Putting mechanical binding elements into holes is easy. However, good job planning and communication, which is necessary for smooth mechanical binding production, can be challenging. Mechanical binding is an old term or title used to describe four kinds of binding systems: cerlox, plasticoil, spiral wire, and wire-O.
selecting the right mechanical binding style. For example, if a book has critical crossovers, such as maps, artwork, or diagrams, it would be best to choose Wire-O or cerlox because these styles open without stepping up or down. Likewise, if a book were to be held in one hand, such as equipment manuals or some maps, it would be wise to choose a binding style that opens 360-degrees. If the book will be exposed to extreme temperatures, don't choose plastic binding, such as cerlox, because it can melt or crack. If a book is to be sold in retail stores, spine printing might be important. Book thickness greatly affects page layout.
Thick books require stronger and larger binding elements which, in turn, demand larger punched holes. Bigger holes need to be punched deeper into the page, affecting the positioning of the artwork. For example, the two most common Wire-O pitch sizes are 3:1 (i.e. three holes per linear inch) and 2:1. Any book 1/2-inch thick or less will require 3:1 pitch wire, which means copy should be kept 3/8-inch away from the spine edge to avoid punching into type.
Books that are more than 1/2- inch thick will use 2:1 pitch wire, and because larger holes will be needed, add more punching margin by keeping copy 1/2-inch away from the spine. Punching into type is a common problem, but one that is easy to rectify. When confronted with inflexible design situations, ask if the back gauge on our punching machines can be moved. Sometimes this can buy you up to 1/16-inch without significantly sacrificing page pull strength.
Cerlox is a curved or rake-shaped plastic strip inserted through slots punched along the binding edge of the sheet.
A frequent question about Cerlox is how to Cerlox bind books so the title of the book can be read on a shelf. There are a number of ways to address this problem. Four methods (see diagrams below) will allow the title of the book to be read along the spine.
- The normal Cerlox-bound book
- A one-piece cover with a small portion of the rings exposed on the spine only.
- A one-piece cover that has no rings exposed on the front or spine. The rings appear only through the back cover.
- A one-piece cover with no rings showing on the front spine or back. The rings are punched and bound through the edge of the back panel, which has been folded back as a sixth page.
Plastic Coil is great for Children's Books, Cookbooks, or Directories.
The plastic coil is very durable and crush resistant.
Plastic elements are available in many colors.
Custom colors can be ordered if needed.
- Durable, Flexible, and Lightweight
- Attractive and Functional
- No sharp edges
- Plastic coil has the same uses and applications as Wire-O, but with added durability
This feature is intended to give you the relevant knowledge to fully exploit the great versatility and numerous uses of the Wire-O binding system. Unlike plastic and glue-based systems, with Wire-O binding the book will always open and stay completely flat - a major advantage. Wire-O is, therefore, a great idea for diaries, cook books, computer manuals, music books, instruction manuals etc, in any situation where the user needs to keep two hands free.
If fully open any other method of binding, e.g. glue based system, there is a risk that it will break - but not with Wire-O.
Wire-O's complete 'fold ability' is a great advantage for cook books, instruction manuals, textbooks, or any publication, which is used on a crowded working surface.
Complete freedom in the choice of materials for both text and covers - plus easy mixing of different materials in the same book.
Acetate or plastic, cartridge or art, thick or thin, all will go together - and stay together, with no adhesive to worry about.
Covers are of course extremely important - with Wire-O binding there are ten styles to choose from. This choice gives the designer the maximum flexibility in cover design.
Wire-O bound pages open and turn easily. The unique Wire-O hinge makes it easy to open pages regardless of the shape of the book, or whether it is hung, propped up, or laid flat.
Wire-O is offered in 8 standard finishes: white, black, blue, red, brown, green, brass, and silver.
A range of 11 pastel shades is also available. This permits a wide range of attractive and complementary color combinations between Wire- O, cover and text colors.
Full-page spreads can be taken right across the page. Complete double-page spreads are made simple. Wire-O holds both pages in perfect register without part of the image being lost in the spine, and is ideal for maps, larger illustrations, and full-page graphic displays.
Loose leaf is the most convenient method of updating publications such as product catalogs, training materials, directories and much more. Keystone provides a large assortment of ring binders and it's components such as tabs.
Custom imprinted with your company’s name, logo, or any other information screen-printed on your binders in your choice of standard ink colors. Vinyl binders are also available without imprinting. Call us for more information.
Artwork can be camera-ready line artwork or you can supply a disk. If your art includes halftones, bleeds or extremely close-register multiple color work we will have to see the art before the final acceptance of the order. The prices may vary slightly depending on the complexity of the artwork.
