Does IBIS recommend operation in-line with the digital printer or off-line
from a pile feeder or near line from a roll unwinder and web-cutter?
Answer: : There are many factors to consider in order
to make this decision. However, as a general rule operation
in-line with the printer/web cutter or the web unwinder/cutter
is recommended if the booklet format size changes infrequently.
Off-line operation from a pile feeder is recommended if a range
of different book format sizes is needed.
In-line operation may sometimes benefit from use of the optional
SBS-100
sheet buffer module.
Can a Smart-binder system be configured to run in-line with a
digital printer, but also have the capability of being fed with
sheets from other printers?
Answer: Yes. This is done by selecting the feeder option
SB-097
which provides the ability to feed the machine from a sheet
pile feeder while retaining the ability to alternatively run
in-line from the web cutter.
What are the max and min book thicknesses that the
Smart-binder can produce?
Answer: The maximum book thickness is 60mm (2.36mm”).
However this is only possible with the SB-4 or SB-5 (using PB-600
or PB-1500 perfect binder). The Smart-binder saddlebinder is
limited to 10 mm (0.4”) max book thickness..
The minimum book thickness is one folded sheet (4 pages), but
producing very thin books may require the maximum sheet input
rate to be reduced in order to avoid exceeding the maximum Smart-binder
output rate of 116 cycles/min. Good quality paper stock, min
80 gsm (with grain parallel to spine), must be used if running
single folded sheets (4 pages) through the Smart-binder to produce
a document containing only 4 pages.
The use of options such as Loop stitching (LST-100), Folder
(F-100 or RF-100),
Center-knife option (CKN-100
or 101) and/or the Spine squaring option (SM-101)
will reduce maximum book thickness.
What maximum system operating speed and
efficiency can be expected?
Answer: Answer: The maximum input web speed
(in-line or near-line operation) is 100 -130 meters/min without
an extra buckle folder (4-page increments) This can be increased
to around 180 metres/min with extra F-100
/ F101 buckle folder (8-page increments). The F-200 selective folder
is available to enable high web speeds while retaining 4 page increments.
The maximum speed when running off-line (from a sheet pile
feeder) is around 400 sheets/min (a sheet normally contains
4 –pages, but may alternatively contain 8 or 12 pages if
the extra F-100 / F101 folder is selected).
The maximum Smart-binder cycling speed for saddle-stitching is
7,000 cycles/hour or 14,000 books/hour (2-up). The actual booklet
output rate is the sheet input rate divided by the number of sheets
in the book (excluding a separately-fed cover sheet), providing
this does not exceed 7000 cycles/hour (or 5,500 cycles/hour if using
the SB-X.
The system efficiency depends on the complexity of the system
(how many different elements are in use). For the Smart-binder
itself (in-line or near-line), we suggest to plan on an operating
efficiency of about 90%, unless it is being used to produce
an unusual or difficult job which may reduce this running efficiency.
Efficiencies in excess of 90% are achievable with some in-line
Smart-binders running straightforward near-line job applications.
Efficiencies slightly lower that 90% might be expected for an
off-line Smart-binder due to the time needed to reload the feeder.
Can the Smart-binder produce perfect-bound books (using hot glue)
and what advantages does the Smart-binder have over other systems
when making these types of books?
Answer: The SB-4 can create ISG cold-glued ‘signatures’
containing typically 16- 28 pages (variable) and collect these signatures
together before feeding them into the PB-600B or PB-1500W perfect
binder. Hot-glue (EVA or PUR) is applied to the booklet spine in
the perfect binder and the cover is attached, resulting in very
strong books. If the signatures are pre-glued inside using ISG cold-glue,
then the spines do not need to be cut off in the binder clamp. This
avoids dust/noise being created and makes the process more operator-friendly.
The ISG cold glue may in some cases be better than hot-glue for
use with hot, dry digitallyprinter papers, but may not provide
such good adhesion as hot-glue when using heavily coated papers.
The model SB-5 produces conventional perfect-bound books from
stacks of loose sheets (hot-glue only).
