.

    The carton then had two passes on a Kluge for foiling and embossing on the darkly printed tab that falls over the front of the carton. First, a pass of matte silver was applied and then over-stamped with a metallic copper – both from Infinity Foils. The next pass, a heated blind impression was made with the combination of a heated metal die and pressure without using any foils or inks in a secondary logo with the bull’s head on the outside of the carton. The carton then was diecut on a Saroglia FUB and folded and glued on a Kluge Omnifold. A custom micro-etched pattern in the die was used on a rainbow holographic foil with an overprint of black for the final package seal. All engravings, including the UniFraxion® engraving, were supplied by Universal Engraving, Inc.

    Levitz said that a detailed piece, like the Lowell Smokes carton, that required many passes through a press or presses in Studio On Fire’s shop, is going to suffer from stretching.

    “All of the processes that happen under our roof are impression-based, so if we’re not careful we’ll warp the sheet into a giant ruffled potato chip,” he added. “It takes a lot of skill to get the correct amount of tactility in the final product without ruining things along the way.”

    But, this is the challenge that propels the company to continue providing premier printed and embellished work with a distinctive look.

    “In general, a huge part of what Studio On Fire does is design via production planning: Selecting stocks, planning press sheets, designing dielines, figuring out what presses will work best, what foils will stick, what order things should happen, advising artwork revisions – all of those things are key to getting the high quality final products that we’re known for,” Levitz said.

    This high-quality and detailed work results in satisfied clients, like Lowell. “We’re happy to have been working with Lowell for several years now, and it’s clear that the level of consideration the company has given its packaging really stands out to consumers in an ever-growing market.”

    Finding the Perfect Recipe for Thick-Book Binding

    By Katy Ibsen, managing editor
    PostPress

    There is no shortage of thick books in this world that required a special binding; text books, novels, educational tools, training manuals, dictionaries and so forth. We’ve all had the opportunity to connect with a thick book.

    When a client brings a thick book to your bindery, it’s important to understand what they are trying to achieve in order to determine the best or most efficient type of binding. Questions to ask include: How many pages? Is there a desire for a spine, and will the number of pages accommodate having a spine? What type of front and back covers will be used? Will there be inserts or tabs in the book? What type of substrate will be used for the body of book (type of material, weight and print coverage % of the pages)?

    To help understand this, we pay particular attention to these questions in the category of cookbooks.

    Cookbooks are taking on lives of their own, now going beyond just an anthology of recipes. Furthermore, cookbooks are used for fundraisers and other special projects for social organizations like Junior League, or special interest publications produced by city/regional magazine brands. The design, photography, editorial content, paper and binding all play an important role in the book’s brand.

    “Binding is such an important part of the printed piece and should be considered early on,” said Sabine Lenz, founder of PaperSpecs. “Not every binding technique is suitable for every purpose.” This growing trend creates new job opportunities for a bindery. Here, PostPress explores the options of binding thick books.

    Coil binding

    spiral-bound-booksCoil or punch binding can be a popular option among smaller publishers or clients that have a project needing efficient binding that is not subject to style or branding. Examples include training materials, finance and legal documents, directories or regional cookbooks.

    John Lugviel, vice president sales and marketing at Rhin-O-Tuff, shares more about punch and coil binding.

    “Our solutions focus on lay flat binding because of its durability, lay-flat qualities and ability to be taken apart for document revisions,” he said.

    Lugviel points to a study on binding by Interquest research, which revealed that coil binding is used for lay-flat documents more than half of the time.

    Of the binderies/facilities surveyed in the Interquest study, lay flat proved to be the popular binding option.

    The data states:

    • Training and education documents, marketing and sales materials, and finance/legal documents were the most common types of documents ordered with lay flat bindings, accounting for nearly 75% of those surveyed.
    • Top vertical markets ordering lay flat bindings included: Education (Higher Education and B2B), Finance & Legal, and Government & Nonprofit. At Rhino-Tuff, Human Resources, Sales & Marketing and Finance are the most common clientele.
    • 86% of those surveyed reported that lay flat binding was applied to letter size, 8.5×11″ documents.
    • The survey revealed that, on average, 58% of the cover material is uncoated card stock, 18% is coated card stock, 17% of the material is clear acetate, 6% is vinyl and only about 1% is laminated.