If you need assistance in preparing your artwork, we can help. Ask our Customer Service Representative about art charges and other information.
Padding can add a touch of class to any binder. It’s expensive but the end product is much more appealing than an unpadded binder. The foam (padding) is glued or laminated to the pasted chipboard inside the binder before the vinyl is sealed.
Easel binders are great for sales tools, workbooks, etc., but like so many great things, they are expensive. There are four different styles of easels, some more complicated than others and the overall delivery from the binder manufacturer is longer.
Silk screening is by far the most popular and versatile technique (and usually the most cost-effective). The silk screen process is done with special ink in one of many colors forced through a special stencil made from any design onto the vinyl surface. No dies or printing plates are used. You can’t always reproduce by silk screening what you may easily produce by lithography.
Vinyl is less porous than paper and therefore it tends to spread or bleed more easily. When possible, use large letters to allow the ink to spread. If large area ink coverage is used, then ink may have a tendency to rub off more easily than a comparable lithographed sheet. A UV ink allows for a more concise screen.
Binder Basics
Let's outline the details that you need to know in order to purchase or sell binders. Other than such things as quantity, or shipping location, you basically only need to know the following seven specifications to "spec" a binder order. To ease confusion and have everyone thinking in the same terms, we should all follow the same order of events when specifying what the client requires. The correct order of details is listed below:
- Capacity
- Sheet size
- Ring Fitting
- Vinyl/Poly/Casemade
- Pockets
- Options (padding, easels, lifters)
- Decoration
1. Capacity
What is the capacity of a ring binder - how do you measure it? There is only one method of measuring the capacity of a binder: The diameter of the ring. Measuring the capacity of a binder using the width of the spine is absolutely wrong! Of all the mistakes we see regularly in the manufacturing of binders, measuring the capacity of a binder using the width of the spine is by far the most common problem and almost always the most expensive mistake to "fix". Depending upon a number of variables, three different binders, all with the same ring capacity, have three different sized spines. Always, always, always, measure the inside of the ring. There are basically three styles of rings.
- Round ring
- 'D' Ring
- Slant ring
It is imperative that you confirm the sheet size that your customer wants to put into a binder. There are two sheet sizes that are most commonly used.
- 8.50" x 5.50" - used most often for computer software packaging and employee benefits manuals.
- 9" x 6" - less popular than 8.50" x 5.50".
- 11" x 8.50" - called imperial, usually with 3 rings, by far the most common sheet size used..
The vast portion of the binder market calls for (a) round rings, (b) 'D' rings (most) or (c) slant 'D' (least common of the three). Rings can have either two 'triggers' or no triggers. Triggers are the roundish dime sized 'buttons' at the top and bottom of the rings. Round rings can be riveted on either the spine or back of the binders; other styles of rings are riveted on the back only. Rings with triggers are available with a locking feature.
4. Vinyl
The binder cover or material needs to be carefully considered. The binder industry's standard is junior gauge vinyl. Its 'microfine' surface facilitates superb results in various 'printing' or decorating techniques available to designers, and manufacturers. Although junior gauge vinyl has a 'cold crack' protection of about -10 degrees Fahrenheit, we strongly urge shipping heated freight during the winter. 'Cold crack' means simply that there is a very real possibility that 'cold' binders will crack or split solely because of the cold. Especially if they are dropped. There are literally hundreds of vinyl colors and textures available. If a custom or 'corporate' co lour is required, a mill run of vinyl specifically color matched for your needs can be ordered with the minimum amount of 2,000 to 2,500 yards of vinyl to produce approximately 6,000 binders.
5. Pockets
Vinyl pockets are available in any size. The most popular types are:
a.) Weld-in pockets which are welded or sealed onto the binder in the same operation as the rest of the binder (see following 'pocket' diagrams, all the letters excluding 'A' and 'G').
b) Weld-on pockets are much more expensive because they require an additional operation. They are bar welded three sides (e.g. standard business card pocket). (See following 'pocket' diagrams, 'A' and 'G').
Pockets can make a binder versatile. Each one can be customized by pockets with different inserts etc. If a client has graphics which reproduce poorly through silk screening, you can print an appropriate sheet and have it 'trapped' inside a clear pocket on the front spine and back of the binder.
6. Additional Options
Card Holder
Add this feature on your binder in which to place a business card or other information cards. Please see page 8 diagrams "N' and "B" for different card holder styles. Card holders are in clear vinyl with two-sided seal or three-sided seal.
Concealed Rivets
For the look of a flat backbone, a concealed rivet is the best option. This option means that the rivets of the metal cannot be seen on the spine of the binder.