How can smaller book format sizes
be best produced when running in-line with a digital web printer
or from a pre-printed roll?
Answer: Small book formats can be easily produced in-line
with a digital web printer by using a web which is double the
book width (plus a little extra to allow for trim-off). However
this web width may be much narrower than the printer maximum
so in this case. It is more efficient for the printer to run
a ‘wide’ web. In this case IBIS offer two different
solutions to produce small format booklets from a wide web,
RF-100 and TUSDC-100
What is the lightest weight paper stock
that the Smart-binder can handle?
Answer: Paper stocks as light as 40 gsm are possible,
but sheets lighter than 50 gsm must normally be buckle-folded
first using the optional in-line F-100
/ F-101 / F-200 folder, before entering the Smart-binder infeed,
or run at a much reduced speed. Maximum speeds may have to be
reduced if running paper stocks less than 60 gsm without using
the extra buckle folder.
Can the Smart-binder
produce personalized saddle-bound books with a constantly changing
number of pages (without stopping for adjustment)?
Answer: Yes. The Smart-binder saddle-binder was designed
to continually vary book thickness on-the-run and track each
page using bar codes to ensure page sequence security. Each
book can contain a different number of pages between 8 and 200
(if using IBIS's ISG cold glue binding system) or within a range
of about plus/minus 3mm (if using wire stitching).
Can the Smart-binder saddle-stitcher handle personalized
book covers (or covers with cutout
windows)?
Answer: The Smart-binder cover feeder can be fitted
with an optional Bar code reader BCR-105
(or 2D code reader DCR-101)
to ensure than each personalised cover sheet contains the same
unique book ID number as the content sheets coming from the
digital printer. If there is a cover mismatch then the Smart-binder
will automatically stop and the touch screen will inform the
operator of the reason for this stop.
After such a stop the operator must manually recover the correct
cover sequence which will cause extra machine down-time. It
is sometimes preferred therefore to feed covers with cutout
windows which allow the personalized name and address to show
through the window from the digital print on the first inside
page. This ‘personalizes’ the booklet from the outside
without requiring a personalized cover sheet.
Optional Cover-matching control systems are also available
for the perfect binders.
What are the benefits
and/or risks of using IBIS’s unique ISG cold-glue system
instead of wire staples to make saddle-bound booklets?
- Cold gluing results in a much higher page pull strength, particularly
on the outside and middle sheets. (However, note that ISG glue
strength may be reduced if using coated and non-absorbent papers).
- Cold glued books lie much flatter than wire-stitched books
because wire-stitching crushes and opens up the book spine,
and because the moisture in the cold glue weakens the glue fibers
resulting in a much tighter ‘set' to the sheet folds. Flat
lying books are extremely important if envelope-inserting these
booklets after binding.
- Cold gluing is easier to use than wire-stitching because
no adjustments are needed when changing book size or thickness.
- Cold glued books are easier to recycle compared with wire-stitched
books
- Cold glued books look better and contain no risk of damage
to a child’s fingers (as can exist with wire staples).
- An optical sensor constantly monitors the glue application
and stops the machine immediately if the glue is not being applied
to the book
- The cold glue system requires less maintenance than stitching
heads
- Booklets bound with ISG cold glue show evidence of any pages
which have been removed by the end-user (if the paper stock
is uncoated and absorbent). This can be important when producing
insurance documents.
Note: For these reasons many Smart-binder users prefer to
use ISG cold glue instead of wire-staples. However, two disadvantages
of ISG cold glue are that the bond strength is reduced if used
heavily coated paper stocks, and also the booklets may not lay-open
so readily (the lay flat is better than wire-stitching but the
lay-open is not as good as stitching.)
How does the cost of cold glue
compare with the cost of wire staples?
Anwer: The consumable cost of cold glue is generally
similar to the cost of wire stapling (cold gluing is slightly
cheaper when making thin booklets and slightly more expensive
when making very thick booklets)
Can the Smart-binder saddle-stitcher change covers automatically on-the-run
and/or feed insert sheets inside the book?