    Depending on a book’s content, design and layout, the punching will require some consideration. Lugviel says, “When choosing the best punch technology solution for your large book jobs, it comes down to volume and book structure, i.e. tabs, cover types and inserts. If you are binding many books with over 200 sheets (400 pages) per book, an automated punch may be the best solution. There are several high-speed punches in the market but only one that we are aware of that will insert tabs and difficult cover types, such as acetates, poly’s, UV-coated and laminated materials.”

    For large jobs, Lugviel recommends an automated coil inserter with a plastic coil, with a 4:1 oval die. “There are several of these automated electric coil inserters available in the market. The costs for this type of equipment ranges from $15,000 to $30,000 until you get into the high-speed production category, which can go as high as $150,000,” he said. For wire-o (double loop wire) closing, Lugviel points out that there are a wide range of solutions from an automated standpoint, and they range from $30,000 to $150,000.

    For small jobs, Lugviel suggests tabletop punch and binding solutions. “We would recommend a punch with interchangeable die capability,” he said. “This would allow users to use the same punch for plastic coil, wire-o and comb punch patterns.”

    For plastic spiral binding elements for larger books, Lugviel recommends a 4:1 oval die pattern and a tabletop electric coil inserter. This pattern gives users a larger hole to insert the coil. If wire-o is required, a 3:1 (three holes per inch) round or square punch pattern is recommended for larger books.

    Larger than 120 sheets, a 2:1 (two holes per inch) round or square die pattern would need to be used due to margins needed to bind the book without tearing the sheets. 2:1 wire standard sizes go up to 1 ½” and 300 sheets (600 pages) of 20lb paper. There are larger sizes, but they generally are custom made.

    Thread sewn

    Another popular option for lay flat and aesthetics is thread sewn binding. Also referred to as section sewn binding, pages are sewn together before covers are added, creating a visual effect that is also durable – ideal for cookbooks.

    PaperSpecs, the online resource center for creatives working with paper, pointed to DISH cookbook, a special edition featuring recipes from famous chefs across Australia, as a beautiful example of Smyth sewn binding with bright blue thread that matches the book’s cover.

    The Bindery, based in Australia, provided the thread sewn binding for DISH, which PaperSpecs credits for enhancing DISH’s “homemade feel, suggesting that this is indeed a piece to be treasured.”

    Books that will experience some wear and tear are good candidates for thread sewn binding because there is an assurance that there is never a glue failure. The Bindery provides additional tips on best practice for thread sewn binding.

    • 16- or 32-page sections are required for sewing. (If printing as four- or eight-page sections, then the job should be planned so as to insert one into another to make 16-page sections.)
    • Any odd 4pp or 8pp sections must be imposed to insert or wrap around a 16- or 32-page section.
    • All sections must have a minimum of a 7mm and a maximum of 12mm lap edge.
    • The lap edge can be either on the back half or front half of the section but must be on a common edge throughout all sections of the book.
    • All inserts and wraps must be the same size as sections and have the same lap edge as the sections.
    • All folded sections must be the same size from head to tail, and a spine measurement is required.

    According to Lenz, books that show off the smyth sewing are on trend. She states that swiss binding is also popular, where the text block is glued to the inside back cover as opposed to the spine itself.

    “Binding is a very important part of the overall design, the look and feel of a book, and thus should reflect the branding,” she said.

    It’s also important to note that not all threads are created equal; thicker books have always been smyth sewn, to provide a lay flat quality and overall longevity to the book.

    Perfect binding

    Perfect bound cookbooks often are not as lengthy as their hardcover counterparts and will not lay flat; making it a less desirable option among publishers. The option is economical, however, and depending on the content of the book or trim size, may still have a purpose. It certainly is less costly, especially for large quantities.

    Perfect binding a thick book with a soft cover will call for adhesive, and binderies have options: polyurethane reactive (PUR) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA).

    As previously covered in PostPress (see PUR or EVA – What is the Best Adhesive Option, Nov/Dec 2018), each has different qualities that might make it the correct option for different types of books.

    PUR adhesive has many advantages. It can bind varnished, UV-coated, carton, mylar and other difficult stocks, where EVA adhesive may struggle with certain coatings or substrates. PUR also is compatible with digital printing because the kind of adhesive isn’t affected by ink migration.