Flexible Cover
Flexible covers allow the front and back cover to bend easily.
Foil Stamping
Foil stamping is literally stamping colored foil onto vinyl with heated dies.
Label Holder on Spine
Similar to the card holder the label holder on the spine will hold title cards and can be sealed two-sided or three-sided. Please see the left hand column, diagrams "G" to "I" for different label holder styles.
Padded Cover
Padding can add a touch of class to any binder. It adds to the cost but the end product is much more appealing than an unpadded binder. The foam (padding) is glued or laminated to the pasted chipboard inside the binder before the vinyl is sealed.
Pockets
5" deep either horizontal or vertical pockets on either inside cover. Please see page 8 and 9 for diagrams.
Sheetlifters
Sheetlifters help guide the contents over the ring in a smooth manner to reduce binding on the rings.
Special Metals
If you need a special type of ring mechanism, such as locking rings, multi-rings or square rings or any other available mechanism, we can provide it. Metals can be coated any color for a more attractive binder.
Easel Binders
Easel binders are great for sales tools, workbooks etc., but like so many great things, they are expensive. There are four different styles of easels, some more complicated than others and the overall delivery from the binder manufacturer is longer.
7. Decoration
Well executed graphics will complement any size or color of binder.
Silk Screening
Silk screening is by far the most popular and versatile technique (and usually the most cost effective). The silk screen process is done with special ink in one of many colors forced through a special stencil, made from any design onto the vinyl surface. No dies or printing plates are used. You can't always reproduce by silkscreening what you may easily produce by lithography. Vinyl is less porous than paper and therefore, it tends to spread or bleed more easily. When possible, use large letters to allow the ink to spread. If large area ink coverage is used, then ink may have a tendency to rub off more easily than a comparable lithographed sheet. A UV ink allows for a more concise screen.
Foil Stamping
Foil stamping is a very cost effective method of printing when small coverage is called for. There is an increasingly wider range of colors and the metallic surface can be very attractive.
Vinyl Appliqué
Appliqué adds dimension and class to any binder. The effect of three· dimensions is accomplished by electronically sealing or welding vinyl on top of vinyl. This technique is costly but effectively projects a superb image.
Embossing or Debossing
Embossing or debossing are most effective on dull surface (swade) binders. Embossing, by depressing the area around the logo creates the illusion that the logo is elevated; making it stand out. Debossing actually depresses the logo into the material.
Artwork
Artwork is required for all of the above imprinting methods. It must come as camera ready art (color separated) or on disk.
Clear Overlay
A layer of clear vinyl on the outside of a product into which a printed 10 pt. sheet can be inserted by the customer.
Tab sizes decrease as the number of tabs per I bank increases. To determine tab size, subtract Yz" from both the top and bottom of the length of your sheet being indexed and divide the remaining inches by the number of tabs desired. For example, if you have an 11" index sheet, subtract 1/2" from the top and bottom, giving you 10" of actual tabbing space. Divide these 10" by the number of tabs required. For a bank of four tabs (1/4 cut), each tab bank (1/5 cut), each tab should be 2" long. Ten tabs (1/10 cut) should measure 1" long each, and so forth.
The length of your tab copy determined by the number of characters, point size, font style, graphic images, and so forth - will influence the tab size you need. If your copy exceeds the tab size in one bank, use additional banks of larger tab sizes. For example, 12 tabs can appear in six even-sized tab bank configurations: One bank of 12 (1/12 cut); two banks of six (1/6 cut); three banks of four (1/4 cut); four banks of three (1/3 cut); size banks of 2 (1/2 cut); or 12 banks of one tab each (full cut).
The final tab dimension to consider is height, which is referred to in the trade as "tab extension." Standard tab extensions protrude 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", or 3/4". In I general, 1/2" tab extensions are the most common. However, - not all manufacturers carry all tab extension sizes. If you're working with a smaller shop, your die size choices may be limited. (Note: smaller tab sizes don't reduce, but may in fact increase cost!)
Choosing the right paper stock is vitally important to the success of your index tabbing job. During the tab manufacturing process, diecutting and reinforcing operations require different paper characteristics than the process of putting ink on paper. Frequently used indexing products demand a substantial stock weight,- particularly if reinforcing will not be used. If the wrong stock is chosen, the end result may be dogeared, curled indexes that lose their overall negative image. Make sure that the stock weight you select is suitable for your intended application.
Reinforcing is recommended for all indexes that need to stand up to heavy usage. If you venture outside the realm of standard indexing paper stocks make sure you OK your selection with your indexing company early in the manufacturing process.
and manufacturing using solar energy 