Answer: Yes the Smart-binder saddle-stitcher may be
fitted with cover/insert feeder CIF-102
and an additional cover/insert feeder CIF-101.
Feeder #2 may be loaded with the next cover while the current
cover is feeding from feeder #1.
Alternatively, the additional cover feeder CIF-101 may be used
to feed a pre-printed insert sheet at any position inside the
book.
Note: if the insert must be in the center
of the book (or is fed from the feeder CIF-101) then there must
be a gap large enough between sheets coming from the printer
into which to feed the insert.
Note: any inserted sheets will be bound into the book. If a
loose insert is required then this must be inserted into the
book using a separate post-trimmer inserter machine.
How frequently must the cover pile be
replenished
Answer: It depends on whether the optional CAL-101
‘Cover Autoloader’ is fitted or not. Without
the Autoloader the max pile height is about 20mm, but this increases
to about 200mm if the Autoloader is used thereby greatly increasing
the time between reloads. The actual time between reloads depends
on the running speed and the average number of pages in the
booklets. The thinner the booklet the faster the covers
must be fed and the feeder must then be reloaded more frequently.
How much time is needed to reload the
SB-095 or SB-097 sheet pile feeders and how
frequently must they be reloaded?
Answer: The SB-095
and SB-097
feeders can accept up to about 5,000 sheets. The time
between reloads depends on how fast the machine is running and
the average number of pages in the booklets.
The Smart-binder must be stopped to reload the sheet pile feeder.
The reload time depends on whether one of the optional loading
trolley systems (PLT-100
or HPL-100)
is used or not. Allow for a few minutes to reload without the
trolley system or about 35 secs with the trolley system (if
trolley is already loaded in advance).
Can the Smart-binder saddle-stitcher produce books with perforated sheets, ie tear-out pages?
Answer: Yes. The optional DMP-100
Dynamic micro-perforator system may be integrated just before
the Smart-binder folder. This allows any sheet to receive a
perforation (perf) line at any position parallel to the sheet
flow direction. A bar-code digit on each sheet controls whether
that sheet is to receive a perf line or not. Each perf wheel
is individually controlled so a sheet may receive a perf line
on one side, but not the other side, or both sides together.
The DMP-101
system offers 4 perf heads instead of 2.
Can the Smart-binder produce books with
holes?
Answer: Yes. Both hole drilling and (lower cost) hole
punching modules are available to be connected on-line with
the Smart-binder delivery.
A single corner hold punch CHP-100
is also available to be installed inside the standard SB trimmer
Can the Smart-binder produce books with loop stitches to fit
into ring binders?
Answer: Yes. The standard wire stitched heads may be
exchanged for loop-stitch heads. In this case the stitcher drive
upgrade LSM-100 must also be selected because loop heads require
additional drive force.
Can the Smart-binder be fitted with an
automatic book stacker and strapper?
Answer: Yes. A variety of stacking, wrapping and/or
strapping/banding modules are available for direct connection
to the Smart-binder delivery. See automatic book stackers BSS-10
or pile strapper PS-100
Can the Smart-binder
produce saddle-bound books with spines that have been pressed
into a 'square' shape?
Answer: IBIS offers two different tyupes of spine squarer
(the SM-101
or the heavier duty ARSD-S-100)
that can press book spines into a square shape and can be fitted
directly to the Smart-binder delivery conveyor.
See section 7.4 of our Smart
Binder Product Guide for more information
Can saddle-bound
booklets be made 'two-up' by using a trimmer center-knife and
what are the restrictions when using the center knife?
Answer: Yes. The Smart-binder has an optional center-knife
system CKN-100,
CKN-101, CKN-102 (with 6.3mm, 9.5mm or 0mm knife width respectively)
which results in two booklets being delivered side-by-side.
The minimum book spine length when using the 9.5mm trimmer center
knife is 95mm. The maximum book thickness when using the 6.3
or 9.5mm trimmer center knife is about 3- 4mm, but this can
be increased to 10mm if using the single-bladed center knife
CKN-102 . If using the trimmer center knife when wire-stitching,
then two extra stitch heads are normally required.
