IBIS recently developed a highly customized finishing solution for the US printer Lellyett and Rogers.
Our brief from L & R was to provide an off-line system to make high quality healthcare booklets comprising a mixture of ‘main content’ sheets, pairs of ‘NCR sheets’ and a cover sheet. Booklets must be bound using the Smart-binder’s unique cold-gluing process. Each personalised booklet contains a different combination of sheets from the three different feeders, as defined by 2D codes printed on the sheets.
A ‘matching’ system is required to ensure integrity of each booklet. This necessitated the development of a new sheet feed control system and also Smart-binder modifications to handle the NCR stock without causing pressure marks. The system was successfully installed earlier this year and has been used for continual live production for some months.
Statement from Jeff Simmonds (VP, Client and Technology Integration) L&R, Nashville TN, USA:
"L & R (Lellyett and Rogers) is a leading supplier of niche services to the US healthcare industry. One of our largest clients develops booklets to facilitate patient intake and education while maintaining regulatory compliance in the home healthcare industry. To meet our client’s unique needs, we needed to produce booklets with a variable number of perforated NCR pages that must be processed without marking. The only supplier able to deliver such a solution was IBIS Bindery Systems using a special customized ‘Smart-binder SB-3’ system with three separate sheet feeders, one for the ‘guts’ sheets, one for the NCR sheets, and one for the cover sheets, all printed on Canon printers. IBIS was able to modify the Smart-binder to avoid marking the NCR pages.
The feeding of the three different types of sheets in the correct sequence for each booklet is controlled by reading a 2D code printed on each sheet. Booklets containing up to 72 pages are bound using IBIS’s patented ISG cold glue binding system which is a higher quality alternative to conventional wire stapling and produces stronger and flatter booklets.
We also use the IBIS Smart-binder to produce stacked ‘signatures’ (‘book blocks’) which are subsequently loaded into a perfect binder when thicker books are needed.
The new Smart-binder is in operation 16 hours a day and we have been impressed with its flexibility, durability and performance. IBIS has been extremely helpful and professional in creating this special new system to meet our needs. As our business grows and our finishing needs increase, we look forward to acquiring a second IBIS Smart-binder."
www.ibis-bindery.com
