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    PostPress

    Print Decorating, Binding and Finishing

    Binding

    Increase Stacking Capability without Compromise

    by Ken Troemel and Kevin Coldren, Simco-Ion
    Two charging bars installed on opposing sides of an incline stacker

    For years, electrostatic pinning (or tacking) has been an important tool for the printer and an integral part of efficient bindery operation. Effective and consistent pinning reduces run times and labor costs. Until now, the tools and strategies employed for electrostatic pinning have remained largely unchanged while the operations around them change continuously. Now, by remotely managing and monitoring output current and choosing, locating and maintaining the correct electrostatic charge bar, pinning systems can keep up with the changes to deliver consistent and cost-effective results.

    The theory of electrostatic pinning is quite simple – current is pushed through a charge bar and then the resulting high voltage is used to create a surface charge on various materials. This surface charge then acts as a temporary binding agent. In real world printing applications, however, it is not so simple. Many interrelated factors will affect the charging application. This article provides an overview of the charging process as it relates to the bindery, and it also identifies practices and products designed to increase the effectiveness of electrostatic pinning systems.

    Incline stack tacking challenges

    Despite the fact that the latest perfect binders and saddlestitchers can process up to 360 books per minute, it is not always easy to achieve that rated speed. Bottlenecks can occur in compensating stackers where publications are conveyed up the stacker, dropped into the compensator and stacked to varying heights. Magazine stacks must move quickly in order to keep up with upstream equipment.  When stacks are pushed out onto the conveyor or rollers leading to the packaging equipment, the mechanical forces that kept the stack straight no longer are present. As a result, the magazines and catalogs may shift, creating uneven bundles. The USPS can reject such bundles, forcing the bindery to separate and re-run the magazines offline.

    Making the process more of a challenge, perfect bound or saddlestitched publications with UV-coated covers have slippery surfaces that make them prone to shifting. High page count saddlestitched magazines also are difficult since the spine edge is thicker, causing books to slide toward the open edge and “shingle over” as they exit the compensator.

    Unfortunately, the entire line must slow down if the stacker does not produce neat, true stacks, and additional personnel may be required to manually straighten the stacks. While oval strappers can be used, the strapping material can damage the books and the post office may need to route individual magazines to their destinations.

    Use of electrostatics in the incline feeder

    Incline Stacking Tacking systems typically use a pair of charging bars, with one placed above and one placed below the publication’s path into the stacker. The bars normally are aligned with each other. Positive voltage is applied to one bar and negative voltage to the other bar using a high voltage bi-polar charging generator. The distance between the bars should be three inches for 30kV generators operating in voltage mode (see Figure 1 on previous page). However, this distance can be less at lower voltages or in current mode.

    When publications pass between the bars, the flow of negative and positive ions is interrupted, leaving the front and back covers oppositely charged. The bound product is compressed by the electrostatic force and when the charged book is dropped into the stacker, it lands with its back cover on top of the front cover of the previous magazine. Opposing charges on the magazines cause them to adhere together and keep the magazines from shifting before they enter the shrinkwrap tunnel.

    The result of static tacking can be quite dramatic. With certain books, production speeds on a typical finishing machine without incline tacking typically are only 175 to 200 per minute. When an electrostatic system is properly installed on the same machine, throughput can exceed 300 books per minute.

    Special bracket allows bar to pivot up for easy pin cleaning

    Maintenance of charging bars is an important component of any charging system. Dust or dirt around the emitter pins will reduce the effectiveness of a charging bar; therefore, periodic cleaning is recommended to prevent deposits from accumulating on the bar. A clean nylon brush with isopropyl alcohol applied is preferred. However, check with the manufacturer for specifics. Figure 2 (see page 26) shows a special bracket designed for use on the stacker application. The bracket allows access to Superbars installed on the stacker for easy cleaning and maintenance. It also provides a safe mounting structure to prevent operator shocks or voltage leakage and arcing conditions that can occur with conductive mounting materials.

    Selecting and using electrostatic systems in incline feeders

    Since there are many electrostatic systems available for incline tacking, it is important for a printer or binder to understand how the system functions and how to select the most efficient charging equipment.

    The most effective tacking is obtained when using charging generators that feature current control operation. With current control, the generator automatically adjusts the voltage to maintain a preset current. The system maintains stable and strong pinning power, lowering the output when there is open space between the magazines and extending the life of the charging bar. Charging generators with current control also adjust the voltage to compensate for changes in the line speeds, ambient conditions or paper dust buildup on the ionizing electrodes. Charging generators with current control operation eliminate the need for operators to constantly adjust the charging system to maintain the required pinning performance.

    However, not all current control power supplies are created equal. In addition to remote control and monitoring, it is important that the power supply has enough available current to handle whatever job is being run. Some jobs can be run with a minimal amount of current, while larger stacks or thick UV-coated books often will require more than 1mA of current. Selecting the correct power supply results in a more cost-effective and efficient bindery operation.

    Similarly, there are several choices available when it comes to electrostatic charging bars. Bar construction (the resistor, number of pins and pin material), sizing and placement are essential for successful pinning. In the bindery, bars with resistors are preferred. The resistor ensures that the bar operates steadily and reliably without arcing.

    While a tried and true technology, electrostatic tacking continues to evolve to meet the challenges imposed by today’s printer. Many electrostatic charging systems are designed for simplified integration into a printing or bindery line. Additionally, charging generators are becoming more compact in size, with features like low 24-volt input power. These newer advances are becoming a standard when selecting charging systems, as this provides for quick installation without the need to run high-voltage cables. Charging bars also are being fitted with tungsten emitter pins, which provide continuous performance and can significantly extend the life of the charging bar without the maintenance of replaceable pins. The latest innovations include a serviceable integrated static charging generator and bar in one system, which makes the system ideal for use in a variety of pinning and roll-to roll applications.

    Electrostatic charging can significantly enhance printing and bindery operations. Successful applications require a thorough understanding of charging technology and all the interrelated details, ranging from the charging equipment to the printing and bindery process itself.

    Ken Troemel is the western regional sales manager for Simco-Ion, Industrial Group. He has many years of combined experience in creating effective electrostatic solutions for various printing and bindery applications, with prior work experience with Tantec Inc. and MKS Ion Industrial. In 2010, Troemel joined Simco-Ion and transitioned into his current role where he is responsible for supporting all western sales representatives and distributors. Kevin Coldren is the eastern regional sales manager for Simco-Ion, Industrial Group. He joined Simco-Ion in 2000 and has over a decade of experience in solving static-related problems in various industries and applications. Coldren is responsible for supporting all eastern sales representatives and distributors. For more information, email CustomerService@Simco-Ion.com, call 800.203.3419 or visit www.Simco-Ion.com.

    Choosing a Mechanical Binding Method: Plastic Coil or Wire?

    by Jen Clark, The Binding Edge
    Plastic coil comes in a variety of colors and often can be matched to a theme or to a company’s corporate identity.

    Mechanical binding can be a cost-effective way to create bound documents that open flat and can offer 360-degree rotation. With the right tools, companies can have professionally punched and bound documents produced in-house. Determining if a project needs to utilize plastic coil or wire, though, starts with knowing how the finished product should look.

    Since plastic coil comes in a variety of colors, it often can be matched to a theme or to a company’s corporate identity. Plastic also is more durable, said David Spiel, co-owner of Spiel Associates, Long Island City, NY, “although some feel that wire is more aesthetically pleasing.”

    Double loop wire is recommended when a straight registration of the open book is required.

    Plastic spiral binding, single strand wire binding and double loop wire binding all are mechanical types of binding, explained Anna Massey, sales and marketing manager with Gateway Bookbinding Systems Ltd., Winnipeg, MB, Canada. Single strand wire binding typically is done with an automatic process – the metal wire being formed and wound through the punch holes to complete the book. With double loop wire binding, the pre-punched book is “hooked” onto the open wire and then the wire is closed to contain the sheets. With plastic spiral binding, the pre-formed coil is wound through the punch holes and the ends crimped to complete the process.

    The popularity of one type of binding over another pertains more to the types of projects being bound, Massey said. “For example, calendars and desk calendars often still are done with double loop wire because when the item is opened, the double loop wire provides for even registration between the open sections,” she said. “Plastic spiral binding seems to have become the number one choice for student agenda books because of its safety and durability factors, as well as vast color selection.”

    In the US especially, plastic coil has become the binding method of choice, Spiel added. “There are many states that bar the use of wire in school books or books for children,” he said. “Designers in the US tend to get excited over the range of colors with plastic coil.”