What is the minimum book spine length
and minimum book width?
Answer: For normal one-up production the minimum spine
length is 200mm. When using the optional center-knife CKN-101
for 2-up production then the minimum spine length is 95mm. The
stretched model SB-X must be used if spine lengths are between
150 and 210mm.
The minimum book width is normally 119mm, but a special modification
SBT-100 is available to reduce this dimension to 82.5mm if required
What is the maximum book spine length
and width?
Answer: The standard Smart-binder can produce a maximum
finished book size of 320mm (spine) x 230mm, less trim off..
The stretched model Smart-binder model SB-XW can produce a maximum
book size to 457mm (spine length) x 273mm (width), less trim
off.
What are the different ways the Smart-binder can produce A5
or 5 1/2 x 8 1/2" booklets?
Answer: The standard Smart-binder can produce A5 or
5 1/2 x 8 1/2" booklets in landscape format 2-up using
the optional trimmer
center-knife.
The extended model Smart-binder SB-X can produce A5
or 5 1/2 x 8 1/2" booklets in portrait format 2-up using
the optional trimmer center-knife.
The standard Smart-binder can produce A5 or 5 1/2 x 8 1/2"
booklets in portrait format directly from a narrow web (320mm
or 12" width) but it is inefficient for most web printers
to print on a narrow web. The standard Smart-binder can produce
A5 or 5 1/2 x 8 1/2" booklets in portrait format directly
from a wide web (450mm or 18") by either using the RF-100
rotator/folder or the TUSDC-100
modules
What are the options for removing trimmer
waste?
Answer: The normal waste removal system is a simple
inclined conveyor which delivers the trim-off paper strips into
a customer-supplied collection bin. Two different conveyor
systems are available, for delivery into either a small bin
(TWC-100)
or a large bin (TWC-101).
If the customer has a factory vacuum waste extract system,
then it is preferred to connect the Smart-binder to this instead
of using the normal waste conveyor. In this case we supply a
waste collection ‘chute’ with a circular outlet for
piping connection to customers extract system
What electrical power supply voltage
is needed for the Smart-binder?
Answer: Any 3 phase voltage supply may be used, but
voltages outside the 380 – 420 Volt range require the optional
voltage transformer TFR-100.
How can the normal tearing of the spine
corners be avoided when making very thick books?
Answer: The Smart-binder can be fitted with an optional
book clamp system (TCA-100
/ B0000586) that reduces or eliminates spine corner tearing.
This assembly is customized to suit a particular book width,
so the book width must be specified when ordering this option.
Can the Smart-binder be used in-line
with cut-sheet printers?
Answer: Yes. The Smart-binder SB-1 range is intended
for use with slower speed printers, such as cut-sheet printers.
A sheet rotator and/or sheet direction changer may be needed
in between the printer and the Smart-binder.
Note: Cut-sheet printers normally deliver large sheets short-edge
leading and small sheets long-edge leading. The Smart-binder
must receive sheets long-edge leading (for normal portrait format
booklet production).
When running a Smart-binder system in-line with a digital printer is it possible
to ‘buffer’ the sheets so the Smart-binder input speed
does not always have to be exactly the same as the Printer speed?
Answer: Yes, we offer the option SBS-100
buffer for this purpose. This SBS-100 module allows some very
thin booklets to be produced (if mixed with thicker booklets)
without reducing the in-line printer speed. It also allows the
Smart-binder to stop and start (i.e. to clear a paper jam) without
stopping the in-line web printer.
How important
is climate control when producing books or booklets?
Answer: The condition of the paper is a critical factor
in determining how well a high speed book-binding system will
perform. Factory air conditioning is particularly important
when external temperature and humidity is outside the normal
range. Hot and dry paper will attract much higher levels of
static charge which the environment must be carefully managed.
We recommend to maintain relative humidity within the range
40-60% and temperature between 18 and 25ºC (64 and 77ºF).
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