Cleverly adjust the wireless binding package to expand the application space of the device

Wireless binding packages are highly favored by printing companies because they can complete the binding, indentation, gluing, and packaging of books and magazines in one go. These systems have seen rapid development, with frequent model updates, improved performance, and higher-quality results. However, for many printing companies, it's not practical to constantly replace old equipment with new ones. So, what's the solution? The answer lies in maximizing the potential of existing machines to meet current demands effectively.

Equipment Adjustment Analysis

Our company owns a wireless binding machine that has been in use for about ten years. Its design is relatively simple, and when it was originally purchased, it was intended for double-adhesive paper books. However, this machine struggles with coated paper books.

The quality of the wireless binding package depends on the adhesion strength and the resistance of the finished product. Initially, we suspected the hot melt adhesive might be the issue, so we tried the best adhesive available for coated paper, but there was little improvement. The coated paper books still tended to come apart easily. After further analysis, we realized the problem was due to the characteristics of the paper itself. Double-adhesive paper typically weighs between 50-70g/m², which is relatively light and flexible, allowing the hot melt adhesive to bond well. In contrast, coated paper is much stiffer, usually weighing between 128-200g/m². When the book is opened or turned, the back experiences significantly more tension than a double-adhesive book. Plus, the smooth surface of coated paper makes it harder for the adhesive to stick properly. As a result, the packaged books often failed to hold together.

To ensure product quality and meet deadlines, we had to manually lock the pages before gluing and covering the book. This method worked, but it was time-consuming and inefficient.

With the advancement of new wireless binding technology, some modern machines can directly bind and package books without the need for manual locking. We tested both our old and new equipment. While the depth of the back milling was similar, the groove depth in the book spine differed significantly. The old machine only created shallow grooves, almost invisible, while the new one produced deep grooves—several times deeper than those of the old one. This made the books from the new machine much stronger and more resistant to tearing.

We concluded that the key to strong binding lies in the depth of the spine grooves. The old machine’s shallow grooves were insufficient for coated paper, leading to poor adhesion. The new equipment’s deeper grooves allowed the hot melt glue to penetrate better, creating a tighter bond. To verify this, we compared the groove depth of the same type of books on both machines, without applying any adhesive. The new machine showed a groove depth of around 2mm, while the old one only reached about 0.5mm.

Further testing confirmed this theory. Using the new equipment’s special adhesive on the old machine, we found that the coated paper books held up just as well as those produced by the new system. This proved that while the quality of the adhesive matters, the groove depth is equally crucial. Without sufficient groove depth, even the best adhesive cannot guarantee a durable finish.

By understanding and adjusting the parameters of our existing equipment, we’ve managed to improve the quality of our bindings significantly. This approach not only saves costs but also extends the life of our machinery, making it a smart and sustainable choice for our printing operations.