    Added Massey: “Wire binding still often is viewed as the “strong” binding, because it is produced from metal. It’s an interesting perception because it is very easy to bend and distort wire binding – even just during transport. Plastic spiral is much more durable, but viewed – in some overseas markets – as the weaker of the two products.” Even though there has been a spike in the use of plastic coil in the European market, “double loop wire is much more popular elsewhere in the world,” Spiel said.

    All types of binding have their pros and cons, Massey said. “Metal spiral and double loop wire easily are distorted and bent when shrinkwrapped or packed. Plastic spiral is more durable and will bounce back and hold its shape if or when pressure is applied.” When a straight registration of the open book is required, double loop wire is the choice, she noted. “Plastic spiral will “drop” when opened – as the opened book’s left side follows the angle of the coil.”

    Spiel agreed, adding the left side’s “drop” is about one-half-of-a-hole lower. “That is the nature of spiral binding, but pages from left to right line up perfectly with a book bound with double loop wire. This is important with maps and ledgers,” he said.

    Metal and double loop wire have limited color choices available, while plastic spiral comes in over 50 different colors, Massey said. “Plastic spiral also is a smoother product, especially when in the hands of children. Metal and double loop wire have sharp edges that can snag,” she said. “From a production standpoint, metal spiral always has been viewed as a more automated process, but plastic spiral has seen a tremendous development in this regard. There are systems putting out 25 plastic spiral bound books a minute.”

    Companies that are producing documents in-house should consider outsourcing the job based on the size of the job and equipment capabilities. A project’s complexity and turnaround time also are important factors to consider. “If you only have manual equipment, you may only be able to bind 50-100 books per hour,” Spiel said. “A manual set-up will require two operators to achieve this output. If you have to pay two employees to do the work, it would be prudent to send large runs out.”

    Spiel and Massey agreed that binding thick documents sometimes can be challenging. “You can bind up to about 1?” thickness with double loop wire, using 1¼” diameter wire,” Spiel said. “With plastic coil, you can bind up to 2″ in diameter and about 1¾” in thickness.” He suggests using an automatic machine to bind thick books, “such as the Sterling Coilmaster that can bind up to 50mm in diameter,” he said.

    Gateway’s specialty is the PLASTIKOIL® plastic spiral, which is manufactured up to 2″ in diameter. “That can handle up to 460 sheets of a 20lb bond book,” Massey said, noting some manufacturers go even larger. Gateway also offers the PLASTIKOIL Binding Stick, which is a connecting device to join multiple plastic spiral bound books. “With the Binding Stick, there really are no limitations,” she said.

    When it comes to plastic spiral binding, there are a number of options available for pitch – the distance or spacing between the loops of coil. The key is to match the pitch of the coil to the punch pattern. If a document is punched with a 4:1 pattern, then it needs a 4:1 coil. Incompatibility between pitch and punch pattern can affect productivity. “With plastic spiral binding, a wider pitch of 3:1 or 2.5:1 always is recommended for coil diameters larger than about a 30mm,” Massey said. “That is a book thickness of 1″ or more. A larger oval hole in these wider pitches also is recommended. This wider pitch and larger punch hole provides the coil with more room to find its way and thus will improve productivity as much as 45 percent.”

    Double loop wire traditionally uses a 3:1 round or square hole for thinner books. A wider 2:1 pitch with a slightly larger round or square hole is used for thicker books. “Plastic spiral often was done with a 4:1 pitch round hole, but we’ve seen a shift over the past 10 years to a more logical .2475″ pitch 5x4mm oval hole,” Massey said. “The .2475″ pitch fits on the common 8.5×11″ and European A4 and A5 sheet sizes – without the need to pull punch pins and center.”

    Partially opening a thick book while driving the coil through the punched holes helps a lot, Massey said. “The coil is driving through only half the book’s thickness at a time,” Massey noted. Gateway also offers a “reverse cut” coil in the larger diameters to help aid the insertion process. “The reverse cut lead edge smoothly funnels its way through the punch hole in comparison to the standard cut lead edge – a great advantage especially when binding thicker books.”

    The Binding Edge would like to thank Anna Massey, sales and marketing manager at Gateway Bookbinding Systems Ltd., Winnipeg, MB, Canada, (www.plastikoil.com) and David Spiel, co-owner of Spiel Associates, Long Island City, NY, (www.spielassociates.com) for contributing to this article.

    Challenges in Perfect Binding

    by Jen Clark, The Binding Edge
    Employees insert items into books that were perfect bound at Pacific Bindery.

    In the last decade, declining run lengths and quicker turnaround requirements have left little room for error in the bindery. Long-standing binding methods, including perfect binding, have had to evolve because offline production machines and shorter turnaround periods result in expensive short-run applications. Recent innovations in machinery have made the process of completing a printed book much more efficient, which saves time and expense. But that same technology also has brought challenges for binderies trying to keep up – not only with the technology, but the competition as well.

    Printing with digital technology is an economical and efficient way to disseminate information, but digital printing has had an effect on all aspects of bookbinding, said David Reindl, president of Reindl Bindery, Germantown, WI. “In perfect binding, many small run jobs have switched from offset printing to digital printing,” he said. “Many printers with digital printing capabilities also can bind the smaller quantities, taking work out of our shop.”

    Some digital printers, especially those that are relatively new to the print industry, don’t have a strong understanding of bindery, said Kris Bovay, general manager of Pacific Bindery Services Ltd., Vancouver, BC, Canada. One of Pacific Bindery’s clients is an architectural firm that prefers to print its content in-house, but then sends the documents to Pacific Bindery for binding.

    “They are not printers by trade – they are architects,” she said. “Working with them to produce their bound books requires more assistance and training than would be necessary if our client had hired a printer to do the work. However, with the entry of affordable digital print equipment, some customers like the flexibility of doing some of the work in-house.”

    Roswell Bookbinding educates its clients on the 12- to 24-hour drying period required with PUR glue.

    Mike Roswell, president of Roswell Bookbinding, Phoenix, AZ, agreed. “The learning curve steepens with the lack of experience,” he said. “Trying to educate a novice is difficult at best, especially trying to convey specifications that require terminology that they have zero experience with.  The ability to educate and inform the client has a direct effect on how smoothly the job runs.”

    For example, he noted that digitally-printed books that come in as pre-collated book blocks make feeding more difficult, especially on perfect binders that are designed for signatures. But Reindl pointed out the biggest challenge that digital printing presents has to do with the ink used, which has a direct effect on the type of adhesive binders should use. “We need to consider the proper adhesive when binding any digital product,” he said, adding paper quality is another concern.

    “Paper quality is not as good as it was in the past,” Reindl said. “Choosing the proper adhesive for binding these difficult stocks can be very challenging.”

    Since there is no ink absorption with digitally printed books, that creates many issues – especially with hardbound books, Roswell said.  “Since the text cannot absorb much moisture, it tends to go directly into the cover, which creates the potential for warping. Softcovers have not been as much of a problem,” he explained.

    Bovay agreed, noting some digital processes leave an oily film on the sheet that interferes with the gluing process. “One solution is to bind those books with polyurethane reactive (PUR) glue both on the spine and on the side. However, not all binding equipment has that capability,” she said.

    For binderies that deal with many different kinds of stock papers, PUR is the best adhesive option. “PUR allows us to create solid bonds on nearly all paper types,” Reindl said. “In fact, we are able to bond directly to coatings and some plastics.”

    Added Bovay, “The challenges the industry faces in working with adhesives for perfect binding is really tightly connected to changing substrates, inks, solvents, varnishes and coatings and other inputs that can affect the chemistry of the adhesive. We’ve found that for the most part, PUR is the most successful adhesive for a variety of uses; however, working with PUR has its own challenges in terms of operating efficiency.”

    Roswell noted that since the advent of PUR, his company has had little problem with adhesion. “It’s been minimal,” he said. “We don’t have much difficulty with adhesion. The only problems in using PUR are the expense and curing time. Some clients do not understand that the book is not usable for a period of 12 to 24 hours until the adhesive has cured.”

    Perfect bound books require adequate binding strength to prevent the pages from being pulled from the binding. Spine preparation and adhesive choice is critical because inflexible adhesives can result in books not lying flat, and the spines often can be distorted with repeated use. “The newest machines do a much better job of preparing spines for whichever adhesive the bindery is using,” Reindl said. In the last two years, Reindl has installed Kolbus’ newest perfect binding machine. “Quality and run rates improved immediately.”

    Roswell said manufacturers have developed more equipment geared toward handling pre-collated, short-run jobs, “and we have purchased one,” he noted. “We will be installing another short-run binder with PUR in the coming months.”

