Perfect Binding Services
Graphic Finishing Services offers state-of-the-art Perfect Binding and Otabind “Lay Flat” Binding using superior PUR adhesives. These equipment lines are capable of long and short runs of clean, professional-looking paperback publications. Combined with knife trimming and signature recognition, GFS provides multiple high-quality options.
Binding with PUR Adhesive
Imagine putting a standard Hot-melt book on steroids. That’s the superior strength and qualities that PUR Adhesive provides. With PUR Adhesive you can take the nastiest stocks, whether it’s cross-grain, coated, heavy ink coverage, plastic – you name it – and PUR Adhesive can bind it. Books and Catalogs that need the strength to endure everyday use should always be bound with PUR Adhesive. Additional benefits of PUR include flexibility and appearance. Because the glue is applied thinner, the books can lay flatter and they have a more square backbone.
Otabinding (Lay-Flat Binding)
For books that require the strength of PUR binding with the flexibility of a lay-flat cover, Otabind™ is your solution. In the Otabind process, signatures are gathered, milled, and bound with PUR adhesive to create a strong book block. The cover is then applied to the first and last pages of the book rather than directly to the spine. As a result, the covers of your Otabind books “float” over the spine, allowing them to open completely flat.
Perfect vs Otabind
There are a few key differences between the Perfect Binding and Otabind processes. The paperback binding process most people are familiar with is Perfect Binding. In this process the spine of the page-block is firmly attached to the cover using a heated adhesive. In the Otabind process, the hot-glued page-block is capped, covering the hot glue. Then the cover is attached to the sides of the cap, but not the spine. Even thick books “lay flat” when opened because the resistance of the cover being attached directly to the spine is eliminated.
Swiss Binding w/PUR Adhesive
This version of binding is very popular in Europe for annual reports and is gaining popularity in the United States. In Swiss binding, the book block is capped with a fabric-like material that comes in a large variety of colors to chose from. The process of Swiss binding is very similar to Otabinding in the way that the cover of the book is completely detached from the spine of the book but is only held with the side glue on the back cover, whereas Otabinding is glued to both the front and back covers. In Swiss binding, opening the front cover reveals the spine and page 1 completely. By adding color for the wrap around the spine gives Swiss bound books a very upscale, high-end, classy look.
Tape Binding w/PUR Adhesive
This style of binding is used to add color and would jazz up any book binding project. Imagine a standard perfect bound book but it includes a color tape around the spine and ¼” up on the front and back cover. Graphic Finishing Services offers a large variety of colors to choose from. From a job planning perspective covers need to be laid out as 2 – 2pgr’s rather then a 4pg wrap around cover. Instead of the cover wrapping around the guts, the colored tape will take its place.