    Perfect binding can accommodate up to 400 pages and can be bound faster than thread sewn. PUR also provides a substantial adhesive, especially on coated papers and difficult paper stock, which makes it a better choice for larger books. The challenge of getting perfect bound books to lay flat is a challenge and must be looked at carefully.

    Whatever the recipe, there are plenty of options for the perfect thick book binding.

    Finishing and Binding Make a Strong Premiere at PRINTING United

    By Lara Copeland, contributing editor
    PostPress

    In October, nearly 30,000 visitors converged in Dallas, Texas, for PRINTING United. The event was hosted by Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) and replaced the former SGIA Expo. With more than 700,000 square feet and 600-plus exhibitors, the tradeshow built on SGIA Expo’s foundation of apparel, graphics/wide-format and industrial printing application technologies and added the commercial and package printing segments.

    Scattered throughout the event floor, three amphitheaters provided educational sessions for attendees without requiring that they leave the exhibit hall. Additional classroom sessions – more than 100 in total – took place within educational tracks for the graphics, apparel, functional/industrial, in-plant, commercial and packaging communities.

    In particular, there were several sessions relating to binding and finishing, including a session entitled Trends in Finishing for Commercial Printing. The panel, made up of some of the larger suppliers of binding and finishing equipment in the market today, discussed how the climate for binding and finishing is changing and will continue to evolve in the future. Areas such as the importance of cross training, replacing or upgrading older equipment, and taking advantage of training by the equipment manufacturer were all subjects covered during the session. From the design side, Sabine Lenz with PaperSpecs conducted a seminar on The Five Hottest Print Design Trends of 2019. The session looked at the print and embellishment trends that have transformed the way creatives present their work and spread their message.

    With the addition of many companies involved in bindery, foil and embossing, and digital coatings and foils, PostPress wanted to share what was on display and new at the show as it relates to print finishing, embellishments and binding.

    Binding

    spiral-bindingThere were several exhibitors highlighting new technologies for the bindery. Much of what was on display was targeted to decrease downtime and increase workflow efficiencies.

    Mueller Martini showcased its Presto II Digital saddlestitcher that accommodates digital, offset or hybrid-printed products and can process products of variable thicknesses, as well as highly personalized content. MBM released its VRCut Ready Triumph guillotine cutter line that integrates prepress PDF creation software with the cutter that is connected to a visual guidance system, allowing operators of any experience level to efficiently run the cutter with minimal training. MBO featured its CoBo-Stack, where a collaborative robot is used to transport product from the delivery onto the table of the CoBo-Stack, which picks them up and deposits them on the pallets. The PB16 automated programmable paper drilling system was highlighted at the show by Rollem. It is a heavy-duty modular drilling machine with up to 13 drilling heads. The computerized programmable sliding table handles longer runs, larger paper formats and multiple complex stroke patterns. Duplo debuted its DC-618 pro slitter/cutter/creaser that offers removable modules and can perform up to six slits, 30 cuts and 20 creases in a single pass, and can produce applications with a full-bleed finish. Rhin-O-Tuff showcased its Tornado Autopunch EX® that automatically interposes pages, covers, index tabs and inserts in one sequence, delivering complete, fully punched and collated book stacks ready for binding. Because so much of digital press output needs to be punch/bound, the EX helps eliminate manual steps and postpress bottlenecks.

    Spiral Binding displayed its CB40PB punch and bind system for plastic coil binding. It will punch, form coil from filament, bind, cut and crimp documents automatically, running up to 1,000 documents per hour. Finally, Absolute Printing Equipment highlighted its equipment from Baumann, manufacturer of joggers, loaders, unloaders, pile turners – all built to help automate the handling of material for printing and binding applications.

    Foil/Coating/Diecutting

    Sakurai USA featured the ScreenFoil LQM 105, which can be combined with any size of existing Sakurai presses, providing dieless foil applications for all types of products. It allows the image to be screen printed onto the sheet and the heated foil is applied in registration to any size or image configuration. MGI and Konica Minolta debuted the new JETvarnish 3D One digital embellishment press. Aimed at market entry for printers, finishers, and in-plant printers, the system offers 2D/3D spot coating and dimensional textures. Heidelberg USA introduced its Digimatrix 60 FC diecutter and hot-foiler. Ideal for digital run lengths, the Digimatrix runs up to 5,500 sheets per hour and processes sheets up to 23.6 x 17.7″. The foil version allows hot foiling on a wide range of substrates and can be equipped with Masterset, which registers each sheet individually via print marks for excellent print-to-cut registration.