    Pacific Bindery has a 21-pocket Muller Martini Corona binder with PUR and lay-flat capability, an 18 pocket Muller Martini Starbinder and a Horizon BQ for short-run work. “Our five-year capital expenditures plan includes a commitment to changing some of that binding equipment to better integrate with anticipated changing customer needs,” Bovay said.

    Perfect binding, according to Bovay, is in the mature phase of its life cycle. “There is a growing market for short-run, self-published books, whether those publications are photo books, journals, diaries, etc. Within that market, there is a need for perfect binding, along with casebinding,” she said. “There still is a market for perfect bound magazines, books and even catalogs.”

    In the last couple of years, catalogs, for example, have fallen out-of-fashion, but Pacific Bindery has noticed a change-of-heart from clients. “They had stopped producing print catalogs and went online,” she said. “Those customers came back after finding that their sales dropped with only online media delivering the sales and marketing messages. Now, they are doing shorter, more targeted print runs that complement the online marketing efforts.”

    Roswell said there is no reason to believe the steady decline in perfect binding volume over the past 10 years will not continue.  “Annual reports, statistical abstracts and many other single-color publications have either disappeared or grown smaller,” he said. “The influence of technology seems to be the reason for this and does not appear to be stopping any time soon.”

    But, while technology and attitudes may change, Reindl and Bovay agreed that perfect binding always will have a place. Roswell believes that long-run perfect binding has peaked and runs will continue to shorten. “It will not disappear completely, and I think that the demise of the book in general has been greatly exaggerated,” he said.

    Investing in new technologies is the key for binderies to “win the race,” Reindl said. “Those companies will be able to offer better quality in less time and at lower prices.”

    The reality is that binderies need to keep looking for new partnerships and services that complement their existing capabilities and provide stronger opportunities for growth, Bovay said. “That commitment to adapting and evolving will enable us not only to survive, but also to grow,” she stated.

    Added Reindl, “Those companies that don’t or can’t invest in the future will more than likely be left behind or will just go away.”

    The Binding Edge would like to thank David Reindl, Reindl Bindery, Germantown, WI; Kris Bovay, Pacific Bindery Services Ltd., Vancouver, BC, Canada; and Mike Roswell, Roswell Bookbinding Phoenix, AZ, for contributing to this article.

    Mechanical Binding Reacts to Changes in the Market

    by Staff

    The demand for short runs and quick turnarounds has impacted every type of binding process, from saddlestitching to perfect binding to mechanical binding. For this Q&A, The Binding Edge contacted mechanical binding experts Gateway Bookbinding Systems, Ltd., Spiral Binding Company and Spiel Associates for their perspectives on how the on demand market has changed mechanical binding and the ways their companies have reacted to meet the needs of customers and end users.

    How has on demand printing changed the market for mechanical binding?

    “On demand is basically synonymous with short run,” said Anna Massey, sales and marketing manager for Gateway Bookbinding Systems. “The days of a book run being a half million copies are no more – or most certainly few and far between. To react, mechanical binding needs to be able to handle two books to 200 books quickly, efficiently and cost effectively.”

    In an interesting trend that speeds the finishing process by reducing diversification, punch patterns are being standardized and paper houses have started to supply pre-punched paper. “We have seen some standardization for specifications within this level of the market,” explained Massey. However, David Spiel, president of Spiel Associates, noted that buying pre-punched paper can be problematic when covers, tabs or odd-sized sheets need to be intermixed with pre-punched body copy. “Often, punching dies will not match the pitch of the pre-punched paper. Even worse, the paper size of the pre-punched sheets may not match the paper size of sheets that you punch yourself, throwing off the pitch and making coil insertion difficult.”

    Matt Roth, vice president at Spiral Binding Company, noted, “As a manufacturer of binding supplies, one of the biggest changes to the marketplace we have seen is that the customer base has shifted from large binderies to smaller print shops.” With customers demanding fast turnarounds and requiring smaller print runs, printers are bringing binding capabilities in-house rather than sending uncomplicated jobs to binding partners. With new digital print shops opening almost daily, Massey also has seen the customer base increase for smaller equipment manufacturers, and the trend shows no sign of stopping.

    What changes in either equipment or wire/plastic coil will we see in the future?

    “The trend is definitely for equipment to be smaller, easier-to-use, faster and less expensive,” stated Roth. “The most common request we get is for more automation, but binders also want quick set-ups because many of the jobs are short-run.” Spiral Binding Company’s line of James Burn/Lhermite equipment is well-positioned to meet those market needs. Massey concurred with the need for automation, “The on demand printer wants a level of automation that is simplified for ease-of-use to maximize productivity.” Automation also reduces the amount of operator training and intervention that is needed, reducing labor costs.

    “The customer is concerned with three things: speed, automation and labor reduction,” said Spiel. “We’ve reacted by introducing machinery designed for speedy, short run mechanical binding, while keeping the need for labor reduction in mind.” Spiel’s Sterling Coilmaster Jr. binds books with either round or oval punch holes automatically, doing the work of six manual binders with operators.

    Roth also noted that binderies and printers are looking for a smaller equipment footprint. Massey agreed: “On the equipment side, historically the customer had the choice of either extremely automated high-volume equipment or simple countertop setups. The demand for smaller countertop machines has increased steadily, and in today’s market, the challenge is to build equipment that is fully or semi-automated, but capable of handling the shorter run.” Gateway has built equipment specifically for the digital print market, including the Koilmatic Auto Inserter, a simplified, fully electric version of the company’s more industrial PBS 3000 QS Auto Inserter for trade binderies.

    Gateway Bookbinding also is a supplier of plastic coil, and the shift to on-demand book production has signaled a change in the way product is ordered. “The concept of packing coil in 100s is not new, but that option has become important to the on demand customer,” Massey stated. “Minimizing inventory while maximizing availability is the goal.”

    Mechanical binding has traditionally been seen as a practical way to bind, rather than an “attractive” option. What can be done to change the perception of spiral coil in terms of design appearance?

    “We’d have to disagree with the statement that PLASTIKOIL isn’t an attractive option! With 45 different colors to choose from – along with the option of custom color matching – plastic spiral is a strong, durable binding choice,” said Massey. She continued, “Mechanical binding is selected by the customer for a reason – whether it’s ease of use, durability, application or distribution method – so the customer schoosing mechanical binding view it as their best option and not just as an inexpensive way to bind.”

    Roth also defended the appearance and decorative options available with mechanical binding. “It is easier than you think to create custom binding items to make a presentation more attractive. In 2011, Spiral Binding Company purchased a new high-speed pad printer, which allows us to produce more detailed artwork that can be printed right on binding combs and covers.”

    Spiel noted that mechanical binding isn’t just plastic coil – double loop wire can enhance end-product appearance as well. “When a plastic coil book is opened, the left page is one half of a pitch lower than the right page,” he explained. “Double loop wire allows the left and right pages to line up, which is especially important when binding books like ledgers or maps. However, plastic coil is much more durable and very kid-friendly, so children’s books that are mechanically bound are most often bound with plastic.”

    What is the biggest challenge during production for those using mechanical binding equipment?

    “The on demand customer may still view mechanical binding as a tedious task,” explained Massey. “Today’s equipment, however, really does provide very viable solutions. The paper punching process seems to be a stumbling block for many, but there are good, affordable machines on the market that should be considered.” Gateway recommends a .2475″ pitch oval hole pattern as the best choice. According to Massey, the hole spacing fits nicely with the common 8.5″ or 11″ binding edge without the need to pull pins or trim books.

    Massey went on to note another stumbling block for operators – ease of use. “The staff of today’s digital print shops often wears many hats – they are customer service reps, purchasing managers, estimators, print production and bindery operators all rolled into one. They don’t operate one machine day in and day out, so today’s equipment has to be user-friendly and easy-to-operate.”

    “Like it or not, the market has changed for all binding to demand shorter runs with quick turnaround,” Spiel concluded. Those creating and selling mechanical binding equipment and supplies must react to the shifts in the market by increasing the level of automation available, continuing to champion the pleasing appearance of mechanically-bound products and remaining aware of the trends that will impact both the print customer and end user.

    Thank you to Matt Roth, Spiral Binding Company (www.spiralbinding.com); Anna Massey, Gateway Bookbinding Systems (www.plastikoil.com); and David Spiel, Spiel Associates (www.spielassociates.com).

