Allied Bindery

Bound for Excellence

Planning Successfully for Two Page Forms and Flysheets in Perfect Bound Projects

Tell a Perfect Binder Operator that he needs to bind a project containing two page forms or synthetic flysheets and he is likely to run for the hills, babbling incoherently. If your perfect binding project design requires the use of either two page forms or synthetic fly sheets, here are a few tips to help the project go smoothly, while allowing Perfect Binder Operators to maintain their sanity.

A two page form of any material is less stable and more difficult to feed and collate, on nearly any stock weight. Stock type and basis weight can exacerbate this challenge. A 50# basis weight text is the minimum that should be considered when a two page form must be planned when using offset or coated stocks. Below a 50# basis weight, the mechanical calipers on the collator, designed to detect a mis-feed or double feed, simply will not work. Mechanical calipers are not sensitive enough to detect a form this thin. Two page forms on stock weights less than 50# basis weight could be missed during the feeding process and not discovered. This results in missing pages in the final product. If you must include a two page form(s) in your perfect bound project, consider increasing the basis weight of the stock to at least 60#. The additional paper cost will go a long way toward avoiding the production of a book with missing pages. An alternative planning option is to combine the two page form with other signature page count options. For example, combine the two-page and a four page into a six page signature. Or, redesign a two page and an eight page form to create six page and four page signatures. Allied Bindery can help you get creative in your planning approach, while helping to minimize potential production and quality problems.

Synthetic stocks, often used for flysheets, create additional challenges. A basis weight of 30# will not only be too thin to detect through the pocket feeder calipers, but the stock itself will have a tendency to curl into a cylinder shape. The curling of thin, synthetic stock generally takes place immediately after the flat cutting process. Curled stock simply will not feed through a collator pocket. The curling sequence can take place so rapidly that the synthetic sheet will often curl between the collator pocket and the binder. When this phenomenon occurs, the sheet will likely be bound crookedly into the spine of the book. Allied Bindery recommends synthetic stocks with a minimum basis weight of 32# to minimize the potential for curling.

 

Printing Impressions Magazine Article on the History of PUR at Allied Bindery

Allied Bindery : Quality Creates Confidence

March 2012

While binding is only 10 to 15 percent of the cost to manufacture a book, its value is immeasurable. Allied Bindery, of Madison Heights, MI, has always endeavored to make receiving that full value effortless for its customers. Allied’s primary goal is to produce a high-quality book, and a close second is to allow for flexibility. Being an early embracer of hot melt polyurethane (PUR) adhesive for spine gluing has helped it achieve both.

A trade binder in business since 1989, about a decade ago Allied noted an increased variety of paper stock coming in from printers. While traditional ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) adhesives were capable of handling many stocks, Allied recognized that PUR adhesives could accommodate virtually any stock. Combining that adaptability with PUR’s tolerance for extreme temperatures and excellent layflat properties, the shop decided to make it the standard on one of its two Kolbus binders.

The Kolbus KM470 binder came with a wheel pot applicator. The wheel pot was adequate for PUR adhesive application, but the open system resulted in daily residual adhesive waste, as well as extensive maintenance. In addition to labor-intensive, daily startup and shutdown processes, wheel pots require regular maintenance and refurbishing to stay in good working order. And, the open wheels were susceptible to contamination and foaming of the PUR, both of which negatively impact adhesive binding properties. Additionally, application control isn’t very precise, requiring over application of adhesive to ensure minimum coverage.

After some thorough research, Allied realized it could improve production efficiency and reduce waste and maintenance by using an extrusion application system. Working with Henkel, their adhesive supplier, Allied identified the Nordson BetterBook solution to meet the need for a closed extrusion system. The Better- Book solution incorporates a Nordson bulk melter and hose with its EP48V slot applicator to protect the adhesive from air/moisture exposure, while providing maximum application control.

“Some customers were initially concerned that PUR use would significantly increase the cost of the bookbinding process,” says Ed Doyle, managing director of Allied Bindery. “But, while PURs are more expensive than EVAs, use of the PUR extrusion application solution allows a 50 percent reduction in the volume of adhesive needed for proper bonding. And, the low-maintenance system also helps to reduce some labor overhead costs. The net result of PUR use is less than pennies per piece for a longer-lasting, finished book.”

Since Nordson’s is a closed system, the adhesive is protected from premature curing that starts as soon as the moisture in air reaches the adhesive. This means optimum bonding properties are retained by the PUR adhesive and eliminates the adhesive waste of having to dispose of exposed, prematurely-cured adhesive daily. And as the EP48V applicator uses slot and sniffback technology to limit exposure to air, adhesive system shutdown and startup are reduced to a matter of minutes rather than up to an hour for each process.

A Leader of the Pack

Always striving to be a leader rather than a follower, Allied was the first trade bindery to introduce PUR in the Upper Midwest and the first bindery in North America to implement extrusion application technology.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for Allied has been educating its customers. PURs do not support the main critical in-process test of bookbinders—the page pull test. While PURs develop the initial strength to be trimmed and shipped immediately, the traditional page pull test can not accurately be performed for approximately 24 hours. So, Allied has in place numerous quality checks, both automated and manual, visual and mechanical, to confirm spine glue application consistency in real time.

“You need to partner with your customers and your customers’ clients at the beginning of a project so that everybody understands the desired outcome and what is needed to achieve it,” says Doyle. “Part of this is project-specific education, but we also proactively send bi-weekly technical tips to keep customers up-to-date on process and material trends.”

Allied also became ISO 9001 certified to ensure a continuous commitment to structured, successful processes. It employees understand exactly what is important to the binding of every book, and the potential results if these exacting standards are not consistently met.