    Duplo showcased its UD-310 diecutter, which includes a new feed system for challenging stocks, a separator section to allow operators to swap pre-setup separators for faster changeovers and an updated registration system to ensure sheet-to-sheet registration. Scodix presented live demonstrations of its Scodix Ultra 202 digital enhancement press, showing variable data using Scodix Foil, Scodix VDE, Scodix Cast & Cure and Scodix Sense. It provides the ability to add print enhancements to a variety of substrates. My Press Needs featured its newly patented Crest Widemouth technology for its Crest Clamshell press. This provides converters the ability to eliminate core cascading and edge crush when diecutting difficult substrates. Lastly, THERM-O-TYPE displayed its NSF Elite, Excel and Ultra foil stamping, embossing and diecutting presses. Its NSF models provide exceptional high-speed productivity, advance operator controls and proven reliability, with the ability to do flat foil stamping, embossing as well as high-speed Foil Fusing (dieless).

    Laminating

    D-and-K-GroupNobelus featured its LuxeFilms Karess SmudgeProof thermal laminating films, a tactile overlaminate that offers the ideal solution to smudging, scuffing and fingerprinting. D&K Group also introduced a new line of waterproof thermal laminating films called Endura Overlams. The new film was demonstrated on D&K’s System 2760, a fully automated lamination system that includes a sheet feeder, one-sided lamination station and automatic cutting system.

    Folding/Gluing

    Baumer-hhsBaumer hhs featured its aerto hot melt applicator that includes superior cut-off performance to help eliminate tailing. The powerful pneumatic valve ensures a high closing force that delivers superior line or dot performance across a wide range of adhesives. Heidelberg USA also showcased its new Diana Go 85, a cost-effective, flexible and productive folder-gluer that can produce cartons at speeds up to 820 feet per minute in a width up to 33.4″. It handles a variety of carton styles, such as straight-line and lock-bottom cartons. The digi-mollPAK System inline folder-gluer was on display in the B&R Moll booth. This folder-gluer can be used by digital and commercial printers and is designed to offer fast, flexible performance in a compact machine. It is ideal for short-run straight-line boxes, table tents, sleeves, software cartons and presentation folders.

    Conclusion

    PRINTING-United-Trends-panel
    The Trends in Finishing panel – moderated by Mark Michelson, editor in chief of Printing Impressions – featured Andy Fetherman, VP of sales and technology, Muller Martini; James Tressler, VP of sales, CP Bourg; Joerg Daehnhardt, vice president, Heidelberg USA; Josh Rombers, national sales director, MBO America; Rick Salinas, VP of marketing, Duplo USA.

    For certain, bindery and finishing made a strong contribution to the first ever PRINTING United event. And, it seems as if the mixing of all segments of the industry was successful. “It forced attendees to look at companies and products they may have never even thought of before, and we found that a large number of visitors to our booth were completely new to Duplo,” stated Vice President of Marketing, Rick Salinas.

    Ford Bowers, president and CEO of SGIA, summarized the 2019 experience: “Many commented on how revitalizing it was to see such a full and comprehensive event. We were most thrilled about all the buying taking place on the show floor. This is the best testament that our industry, indeed, is thriving. We just needed the right model, and we are confident that we have produced that with PRINTING United.”

    PRINTING United 2020 will be held October 21 to 23 in Atlanta, Georgia. The event will expand into a total of one million sq. ft., and more than two-thirds of the 2020 show floor already has been reserved. For more information, visit www.printingunited.com.

    AIM and EyeC-America’s SIG-CHECK Print Inspection System

    by Lara Copeland, contributing editor
    PostPress

    American International Machinery/Signature Folder Gluers (AIM), a family-owned business based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, offers a wide-range of products and services for the paperboard and corrugated converting industry. The AIM team provides customizable equipment options specific to the needs of its customers, including a total solution for the new and used equipment needs of the folding carton industry. The company also established the Signature Folder-Gluers brand as a converting option focusing on versatility and affordability for packaging companies. Recently AIM and EyeC-America, St. Charles, Illinois, partnered to develop the SIG-CHECK print inspection system.