    Perfect Binding for Digital Print

    by: Steven Calov, Heidelberg USA

    In the finishing realm, perfect binding plays an important role in promoting efficient operations and fast turnarounds as the market moves toward digital print. As print becomes more prominent as a marketing piece, short-run perfect binding is becoming more desirable, compared to stitched products.

    Speaking of digital print, its suitability for short and ultra-short runs and smaller formats is a given; however, there is more to the story, based on changes in the marketplace that have revised traditional thinking about short-run approaches to the finishing of digitally printed output.

    The market dictates the pace of change, moving toward shorter print runs and faster delivery times, as well as a leveling of the playing field between the finishing of conventionally and digitally printed products in the smaller (20″) formats that are currently digital’s sweet spot. In this new environment, printed materials arrive ready for finishing off a variety of output devices, while finishing requirements are being met with a variety of in-, off- and near-line solutions, depending on volume and whether the aim is to print one or 1,001.

    Digital Dollars

    Like digital printing, digital finishing is driven by performance, quality and cost. Some digital printing devices are equipped with finishing units capable of performing binding and finishing functions – including perfect binding – in-line. This makes the process of printing a complete book more efficient because it eliminates a material handling step from the workflow, sparing time and expense, but it also can limit an application’s variety and production speed. However, the need to provide fast, inexpensive finishing of digital work using traditional equipment built for offset calls for results-oriented solutions that will add quality and value to the printed piece, bring cost efficiency to bear on the finishing process and keep profit margins high.

    Perfect or adhesive binding is a method of binding single sheets – as opposed to signatures – into a book. Many digital books are printed as stacks of single sheets. One of the most easily automated of finishing processes, perfect binding’s low cost makes it a popular choice for binding a variety of printed matter, wherein single sheets are gathered, stacked and the binding edge covered with glue. A cover is attached to the book and is held in place by the glued spine. Then, the entire product is three-side trimmed on a dedicated trimmer or guillotine cutter.

    Professionally perfect-bound books have square backs, smooth spines and adequate adhesive strength to prevent the pages from being pulled from the binding. The only way to accomplish this used to be with large off-line production machines, which required lengthy makereadies and resulted in expensive short-run applications. The larger off-line perfect binders were better suited to longer print runs. In recent years, however, a combination of factors has prompted printers to seek out small-format standalone perfect binders to accomplish low-volume, short, ultra-short and one-off run digital work in-house. These factors begin with the rise of specialty print products, such as digital photobooks, and extend to commercial printers offering custom and on-demand services to their customers. Rising transportation and delivery costs also have played a role in the shift to in-house production.

    Designed for Digital

    An alternative to large off-line binding devices are smaller, economical, off-line perfect binders, which are compatible with or specifically designed for small digital print applications and have the capability to produce perfect bindings that are of nearly the same quality as the bindings produced with the larger machines. The overhead cost is much less than the larger machines and makeready times are greatly reduced.

    Solutions answering these needs are modular, flexible, integrated, run at speeds as fast or faster than the output device and offer multiple opportunities for reductions in labor, including quality verification. They are easy to operate and quick to set-up for new jobs, and, last but not least, feature connectivity and JDF. They are machines that can handle books from digital printers and offset presses and perfect bind books of one or 1,000 quickly, efficiently and profitably.

    A Sticky Wicket

    Are there challenges presented by the perfect binding of digital print? Yes. Among the biggest are failure to form a durable adhesive bond on digitally qualified papers, as well as the potential cracking of inks and coatings. In particular, the presence of fuser oil left on digital sheets can have a severe impact on the pull-strength of a digitally printed, perfect-bound book when hot-melt adhesives are used. Toner can have the same effect if the printing bleeds into the spine of the book.

    For these reasons, the perfect binding of toner-based color sheets using conventional hot-melt adhesive has been largely supplanted by the use of polyurethane-reactive or PUR adhesives on fast-makeready binders such as Heidelberg’s entry-level Eurobind 600 PUR. This machine features Heidelberg’s unique nozzle application system, which takes the convenience of PUR glues for adhesive binding of digitally printed materials one step further by minimizing (expensive) PUR glue exposure, giving a more consistent glue line on the cover of the book, and saving time and money over open tank systems. While PUR is more expensive than traditional hot-melt adhesives, it also lasts longer, weathers extreme temperatures, looks good and holds difficult plastic or coated stocks reliably. PUR technology ensures reliably high adhesion to the sheet edges so finished products can be opened flat without problem, even with difficult materials such as heavily coated papers and digital print products.

    But don’t count hot-melt down and out just yet. While PUR provides an added measure of safety that the job will not be rejected, it also adds significant cost. Given the recent migration to inkjet and oil-less fusing of toner based products, however, hot-melt glues can provide a more cost effective solution as long as the spine preparation is sufficient to result in good book adhesion (good pull results). At least one perfect binding operation in a digital print environment we know of has spent effort to prepare the spine very well in combination with hot-melt glue to produce excellent results. It will be interesting to see whether PUR or hot-melt “wins” in the coming years, or whether both will share this space.

    A Trimming Dilemma

    We also should mention trimming. Trimming is accomplished with either a dedicated three-knife trimmer or a guillotine paper cutter. The issue with three-knife trimming is that the capital cost for the machines is most often above $100,000 US, while the quality of trimming delivered by machines currently on the market often is not up to market expectations, due to spine knicking. A cost-effective alternative is to use a guillotine cutter instead, even though it adds another material-handling step to the process. Heidelberg has studied the problem and found that at quanitities up to 1,000 books per hour, the cost and productivity of guillotine trimming can be advantageous. Over the very short run, the challenge is to reduce the makeready of the cutter from book to book size, so equipment suppliers are exploring ways to add automation to the cutting process. By sending the cutting parameters to the guillotine at the point of prepress, or by using a bar code on the book to load the cutting parameters, the cutting process can be sped up substantially while reducing re-runs and waste.

    Seize the Day

    Short-run perfect binding today denotes not just shrinking order quantities, but also foreshortened turnarounds and product flexibility demanded by customers who now have the option to produce low-cost books in the quantities – as small as one – they need. Manufacturers of finishing equipment are seizing the opportunity to fine-tune their equipment to handle the requirements of digital output. As mentioned above, today’s high-speed automated perfect binding machines can execute digitally printed, perfect-bound books in in-line, off-line and near-line configurations (useful in cases where the binder runs faster than the output device). Lift-type deliveries are designed to ensure superior glue stabilization and gentle transport of the book block in different production environments.

    Automated components are designed to facilitate the adjustment of clamp opening widths; integrated pressing, scoring and spine preparation; gluing length control and more. Meanwhile, the addition of exchangeable hot-melt and PUR glue tanks, variable clamps, self-calibrating missing sheet detectors and graphical touchscreen controls for shorter set-ups, lower waste and faster turnarounds mean that top-quality, digitally printed, adhesive-bound products can be produced quickly and economically on traditional perfect binding equipment from offset or digital streams, with disparate jobs ganged together for maximum efficiency.

    Advances in finishing automation are being driven by the rise in digital printing, characterized by declining run lengths, quick turn requirements and the need to train workers quickly. As run lengths get shorter, set-up time becomes a bigger percentage of the total job time, driving up the labor cost per unit produced. Because traditional equipment built for offset printing typically requires more makereadies for digital work, regardless of run length, the reduction, elimination and/or automation of costly extra steps is an operational imperative. The goal? The ability to finish digitally printed output at high speeds, in real time, with no waiting, at the highest quality.

    Steve Calov is postpress product manager for Heidelberg USA. A leading solution provider for the print media industry, Heidelberg manufactures precision printing presses, platesetters, postpress equipment and software for integrating all printshop processes. For more information, visit www.us.heidelberg.com or call 770.419.6500.

    Cloth Covers All the Rage…Again

    by: Dianna Brodine

    In 1903, Paul Adam wrote and published “Practical Bookbinding.” The how-to manual for the early 20th century was considered a definitive work, covering all aspects of bookbinding from paper type to backing boards to cover materials. In “Practical Bookbinding,” Adam said, “The real protection against outward injury to the book lies in the cover.” Indeed, the cover of a book protects its contents from stains, tears and other injuries to the delicate pages. Book covers also are decorative, providing the first glimpse into the subject and personality of a bound book. In the early 1900s, although commonly used, cloth wasn’t the only option for bookbinders. When discussing cover materials, Adam had this to say:

    “Cloth is more durable than paper, calico being mostly used. This is made in all colors and designs, and was formerly imported from England; but today German manufacturers produce a really good article. Plain linen cloth, black, green or grey; sail cloth; buckram; moleskin and beaver are used in the making of account books.” Today velvet is still used in the bindery, chiefly as a covering for portfolios, albums and addresses, and except for metal clasps remains without ornamentation. The bookbinder’s best material, to which is given the choicest, most expensive and most painstaking decoration, is leather in its various kinds. Sheep skin, undyed or split and dyed, serves for school books and other cheap work. Goat skin and morocco are better kinds, the latter being preferable both as regards price and quality.

