Simple Binding Solutions for Digital Print Jobs

 

Comb Binding: A plastic insert wraps through rectangular holes punched in the paper. The lightweight insert can be opened for removal or addition of pages. Pages can lay flat. Inexpensive and quick, comb binding is ideal for review documents. The insert generally limits document thickness to two inches.

 

 

 

Spiral binding, which can use a thin plastic or wire spiral, provides an attractive, lightweight document. Pages lay flat, but cannot be removed. Spiral binding is ideal for teaching materials or user guides. Document thickness is limited to about one inch.

 

 

 

Wir-O binding provides a sturdier alternative to simple spiral binding, but produces a heavier document. Use Wir-O binding when you need documents to lay flat and must ensure that they stay together during shipping or frequent handling. Document thickness is limited to about one inch.

 

 

 

Velo binding: Hard plastic 1/8" strips are held tightly together by plastic pins, which are bonded to the strips by heat. Pages cannot lay flat, and the tight binding requires that you provide an inch of space on either side of the gutter. Document thickness is limited to two inches, and binding may take up to two days.

 

 

 

Fastback Binding: A cloth or paper strip is wrapped around the spine and glued. Quick, attractive, and durable, this is an inexpensive alternative to perfect binding, and is suitable for many types of documents. Binding strips come in a variety of colors. Pages cannot lay flat. The maximum number of pages is 120, the minimum, 15.

 

 

Three Ring Binder: The three-ring binder is ideal for many digitally printed documents, such as user guides, that require frequent updates or additions of new material. Tab and divider pages, and cover and spine inserts can also be printed digitally. Because the binder must be assembled manually, allow for extra time on larger documents.

 

 

 

 

Saddle-Stiched Binding: Two or more staples, hidden in the spine, anchor the page folds. Pages must be imposed on spreads so that they appear in the correct order when bound, but four-page spreads can save time on presses that automatically print both sides of the paper. Simple and inexpensive, saddle-stitched binding provides a professional look that is widely used on pamphlets, newslet­ters, and smaller brochures, such as the one you are reading now.

(From “An Introduction to Digital Color Printing” by Agfa  Educational Publishing. Out of print)