    “Designed for most makes and models of folder-gluers,” AIM Managing Director Kevin Koplin said, “the system inspects for all relevant print defects anywhere on the carton.”

    The SIG-CHECK can be paired with a converter’s existing folder-gluer, offering a flexible design to roll up to the front of the machine. Additionally, an inline module is offered and installed directly on a Signature Folder-Gluer. Scanning starts with the very first carton. The gluer’s ejection device removes any flawed carton that is identified.

    “This eliminates defective product prior to being shipped out to customers,” Koplin continued. “All without slowing down production.”

    With superior quality control, businesses can increase their service offerings to current customers and target new markets, especially those that require stricter standards for their cartons. “The ability to easily add an elevated level of quality control to existing equipment allows users to work with customers like those in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries,” he noted. Furthermore, the operator will find the system “extremely easy to use, requiring only an approved PDF proof that is loaded into the system.”

    After the PDF file has been loaded into the system, all future runs can be loaded automatically by scanning the barcode that is printed on the cartons, eliminating the chance for an incorrect or out-of-date file to be used. The PDF can include information layers to automatically set up the inspection area, as well as high- and low-priority regions; automatic cropping to the die lines; automatically masking printing that is outside the diecut pattern or on the flaps; areas where color checking is critical or other priority areas.

    Unveiled at the Odyssey Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, last May, the SIG-CHECK generated much interest because of the high demand for accurate and quality cartons. The SIG-CHECK is appealing to customers for many reasons.

    “With its versatility and affordability, more packaging printers are able to offer this service to their customers,” Koplin said. More customers are investing in print inspection units because they offer advances, like scanners running at high speeds and the associated price reductions.

    Available options include color monitoring and 1D or 2D code reading. The SIG-CHECK print inspection system is available globally, with sales provided by AIM in Canada, the US and Mexico. Both AIM and EyeC can perform needed services depending on the issue.

    Technical details:

    The roll up module length is 7.8′ (2,400 mm). The inspection width varies from 16.53″ (420 mm) with a resolution of 244 dpi to 25.98″ (660 mm) with a resolution of 158 dpi. The smallest detectable defect is 0.008″ (0.21 mm) at 16.53″ width to 0.013″ (0.31 mm) at 25.98″ width. Operating speeds up to 1,312 ft/m (400 m/m).

    FSEA Association News

    FSEA has Busy Fall for Tradeshows

    This fall was busier than ever with FSEA exhibiting at three major industry events: PRINT 19, PACK EXPO Las Vegas and PRINTING United. At all three shows, FSEA provided details on the benefits of joining and being involved with FSEA, FSEA Sourcebooks for those looking for finishers and suppliers, the PostPress magazine and the new Foil Cheat Sheet. “It was a very busy September and October,” commented FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “We were able to reach audiences filled with printers, packaging companies and designers by providing them with a large number of FSEA Sourcebooks, PostPress magazines and the newly released second edition of the Foil Cheat Sheet.”

    The fall tradeshows provide FSEA with a chance to visit with many FSEA active and supplier members. During PRINT 19, FSEA hosted its annual FSEA reception at the Hotel Chicago. It was well attended and provided a great opportunity for networking. Next year, APTech will partner with Label Expo for its Brand Print event, which replaces the PRINT show. FSEA will be involved with both Label Expo and Brand Print – and will provide more details on this later in 2020. In addition, FSEA plans to continue to grow its relationship with SGIA and the new PRINTING United event, which will take place next fall in Atlanta, Georgia. Again, look for more details on this as we move into the new year.

    FSEA to Launch New Finisher Finder Website

    Finisher-FinderFinisherFinder.com is an FSEA-sponsored resource for printers and designers looking for a finishing or binding partner. The website also features industry suppliers. Whether looking for foil stamping/embossing, diecutting, folding/gluing, cold foiling, cast and cure, laser cutting or other specialty suppliers, FinisherFinder will help connect the print industry to the right source for their finishing and binding jobs. The website has been completely revamped for 2020. FSEA members now can add photos of finished work to their listing on the site, and upgrades are available for videos and logos. Live links to the members’ websites also will be standard. To view the new site, visit www.finisherfinder.com. To update or enhance a company listing, contact gayla@fsea.com.