Currently, the ability to accommodate the increasingly short runs and finicky raw materials has Allied expanding into the world of digital print finishing. This is the next logical step for the establishment to continue to be a full-service bindery that’s partnering with its customers. PI

http://www.piworld.com/article/allied-bindery-uses-nordson-system-pur-adhesive-spine-glue-books-418714/1

To Knock Out or Not To Knock Out

A common question asked of Allied Bindery is whether or not the spine area of a perfect bound book needs to be “knocked out”. For non-printers, this question revolves around whether a coating (varnish, aqueous, ink or UV) can be applied to the spine area of the book cover, without negatively impacting adhesion.

If the spine area of a book cover must be knocked out, the printer must cut away a portion of the printing blanket. This cut away portion will then prevent coating from being applied to the press sheet. By not applying a coating to the spine area of the book cover, the adhesive will do a better job of adhering text pages to the cover. However, the printer will be unable to use the printing blanket again, because it was customized for a specific job. This can be expensive and time consuming for the printer.

There are a couple of things to be considered when determining whether or not a “knock out” of the spine is required. When a book is to be bound with EVA adhesive, the spine area should be knocked out to achieve best results. Although EVA adhesives are a fine choice for many text sheets, they are not formulated to stick well to varnishes, aqueous coatings, heavy ink coverage, or UV Coatings that are often applied to book covers. Knocking out the spine and hinge score areas will result in the best overall adhesion.

Choosing PUR adhesive will help overcome several of the performance shortfalls of EVA adhesive. PUR will stick very well to varnish coatings, aqueous coatings and nearly all ink choices (metallic being an exception). If the printer is utilizing a UV coating on a book cover or the spine area of text sheets, it is still a good idea to knock out these areas. Although PUR may stick to a UV coating, the effectiveness of the adhesion is determined by the amount of silicone content and the resulting Dyne level of the coating. Since the silicone level in a UV coating is not controlled by the bindery, the risk of the PUR not sticking to UV coating is reasonably high. As a result, Allied Bindery recommends knocking out the spine and hinge score areas of a book cover when a UV coating is being used.

We encourage you to contact your Allied Bindery Representative to discuss project planning issues such as cover knock outs and coatings. Our experience and ideas will likely save you money or help avoid the creation of a production problem.

High Profile, High Use – PUR is the Only Choice

Polyurethane Reactive (PUR) adhesive has become the adhesive of choice for many printers and trade binderies during the past several years.  It has been particularly popular when matched with coated stock projects.  One of the most common questions that is posed to us is “When does it make sense to use PUR?”

Allied Bindery was an industry leader for the introduction of PUR and we have experienced a significant growth in the use of PUR during the past several years.  We recommend that the following attributes be used as a guideline for choosing PUR for your binding projects:

Coated Stock – particularly 70# basis weight and greater.  The heavier the basis weight of the stock, the more stress that is placed on the glue line when pages are flexed (turned) by the end user.

  • Cross Grain Stocks – whether coated or uncoated.  A short grain stock simply does not have the fiber exposure and fiber length to create a strong page pull or flex result when paired with an Ethyl Vinyl Acetate (EVA) adhesive.
  • Mixed Stocks – PUR is the superior choice when a project utilizes mixed text stocks with a variety of fiber characteristics.
  • Synthetic Stocks – With no fiber available, an EVA will quickly fail.  PUR adheres via a chemical melding versus a “mechanical” glue bind.  PUR is the best choice for synthetic stocks.
  • Full Ink Coverage – In general, inks and most coatings will not repel PUR as they will EVA adhesives.  If your project includes a full ink or coating coverage into the spine grind area, consult with your Allied Bindery representative so that we can guide you with respect to knock outs.
  • High Use Products – Catalogs, Directories and Text Books are examples of products subject to a high usage rate, which must also stand the test of time.  PUR provides vastly superior page pull and flex results that allow for a high usage rate without the spine breaking down.
  • Extreme Heat or Cold – EVA adhesives will cold crack at just less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit and re-soften at 120 degrees Fahrenheit.  If you have products that will be stored or used in extreme cold or hot climate conditions, PUR provides superior results.

Planning for Layflat Perfect Bound Books

Your customer has just requested a perfect bound book with enhanced capabilities to lie flat when opened.  You check your list of trade
bindery service providers and see that some of them promote the ability to
produce Layflat Binding (or Stayflat or Otabind).  Problem solved, right?

Not necessarily.  There are several critical planning steps that must be considered during the design and prepress stages of the project that ultimately determine the cosmetic and functional success or failure of the book.

A successful Layflat binding style is accomplished by building the book so that the spine of the book block is not attached to the spine of the book cover as with a standard perfect bound product.  The Layflat book block must first be adhered to a fabric liner rather than a book cover.  The bound book block will then be attached to the cover between a pair of hinge scores specifically placed on the front and back cover.  This design allows the spine
of the book cover to separate from the book block when the book is opened,
allowing the spine of the book block to float above the book cover.  This design reduces resistance and allows for an enhanced Layflat characteristic when the book is opened.

In order to build a successful Layflat product, design and prepress planning must incorporate specific requirements for hinge scores, graphics and text placement on the covers and interior text pages.  Design requirements must also provide consideration for cross alignments, page borders, and if necessary, drill hole placement.  Failure to plan for these critical characteristics will result in an unhappy customer.

The Sales and Planning Professionals at Allied Bindery are prepared to assist you with the critical planning requirements for Layflat Binding.
Give us a call and let us show you how we can help ensure a successful
project for you.