Profit By Mechanical Binding
Published in Instant & Small Commercial Printer
Some printed products should be mechanically bound. For example, cookbooks that lie flat are easier to use than ones that don't. Decision-makers may overlook something as important as binding style because they're struggling with content and distribution issues. The printer that asks, "Have you considered mechanical binding?" is a better resource than the one that doesn't. Just because you've won a job doesn't mean you should stop giving information. Continuous "up-selling" provides your clients with more options, enhances product functionality, improves customer loyalty and increases
your bottom line.
Mechanically bound products look great, lie flat and have a high-perceived value. End-users appreciate mechanical binding's superior functionality for products like computer and equipment manuals, calendars, reference guides, cookbooks and maps. Informed print buyers understand that perfect binding is an imperfect substitute for high value mechanical binding. Since printers make more money on higher priced jobs, reminding them about better binding options makes sense.
Mechanical Binding Choices
The four major families of mechanical binding are: Wire-O (Wire-O is a registered trademark of James Burn International), plastic coil, spiral wire and GBC. Since each binding type has different advantages, printers that know mechanical binding bring greater value to the selling process and will gain a distinct market advantage.
Wire-O
Wire-O (a.k.a. double loop wire) is the strongest of the metal wire binding types, opens 360°, doesn't "step-up" and is usually considered the most attractive mechanical binding option. Wire-O isn't affected by extreme temperatures and is capable of binding book blocks up to 1 1/8". When products have crossovers (photos, illustrations, maps, borders, etc.), Wire-O is an excellent choice because its pages don't step-up when turned. Wire-O is much stronger than its cousin spiral wire because it uses twice as much wire per linear inch.
Plastic Coil
Like Wire-O, plastic coil is an attractive mechanical binding option that opens 360°. However, plastic coil steps-up and crossover images must be carefully planned for. Although plastic coil binding is usually a slow manufacturing process, book blocks up to 1¾" are common and even thicker books can be bound with special coil. Unlike Wire-O, plastic coil is extremely durable. Wire-O elements are ruined if bent out of shape, whereas plastic coil elements spring right back to normal even if they're squashed. Contemporary looking plastic coil is an excellent and durable choice for short to medium runs.
Spiral Wire
Spiral wire is an inexpensive mechanical binding option. However, it has half the strength of Wire-O, steps-up and isn't regarded as attractive because of the binding element's thin appearance.
GBC
GBC (a.k.a. cerlox) binding maybe used for book blocks as thick as 2¾", has no step-up and can have a silk-screened spine. However, GBC is subject to the same temperature limitations as plastic coil, requires a lot of labor and is considered by many designers to have a "dated" look.
Plan for Mechanical Binding Success
Don't punch type. Based on our experience, punching into copy accounts for at least half of all mechanical binding problems. The formula for planning the minimum distance from copy to
spine edge is:
3/32" (hole-to-edge margin)
+ hole diameter (varies)
+ 1/8" (safety margin)
Inform your customers of better binding solutions. Delight them with your mechanical binding expertise. Increase their products' functionality and both of your bottom lines. Simultaneously.