    FSEA Offers Discounted Tickets to drupa

    With 1,800 exhibitors from more than 50 nations, drupa 2020 will bring the global print industry to Dusseldorf, Germany from June 16 to 20. FSEA members can receive discounted tickets through the online ticketshop at www.drupa.com/ticketshop. Members should use the following codes:

    1-day ticket: 000009g5w2zi
    3-day ticket: 000009g5w8zi
    5-day ticket: 000009g5w6zi

    FSEA Announces Plant Tour Locations During Joint Conference

    The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) and the International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking (IADD) will hold their 2020 Joint Conference at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The event will run from April 27 to April 29. The conference offers a supplier trade fair, educational programming to address new technology and trends in the industry, and an awards reception where the recipients of the FSEA Gold Leaf Awards and FSEA Lifetime Achievement Award will be honored. New to the event will be plant tours. Attendees will tour two Indianapolis binding and finishing companies on the morning of Wednesday, April 29: Baugh Graphic Finishing House and Eckhart & Co. Baugh is a family-owned graphic finishing house, providing services that include diecutting, foil stamping, embossing, UV and other specialty coatings, and folding/gluing. Eckhart and Company in Indianapolis is a trade bindery providing quality book binding and custom information packaging to the printing industry. For more information, visit www.fsea-iaddconf.com. Detailed programming information and registration will be available over the next few months.

    Entries Open Soon for Gold Leaf Awards

    The FSEA will be posting the entry form for its 27th annual Gold Leaf Awards on December 15, 2019. FSEA urges its members and others in the industry to start collecting their best work from the past year. The Gold Leaf Awards are a great way for companies to gain recognition for creative work in categories that include foil stamping, embossing, cold foil, digital foil and coatings, specialty UV coatings, special diecuts and more. Gold Leaf Award winners will be announced during the FSEA•IADD Joint Conference, April 27-29, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Winners also are highlighted in industry magazines and are displayed at a variety of shows, including PACK EXPO and the new Brand Print event next fall. To download an entry form and for additional details, visit www.fsea.com and click on the Awards link.

    Choosing the Right Folder-Gluer

    By Jeff Wilcox
    PPC Technologies & Solutions, LLC

    folder-gluerThe search for a new folder-gluer can be very daunting. There are many folder-gluer OEMs out there and each have different models, features and sizes designed for a variety of applications. When a finisher or folding carton manufacturer is in the market for an upgraded or new folder-gluer, there are several questions to ask in order to find the best fit for the market they are involved in or attempting to enter.

    1. Do you run paperboard or corrugated?

    The paperboard market includes folding paper cartons – sometimes referred to as just folding cartons. The corrugated market produces folding boxes that often are referred to as cardboard boxes. The folding/gluing machines for these two distinctive markets may look similar, but the design and structure of the machines are quite different. There are folder-gluers that will produce products using both of these substrates, but on a limited basis. In other words, if you wish to produce corrugated C flute boxes, don’t expect the same folder-gluer machine to produce 12-point folding paper cartons – at least not efficiently.

    In addition, the paperboard folding carton market typically will have more variety to the carton styles (more folded panels) than the corrugated box market. Taking this into consideration, the folder-gluer for paperboard typically has to be more versatile in its design in order to produce a wider range of carton styles. However, a “specialty folder-gluer” for corrugated can be equipped to run some of the same styles as well and may need to run special folds for applications such as POP displays.

    2. What size and style of products are you running now or considering running in the future?

    Let’s take bottle carriers, for example. There are some OEMs that have designed a special section of the machine that will turn the product 90 degrees inline to the running direction. These sections are amazing to watch and can run at very high speeds. However, they are available at a considerable cost and add permanent length to the folder-gluer.

    If your product line has only a couple of designs that require turning, this additional section will need to be set-up to allow other products to pass through it when not turning. If you have large -volume products that need turning, this section may work very well for you. If not, you may want to consider looking at a machine that offers tooling instead of a turning section. Tooling can be placed on the folder-gluer to turn the product, will not increase the length of the machine and can be removed from the machine when not in use. Cost savings are great. Running speed can be an issue here as the tooling will not allow the machine to run some products as fast as the turning section will. Some OEMs offer a “Right-Angle” machine for those companies that have a lot of products or long runs that require 90-degree turning. A right-angle machine offers a simpler set-up and an increased running speed when compared to the tooling option.