    Although it’s doubtful that many binderies are currently using beaver on the shop floor, cloth is still in demand for book covers. In fact, it may be seeing a resurgence with customers looking for a high-end, eco-friendly appearance. “The on demand market has created a new demand for special printable coatings for covers and less demand for many core products,” explained Jack McLoraine, vice president of sales at Gane Brothers. This demand for one-of-a-kind covers, combined with the trend toward sustainability, has created a renewed interest in cloth covers. Gane is a distributor for Holliston LLC, which produces HP Indigo-friendly cloth products. “Impressions ‘F’ grade cloth and Pinnacle ‘B’ grade cloth passed rigid testing from Hewlett Packard and the Rochester Institute of Technology,” said Wagenaar. “This product affords the opportunity to produce one image at a time using a high-quality cloth product.”

    A product offered through LBS, Des Moines, IA, was featured on the autographed versions of the presidential autobiographies of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. The books are covered in Verona Natural-finish rayon cloth with tissue backing. “Verona is a luxurious natural cloth woven from rayon fibers and backed with lightweight paper to support the fabric and prevent adhesive from seeping through the weave during production,” explained Rob Mauritz, vice president of sales for LBS.” Rayon is a popular choice because of its distinctive texture and palette of brightly saturated colors. It also decorates beautifully with foil stamping, blind embossing, screenprinting and litho printing.

    Both presidential autobiographies were foil stamped, one in gold and the other in silver on Verona cloth. Midnight 570 was chosen for the Clinton book, while the Bush tome was covered in Coal Black 599. Foil stamping on rayon cloth, or even natural cloth, often has a learning curve. “Many of our customers routinely stamp tightly woven cottons coated in aqueous acrylic,” said Mauritz. “The coating fills in the gaps between the woven fibers and makes the surface smooth and fairly uniform. These qualities make the cloth very forgiving during the stamping process. However, the rayon used in Verona isn’t spun or woven as tightly as the coated cotton cloth. This relaxed weave gives Verona its appealing texture, but also offers less surface area for foil adhesion.”

    In the case of the Bush and Clinton autobiographies, the challenge was overcome by using a foil type with a release that conforms to the rough texture of the cloth well enough to hold the design. “We suggest film with backing from Great Western,” Mauritz stated. “This foil often is used in library binderies and has a good balance of adhesion and strength – perfect for working with open-weave cloth.” Mauritz also suggested double-hitting the design to crush the fibers, creating a more uniform stamping surface. In all cases, each bindery should consider testing the cover material on its own equipment. LBS provides materials for setup and technical consultation for that purpose.

    Gary Sweeney, vice president, marketing and sales for Holliston, Church Hill, TN, discussed a cloth cover featured in The Band, a collection of music from the years 1968 to 1975 (5-disc CD set), housed in a hardbound book. Covered in Linen-Set®, a cotton-based B grade book cloth, the cover shows detailed print work that was offset-printed with conventional inks and finished with a UV topcoat. “The end user was interested in a product that would be sustainable, durable and offered a unique look,” said Sweeney. “The texture and durability of cloth cover material are well known, but what is not commonly known is that many types of cloth make excellent substrates for printing.” With the natural fibers of a woven cloth comes the difficulty of printing a textured surface. Enhanced pressure and additional drying time are generally required to achieve maximum ink coverage and preparation prior to the UV top coat application.

    It seems that in bookbinding, what’s old is new again. Cloth covers are seeing use in hardcover books, menus, photo albums and packaging applications. As a result, cover material suppliers are stepping up to serve the market with cloth that is printable, stampable and appealing.

    Viewing the Storm from the Binding and Finishing Perspective

    by: Kris Bovay, BIA Board of Directors President

    In Thomas Friedman’s 2005 book, “The World is Flat,” he proposes that companies willing to change and accept change are more likely to do things, than have things done to them. Most business owners want the control of doing things.

    The evolution of digital media and technology is driving change in printing industries at a faster rate than at any other time in print’s history, and globalization is enabling that evolution.

    As part of the printing industry, binding and finishing companies need to look ahead to how their clients (printers) are doing business and what they need to do to keep pace with those changes. Print used to be part of the big three in communications (television, radio and print advertising represented about $294 billion); now print is a much smaller “piece of the pie”, splitting those advertising dollars with the other new digital entrants (such as the Internet, social networking, mobile media, email marketing and e-ink/e-paper and tablets to name a few).

    While many printing companies are changing their business models to adapt to the changing landscape, they have the advantage of direct contact with their end clients. For bindery and finishing companies, the clients are typically printers. The challenge becomes adapting their bindery and finishing businesses without competing with their own customer base.

    In large-market environments, such as the Northeastern United States, bindery companies have focused on diversification as their key growth strategy. However, many binderies and finishers operate in smaller (and shrinking) print markets. Their focus needs to be on developing stronger relationships with their clients and adapting to a fast-changing environment.

    The first step in developing that relationship is to understand more about what is driving the printers’ business and how printers are handling those driving forces. Then it is important to know if printers are developing digital services and building cross-media solutions and, if so, what are their strengths and weaknesses? Can the bindery or finisher deliver new and/or additional support on the weakness side? Are there clear differences between what the binder or finisher offers and what the competition can provide? Make sure to have conversations with customers and develop strong strategic alliances and partnerships that help both the binder, and the customers, not only survive but thrive.

    As Daniel Dejan from SAPPI Fine Papers recently said at a British Columbia Printing Industry Association meeting: “The water is rising but not all boats will float” (that is, some print industry segments will not rise to the level of sales they once enjoyed). The binding and finishing industry needs to focus on innovating, diversifying and developing unique solutions that are continually improving and keeping pace with technology and customer needs.

    How can binderies and finishers grow in an increasingly fragmented marketplace? By learning to partner much more closely with printers in selling and providing cross-media benefits. Many companies have built long lasting competitive advantages by taking offense actions and by changing – be one of those companies.

    Note: Loose leaf companies have an advantage in this changing environment – they have direct access to end user accounts and typically know their customers’ needs and wants really well. For loose leaf businesses, new opportunities for growth are more likely to come from focusing on environmental materials and in diversifying their products and services.

    The Art of Traditional Bookbinding in a Fast-Paced World

    by: Renée Varella

    Companies that perform traditional bookbinding services are a rare breed indeed – and getting scarcer in our high-speed society. Here, we profile two businesses that still cater to time-honored bookbinding traditions – one that does a lot of handwork with short runs and another that’s found a niche offering traditional bookbinding services with highly automated equipment. You’ll also hear from a supplier who works with the full spectrum of binders.

    The HF Group: Preserving and Conserving

    For over 80 years, clients of The HF Group (HFG), based in Chesterland, Ohio, have ranged from the government and universities to public libraries and archives. “We’re a diversified services business with book-related and non-book segments,” said Jay Fairfield, company president. HFG book segments primarily focus on: 1) Library binding (rebinding of one-off monographs and hardcover binding of journals and periodicals); 2) Textbook rebinding (repairing textbooks for public and private K-12 schools); 3) Short-run edition and children’s bookbinding; 4) Digital print and binding on demand (as low as 1 per title production for publishers and specialty presses); 5) Conservation treatment (on valuable and historic artifacts); and 6) Digital conversion scanning (reformatting of books, manuscripts, maps, and art-to-digital format).

    “The library binding niche is quite unique, and there are only 20 to 25 facilities in the U.S. left doing this specialty-type work,” Fairfield said. Libraries at large research universities, law schools, and small colleges, as well as public and special libraries, send their books to HFG for rebinding or repair or send their journals and periodicals to HFG for first-time binding. “We also do one-offs of old bibles, which requires a skilled-craftsman approach. Our equipment and our plants are geared to production runs of one to 1,000.”

    Most of the materials HFG uses in its traditional bookbinding operation are preservation-sensitive, including acid-free papers and acrylic -coated woven and non-woven cover materials. “We also use genuine and simulated leather materials in our handbinding operation,” Fairfield said. Equipment ranges from hand tools and hot lead stamping equipment to semi-automatic machines that provide automation from station to station to computerized, unattended hot foil stamping machines. “In addition, we utilize digitally printed color covers with film lamination.”

    On Demand Solutions
    Fairfield acknowledged substantial growth in short-run edition binding and the digital, on demand print and bind segment of the book market. Binding methods include perfect binding, side sewing, and Smyth sewing. Case options include custom graphic printed and laminated covers, cloth covers with hot foil stamped lettering or custom die stamping options, and dust jackets. Case options for edition binding and prebinding include custom graphic covers or cloth covers with hot foil stamped lettering and custom, artistic die stamping options.

    HFG also uses digitization and imaging technologies to produce archival-quality digital images from damaged or non-circulating bound documents and printed materials and loose pages. Its equipment can digitize bound volumes in black and white, grayscale, and color in sizes ranging from 4.5″×7″ to 19″×19″. The company also can digitize loose sheets and foldouts in black and white and grayscale up to 17″×23″ and up to 11″×17″ in color. Facsimile reproductions of all digitized books are available. Even large format materials such as atlases, maps, art on paper, and blueprints can be digitized and reproduced by HFG.

    Preserving the Precious
    One of HFG’s divisions includes Etherington Conservation Services, which offers preservation and conservation services for private collectors, libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, and other collection-holding institutions. Donald Etherington, a world renowned conservationist, serves as president of the division.

    Book rebinding treatments vary in complexity and may require aqueous treatment, some works of art on paper, vellum, and parchment may need matting and framing, while other projects require deacidification and polyester film encapsulation or custom-designed protective enclosures. Past projects of Etherington Conservation Services include the American University of Cairo’s collection of architectural drawings, the Czech Republic’s collection of medieval manuscripts, and the National Archives rehousing and display of the Charters of Freedom, which includes the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights.

    Tradition and Timeliness
    In today’s marketplace, HFG must balance the need for high-quality, traditional-looking pieces with the increasing demand for fast turnarounds. “Our work and the types of customers we have vary greatly and, therefore, so does the expectation for turn times,” Fairfield said. “We have some customers who require – and pay for – a two- to three-day turn, and some customers that prefer – and pay less for – a four-week turn. In special cases, valuable or rare items can be in our possession receiving very specific and specialized treatment that can take months.”

    Dekker Bookbinding: Serving Book Printers from Coast to Coast

    Founded as a library binder in 1928, the family-owned and fourth-generation Dekker Bookbinding, Grand Rapids, Mich., offers highly automated edition binding services today. However, in the late 1800s, John H. Dekker used state-of-the-art hand tools he’d brought from the Netherlands when the Dekker family emigrated to the U.S. Early customers included public libraries, book collectors, professional organizations, schools, and small publishers.

    “The early hand bindery relied on manual sewing, cutting, hot stamping, gluing, and pressing,” said Chris Dekker, a sales executive at Dekker. “The materials used were basic – the bookbinder often purchased full cowhides to produce leather cases for books. I remember my grandfather measuring a hide to get as many pieces as economically possible without blemishes. A blemish might result from the scar left when the cow bumped against a barbwire fence. The process worked because the bookbinder was able to control the quality and craftsmanship of each book as he built the components and assembled the final product.”

    New Techniques, Similar Expectations
    Although Dekker noted that quality, schedule, and price are still key considerations for customers in 2010, the company’s range of services has changed dramatically over the years. “Our business today is focused on partnering with print customers by providing estimating, specification and planning review, prescheduling, and material purchases,” Dekker said. The company also custom cuts its own board and cloth to expedite schedules and control quality; utilizes the internet whenever it’s convenient for a customer; and estimates and plans layouts for printed end sheets, covers, and dust jackets.”

    “Casing in is the final step, where all the components come together to make a book,” he added. “While our specialty is hardcover bookbinding, new equipment and new adhesive options, as well as process innovations, have allowed us to offer additional services such as PUR gluing for coated adhesive binding, in-line ribbon gluing, flexible cover options, flex boards, and lined turned-edge covers for mechanical binderies.”

    Dekker reported that on June 28, 2010, the plant had 242,000 books (spread over 70 titles) in production, consisting of 24 trim sizes, quantities from 105 to 18,000, text bulk from 1/8″to 2″, 37 adhesive bound, 33 Smyth sewn, six ribbon jobs, two edge-stain jobs, 23 with printed case wraps, 47 with stamped covers, 16 book jackets, and four with slipcases. “All jobs are on schedule,” he said, “and the parts and pieces of each job are on a fast-track schedule, with similar components from different jobs running together.”

    Equipment, Materials Make the Project
    Dekker runs two complete Kolbus binding lines in its 93,000-square-foot facility. The company generally uses Smyth sewing on books requiring high-quality, long life, and excellent lay flat characteristics, including text books, library books, law books, and high-end coffee table books. Dekker now uses four Astronic Auto Sewers, plus an Astor 2000 sewer with thin-paper attachment running at 12,000 cycles per hour. A high-speed 24-pocket Kolbus Systems Binder and a 20-pocket Kolbus Ratio Binder produce adhesive bookblocks for hardcover case binding and perfect binding for soft cover.

    “Over the years we have continued to upgrade and expand our plant to meet customer needs, and to maintain and improve quality and schedule,” Dekker said. “As an independent bookbinder, the only thing we can control is the process, the equipment, the materials we supply, the components we manufacture in-house, and the learning environment that involves all the people. We survive because we take charge of the product outcome, just like our founders did.”

    Marketplace Transitions
    The backbone of Dekker Bookbinding’s business has always been servicing book printers – a group that Dekker refers to as “print-bind partners”: “One of the shifts we see in the marketplace is the growing number of commercial sheetfed and web printers who are printing book signatures for hardcover books,” he said. “With a stronger presence in the four-color markets, we see a growing number of quote requests for bookbinding from commercial houses for everything from trade books to oversize coffee table books. Our emphasis on quality throughout the bookbinding process, as well as equipment upgrades and, most important, developing people skills and learning, has positioned Dekker to survive as an independent bookbinder.”

    At Dekker, the production processes are the same whether customers supply printed text from web presses, sheetfed presses, or digital sources. “We have found that schedule concerns are not the turn times, but the fact that print customers and publishers want reliable schedules, and that’s where we are today,” Dekker said. “The majority of bookbinding is not on demand. However, we are seeing shorter quantities but more reprints.”

    Dekker added that turnaround times are based on what the publisher wants. “On demand printing has its place; however, the typical case bound book project, with all its components, is scheduled based on overlapping press time and bind time,” he said. “We have to be constantly on alert to produce the exceptional quality and schedules that publishers and printers have come to expect. Traditional book manufacturing is alive and well as long as we as manufacturers continue to improve the craft with better materials and processes.” (See the Fall 2008 binding spotlight on Dekker Bookbinding at www.thebindingedge.com.)

    Adhesives in the Bindery: An Overview

    by: Ken Kroeger, Ph.D.

    Adhesives are used in many different operations in the bindery. In a pejorative sense, adhesives are the Rodney Dangerfield of the bindery (they get no respect) because while adhesive performance is very critical to finished product quality, adhesives are almost always a very low cost component. For example, in the production of an 800-page college textbook, the total cost of adhesives is approximately $0.06:

    • $0.0134 for animal-glue casemaking adhesive to wrap and bond the cover to the chip board
    • $0.0025 for hot melt for back lining to reinforce the spine
    • $0.0082 for hot melt for gluing off to flexibly reinforce the book block after sewing
    • $0.0092 for a liquid resin adhesive for end-sheet tipping
    • $0.0264 for a liquid resin adhesive for casing-in, in which the book block and end sheets are bonded to the cover

    This six cents is just a fraction of the total material cost (including the paper, printing inks, cover wrap, chip board, etc.), but the performance of the adhesives is as important as any of the components to the quality of the finished textbook.

    In this first part of a two-part series about adhesives in the bindery, an overview is presented of the three major categories of adhesives used: animal glues, resin emulsions and hot melts.

    Animal Glues

    Animal glues are the adhesives with the oldest historical record of use. Evidence of their use is dated at least to 1350 B.C. and, indeed, animal glue was used to bond wooden decorations on the tomb of King Tutankhamun! Animal glues (an unfortunate moniker) also are commonly called hide glues in the dehydrated form, gelatin-based adhesives, and cake glues since they are usually produced in a gelled cake form (see Figure 1). Animal glues are water-based adhesives using gelatin protein as their adhesive polymer. Gelatin is the same material used to make Jell-O™, marshmallows, and pharmaceutical capsules. It is produced industrially by the chemical treatment (hydrolysis) of collagen protein contained in the hides and bones of cattle and pigs.