    Other items to think about are the features and age of your current folder-gluer. Obviously, you wouldn’t be considering another folder-gluer if you haven’t examined the abilities and features of what you already have on your floor. Age can equate to repairs, and upgrade installations (if available) can lead to downtime and added cost. If you need a machine that can run 4-/6-corner products and your current folder-gluer is not equipped to run them, your options are limited.

    On a side note, one also must consider the folder-gluer operator. Good operators are getting hard to find these days. Having one who can understand (or has experience) on the new mechanical and electronic systems is a real plus. Having an operator who has confidence in his ability to make the transition from the old methods to the newer ones also is a plus. Either way, the operator should be included in this process in order to give an opinion and feedback. The operator can get some questions answered from the OEM during the demonstration as well. Even operators who have many years of experience can feel challenged if the company they work for decides to enter into a different market. Now the operator must learn how to run the different carton styles that the new market presents and a new folder-gluer as well.

    3. What does your budget allow? What can you afford?

    The price range for a new folder-gluer can run from around $200,000 for a small, simple machine designed to do simple-style products to well over a million dollars for a machine that can do large, complex styles. The price should be reflective of the technology that went into the design. However, this is not always the case. It is important to analyze all the different folder-gluers on the market, the features available and how those features meet the type of cartons you will be running. Look for extended-length parts warranties that are included in the base price. Extra operator training also can be included, in many cases, as incentive for purchase.

    When comparing different folder-gluers and looking at the technology included, you have options.

    Option 1. Option 1 is a model that is automated with a system that can record and store the job names, carrier locations and all systems settings, with the ability to recall them, accurately place the carriers and energize the different systems for future repeated runs. These types of folder-gluers find a good home in companies that have a lot of repeat jobs or small runs that can come up during another run. That means the operator must pull the current job off of the machine and set-up the new order. That can lead to excessive waste. An automated folder-gluer that can set itself up on repeat jobs can reduce these potential inefficiencies and can save money in the process.

    Of course, folder-gluers with the automation option will be at the higher end of the price tag, but can offer cost savings in the form of reduced waste, quicker set-up times, increased accuracy for set-ups and, in turn, a higher quality product that may eventually pay for itself.

    Another benefit of the automated folder-gluer is that your jobs are stored in the memory program of the machine. In the situation where an operator is out for vacation or sick, a job that is stored in the memory program can be recalled by another operator. Look for automated set-up processes that not only set-up the entire folder-gluer but also will include automation for adjusting individual carriers and individual sections of the machine.

    Option 2. This is a model without automation, but with motorized carriers. This option can save on the initial cost outlay for a new folder-gluer. Even though there isn’t a memory bank of jobs to recall from when repeating jobs, motorized carriers still can save a lot of time during the set-up. Motorized carriers often will allow the operator to look over a specific area of the machine while moving the carrier(s). Folder-gluer machines that offer a numerical carrier position indicator also will help the operator place the carrier. Although these indicators are not usually very accurate compared to the automated method, the operator still can write down the numerical position of each carrier and refer to this for future set-ups.

    Option 3. Option 3 is a model without automation or motorized carriers. The operator uses a hand crank to move and adjust each carrier position. This is even less costly and is old school for sure. But, it can fit into the overall budget better and the set-up methods of the seasoned operator. Numerical carrier position indicators should be a must have for repeat jobs; however, most seasoned operators won’t use them. This is okay as long as the job is set-up in good time and the waste is low. Experienced operators generally know what they are doing on a folder-gluer but would be well-served using the new technology to increase their knowledge and productivity.

    A final consideration is the method of packing the cases with cartons or banding the bundles of boxes. You may have made improvements to your finishing department to make it more efficient with an upgrade to your folder-gluer, but how you handle the product as it exits the folder-gluer also should be considered. This will be discussed in a future article on automating the feeding, exiting and packing of the cartons.

    PPCTS is a supplier/designer/distributor and manufacturer’s representative of quality products and equipment for the packaging, printing and converting industries. This includes the PPCTS-DGM Smartfold series of folding carton folder-gluers and IMPACK folder-gluer packing systems. For further details, visit www.ppcts.com.