    Simple mixtures of gelatin (hide glue) and water have been used in woodworking for thousands of years and in book binding for at least 200 years. Modern animal glues contain not only gelatin and water but also performance modifiers such as plasticizers, sugars, salts, surfactants, defoamers, and biocides. These glues are sold in gelled cake form and are liquefied for use by heating to 150°F. The performance of modern animal glue formulations is much improved over the simple gelatin/water mixtures of the past. The formulations are tailored for each application by modifying parameters such as the level of tack, open time (speed of set), and viscosity. For example, L.D. Davis Industries produces over 100 different animal-glue formulations with open times ranging from two seconds to three minutes.

    In the bindery, animal glues are used in hardcover case making, perfect binding, and back lining. The major advantage of animal glues, and the reason they’re still being used 60 years after the advent of synthetic adhesives, is that they possess excellent initial wet tack. In other words, when an animal-glue adhesive film is applied, it is immediately very tacky. This property allows the use of animal glues when a glued turned edge is needed. The major limitation of animal glues is their lack of specific adhesion. Animal glues form only mechanical bonds. This means that they adhere well to porous surfaces but poorly to some coatings and all nonporous substrates such as metals and plastics. Animal glues are outperformed in some ways by synthetic adhesives but persist because of their unique property of excellent wet tack, which remains unmatched by any synthetic aqueous adhesive.

    Resin Emulsions

    Adhesives based on resin emulsions have a very brief history compared to that of animal glues. Up until the 1940s, the major adhesives in use were natural polymers dispersed in water such as starches, dextrins, and animal glues. After World War II, scientists extended the technology for the emulsion polymerization of synthetic rubber (developed for the war effort) to the production of plastics. This gave birth to adhesives based on resin emulsions. These adhesives are commonly called liquid glues, white glues, or cold glues because of their appearance (see Figure 1) and use at ambient temperature. Resin emulsions are stable dispersions of polymer microparticles (0.1-1.0 micrometer in size) in water. In other words, they are mixtures of tiny plastic particles in water. The polymer microparticles can be composed of “homopolymer,” which is usually polyvinyl acetate produced by the polymerization of vinyl acetate. Alternatively, the polymer microparticles can be composed of “copolymer,” which is formed when vinyl acetate is copolymerized with ethylene (vinyl acetate ethylene) or an acrylate (vinyl acetate acrylate). The copolymers possess better adhesive properties and are more flexible than the homopolymer, but they are more expensive to produce. In addition, rubber-based polymer emulsions can be used to formulate pressure-sensitive adhesives.

    Resin emulsions adhesives are formulated by blending one or more resin emulsions with modifiers such as plasticizers, surfactants, defoamers, polyvinyl alcohols, thickeners, fillers, adhesion promoters, and biocides. Various types of adhesives can be tailored in this way for properties such as speed of set, viscosity based on the application method (roller, extrusion nozzle, spray, silk screen, or brush), specific adhesion required, and level of lay-flat needed to avoid warping. The most common uses for these adhesives in the bindery are casing-in and end-sheet tipping. The major advantages of these liquid glues are their good specific adhesion to many surfaces and the ease of use due to their ambient application temperature. The major drawbacks are the lack of immediate wet tack and the need for at least one of the two bonding surfaces to be absorbent. When a bonding situation is encountered where excellent wet tack is not necessary and the surfaces are absorbent, liquid glues are usually the best choice.

    Hot Melts

    Hot melts also have a relatively brief history, with commercial use limited to the past 50-60 years. Hot melt adhesives are polymer-based and are 100 percent solids (contain no solvents or water). They are thermoplastic, which means they are solids at room temperature but liquefy upon heating and solidify again upon cooling. This property gives hot melts a fast setting speed if desired. The lack of water and solvents allows hot melts to attain peak bonding strength very quickly (as soon as they cool).

    Hot melts are typically composed of four major components: polymer, tackifying resin, wax, and antioxidant. The polymers used for most hot melts utilized in the bindery are ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and styrene block copolymer (SBC, for pressure-sensitive hot melts). The polymer component of a hot melt determines its strength, toughness, and flexibility. Tackifying resins control the adhesion and hot tack properties of hot melts. They can be synthetic hydrocarbons or natural pine rosin or rosin derivatives. Waxes are selected for controlling the open time and set speed of the hot melt. Antioxidants are added to improve the pot life (preventing charring and other oxidation reactions). Plasticizers and/or diluents also are sometimes added to improve the flow characteristics and modify the viscosity and open time of the hot melt. Hot melts are normally applied at a temperature of 350°F, but lower temperature versions are available and can be applied as low as 250°F. Application methods include roller, extrusion nozzle, and spray. Hot melts bond mainly by mechanical means in that the polymeric components wet out and penetrate the bonding surfaces prior to solidifying as they cool. When adhering to thermoplastic surfaces (plastics, polyolefin laminates, and some coatings), bonding is very similar to welding due to the temperature of the hot melt when it’s applied.

    PUR (reactive polyurethane) hot melts are a more recent development for perfect binding and are largely different from the EVA and SBC hot melts described above. They polymerize when applied so that they form much stronger bonds than traditional hot melts. They also possess superior flexibility and can withstand a larger range of temperatures. PUR is currently much more expensive than traditional EVA hot melts (2-4X), but application rates are much lower.

    The most common uses for these adhesives in the bindery are perfect binding spine glue, side glue, gluing off/up, and back lining. The major advantages of hot melts are the excellent immediate (green) tack, the quick achievement of final bond strength, very good adhesion to many surfaces, and excellent shelf life. The major limitations for hot melts are the suspect nature of the hot melt bond at temperatures over 150°F due to its thermoplasticity and safety issues due to the use of high temperatures. Hot melt adhesives are an excellent choice when bonding difficult substrates where immediate tack is needed.

    Conclusion

    Since World War II there has been a great development of adhesive technology, providing the bindery with a large variety of adhesives – an embarrassment of riches. For every adhesive need in the bindery, an animal glue, resin emulsion, or hot melt can be selected to meet all desired criteria for tack level, open time, set speed, flexibility, bond strength, application method, and temperature stability.

    In part two of this series, we’ll investigate the environmental impact of adhesive use in the bindery.

    Acknowledgement

    The author would like to thank Kevin Rodeck of IFS Industries for his assistance.

    Dr. Ken Kroeger has been the research and development manager for L.D. Davis Industries for the past thirteen years and is an adjunct professor of chemistry and physics at Wingate University. He has an undergraduate chemistry degree from the University of Dayton and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Colorado at Boulder. In addition to adhesives, Dr. Kroeger has experience working in the fields of macromolecular X-ray crystallography, atmospheric chemistry, isotope separation, and explosive and pyrotechnic chemistry. L.D. Davis Industries, Inc. is an 84 year-old family-owned company manufacturing both animal glues and resin emulsion adhesives, as well as distributing multiple lines of hot melts for the graphic arts, rigid box, packaging, and other industries. For more information, call (800)883-6199 or visit www.lddavis.com.

    The ‘Green’ Direction: Binding and Loose Leaf Companies Weigh in on Sustainability

    by: Renée Varella

    Although the “green” phenomenon has not swept binderies or loose leaf manufacturers like it has other industries, several authorities in the field say it is just a matter of time. Reasons for both types of companies to address the sustainability issue range from “It’s the right thing to do for the environment” and “Customers are demanding green options” to “A commitment to sustainability will differentiate your business from the competition” and “It’s an excellent opportunity to find ways to reduce costs and increase productivity.”

    “A focus on sustainability equals a focus on social responsibility, the environment, and the economics of operating our businesses,” noted Kris Bovay, general manager of Pacific Bindery in Vancouver, British Columbia, and board member of the Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) Partnership. “Our customers and our markets are, or soon will be, demanding sustainability commitments. For example, in the province of British Columbia, there is a Sustainability Purchasing Network (www.buysmartbc.com) of large corporate buyers who want to deal only or primarily with sustainable printers and binderies.” Bovay also is a board member and vice chair of the Binding Industries of America (BIA) board of directors.

    Another industry colleague believes sustainability is all about consumers: “The motivating factor for going green is the fact that it’s a customer-driven phenomenon,” said Gary Jones, director of environmental, health, and safety affairs for Printing Industries of America (PIA) in Sewickley, Pa. “We’re in the midst of a fundamental change – and I don’t think it’s going to go away, although it is hard to predict exactly where it’s going. Business has always been about price, quality, and service, but now you have to add what you’re doing to protect the environment.”

    Jeff Hunter, president of Federal Looseleaf in Minneapolis, Minn., considers recycling and other green initiatives a customer-driven solution – and a good way for a business to be Lean. “I’ve had customers ask us whether we use electrical- or gas-powered pallet jacks,” he said. (For the record, the company uses human-powered pallet jacks.) “We don’t let any equipment ‘hum and run,’ and we turn off lights and reuse and recycle ring mechanisms, chip board, and vinyl. It just makes good business sense to salvage over-runs, recycle at the curb, and be energy-efficient.”

    Richard Senior, president of Duraweld Limited in Scarborough, England, and BIA chairman, noted that the industry needs to embrace environmental stewardship for its own sake: “It is becoming increasingly important that companies become green not just to get orders or get on recommended supplier lists but because they actually care how they affect the planet,” he said. And while Senior said the current economic situation has shown a slippage of green initiatives in favor of the cheapest price, he’s confident that the sustainability movement is here to stay.

    Knowing the Lingo

    For starters, companies considering green initiatives must understand widely used environmental terms. Below are several definitions from the SGP Partnership, a certification organization that recognizes facilities that have met sustainable manufacturing and business practices. (For more on SGP – plus a study on the recyclability of foil-decorated paper – see the box on page 25.)

    • Carbon footprint: The total set of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event, or product, commonly measured in metric equivalent units of carbon dioxide (CO2e). It is meant to be a useful metric for individuals and organizations as they conceptualize their personal (or organizational) impact on global warming.
    • Carbon neutral/Carbon neutrality: Refers to a net zero carbon release, brought about by balancing the amount of carbon released with the amount prevented, sequestered, or offset.
    • Carbon offset: The mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions by offsetting emissions generated in one location with emissions reductions or displacements in another where it is technically and/or economically more feasible to achieve those reductions. Carbon offsets are measured in metric equivalent units of carbon dioxide (CO2e). Carbon offsets can be purchased and traded through financial instruments representing greenhouse gas emission reductions.
    • Cradle-to-cradle: A system by which materials are maintained in closed loops from creation to final fate to maximize material value without damaging ecosystems. Cradle-to-cradle protocols minimize waste through recycling and reuse, rather than disposal.
    • Greenwashing: The unjustified appropriation of environmental virtue by a company, industry, government, politician, or even non-government organization to create a pro-environmental image or sell a product or a policy (definition attributed to Sourcewatch).
    • Sustainability: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (definition attributed to World Commission on Environment and Development).

    Industry Challenges – and Payoffs

    If implementing sustainable practices in a formal, organized manner was easy, every binding or loose leaf business would already be on board. “The most important challenge a company faces is making everybody internally, from top to bottom, agree on the environmental policy and then carry it out in practice,” Senior said. “We’re trying to steer customers in a green direction but, believe it or not, our customer service staff still has a knee-jerk reaction to quote what the customer wants rather than suggest what might be better.” He noted that other challenges include how to cut energy consumption, reduce waste, and recycle – not just send items for recycling.

    Bovay noted some additional challenges, including customers who don’t want to pay the price of more environmentally friendly products – particularly in these cost-conscious times – and developing cost and production efficiencies to make sustainability practices affordable. Other issues include developing systems and processes to assess reductions in material costs, utilities, and waste disposal costs as well as cost improvements and efficiencies in health and safety, operating, maintenance and replacement, and legal and insurance.

    “Socially responsible binderies are at a cost disadvantage from those that keep labor costs down and pay the least they can,” Bovay added. “And you need to consider that binderies compete not only with other binderies but with their own customers – i.e., printers, most of whom have their own in-house bindery services and can spread that cost amongst more people and more processes.”

    The good news is that companies implementing sustainability goals are seeing positive results. For example, Duraweld has invested in recycling, including recycling equipment, and in energy-saving machines, lights, etc. Plus, the company soon will attempt to recycle rainwater through its toilets. “As a result, we’ve reduced energy consumption, reduced what we send to the landfill by about 30 percent, and realized an income stream from our surplus segregated polypropylene, PVC, and card waste,” Senior said. “And, although it took us nearly a year, we were the first in Europe to create our own 100 percent recycled clear polypropylene from production waste.”

    According to Hunter, Federal Looseleaf has had success producing 100 percent recycled binders – a polyplastic version and one with recycled wood products. “Our binders are close to closing the loop environmentally – a customer can recycle the binder case at the curb with his cereal boxes and the ring mechanism with his metal cans,” he said.

    Pacific Bindery has invested in lowering its energy costs and has optimized its closed waste paper handling system. “In an average year, we recycle 1,300 tons of waste paper,” Bovay said. “We also have reduced our use of plastic containers, solvents, rags, strapping and wrapping, and recycle what we do use – sending less waste to landfills.” And although the economic downturn has hurt recycling revenue, Pacific Bindery’s environmental initiatives return approximately $70,000 to the bottom line in an average year.

    What’s Right for You?

    Industry leaders agree that not every bindery or loose leaf operation will go in the green direction. The key, they said, is to assess your customer base to determine how important an environmental focus is to the markets you serve. A good way to begin, Jones said, is to talk with your top customers and learn whether customers are making environmental commitments, and one good place to start is to review their websites. That said, Jones acknowledged that an environmental focus requires a business to undergo a “culture change” – where everyone in the workforce becomes involved in the process – and that some companies will determine, for a variety of reasons, that such change is not necessary.

    If you decide to forgo green initiatives, Jones still recommends putting in place an effective energy management system, citing the price of fossil fuels and the push by various levels of government to reduce greenhouse gases. Efficiency ideas include buying Energy Star-compliant appliances and equipment when replacing old models; installing motion detectors in low-traffic areas; eliminating screen savers on computers; and installing more energy-efficient lighting. He also encourages companies to think of the energy-management and green plan as a continuous-improvement project. “Go through each department and think about how to reduce waste and cut costs,” he said. “Start with the easiest to implement – you don’t have to spend a lot of money.”

    Of course, keeping up with environmental issues and figuring out how to respond to them given your market is no easy task. But industry leaders note that taking the first few steps can make a big difference. “The companies that are enjoying the greatest success from a business-retention, business-generation, and cost-savings perspective are those that are making the transition to green,” Jones said. “They’re harnessing the power of their workforce to reduce operating costs, cut energy consumption and waste, and finding recycling opportunities.”

    On the Forefront

    If your company is ready to take on sustainability, Bovay has this advice: 1) Start the dialogue with your suppliers. “Begin to apply some pressure on them to look at developing more environmentally friendly alternatives that work,” she said. 2) Take one small step at a time. “You don’t need certification to do the right things. However, a certification process will help to guide you and hold you accountable.” 3) Reduce waste and work with environmentally safe (or safer) materials. “Develop socially responsible policies and practices, and focus on a differentiation strategy that includes a commitment to sustainability.”

    “Most environmental care is common sense and starts by looking at yourself and how wasteful you are – and then going forward from there,” Senior added. “Do not be afraid to stick your neck out, and do not be afraid to challenge normal unethical practices.”

    Industry Update: Sustainability Certification, Recyclability Study of Foil-Decorated Product
    To promote green initiatives in the print and graphic communications industry, the Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) Partnership was founded as an independent certification organization in 2007. According to Gary Jones, director of environmental, health, and safety affairs for Printing Industries of America in Sewickley, Pa., printers can apply to become a “Sustainable Green Printer” – and now the SGP is working on creating certification criteria for binderies and finishers, including loose leaf companies.”When SGP circulated its draft document two years ago, I expressed interest in offering input on the ‘bindery version’ of the policy,” said Kris Bovay, general manager of Pacific Bindery in Vancouver, British Columbia, and SGP board member. Bovay and other members of an SGP technical advisory committee met for the first time in April to begin developing certification standards for binderies and finishers. “Understand that certification only offers a unique differentiation in the early days of the program – so don’t ‘do certification’ just for the marketing benefit; do it because it’s the right thing to do,” Bovay added. “The businesses that are best, and honest and ethical in their sustainability commitment and approach, are recognized as leaders.”

    Another issue for binderies concerns the recyclability of foil-decorated projects from printing customers. Last fall the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) commissioned a study by Pira International, an independent research firm in Surrey, England, to evaluate the repulpability of foil-decorated paper/board. The evaluation included foil-decorated product that represented 25 to 100 percent post consumer waste and that was utilized from both hot foil stamping and cold foil processes. The study concluded that neither hot nor cold foil-decorated products would yield the kinds of problems found in other decorating processes that might render them unsuitable for recycling. To obtain a copy of the 14-page study, call the FSEA at (785) 271-5816 or email jeff@fsea.com. For more on the SGP certification program, visit www.sgppartnership.org.