Ibis high-speed binder targets high-end digital work

Integrated Bindery Systems (Ibis) is to give a global premiere next month to its new Smart Binder Plus HS, a high-speed wire/glue saddle binder for digital print, with patented individual sheet gluing.

The High Wycombe company will show off its UK-manufactured Smart-binder Plus HS (high speed) system at Print 13 in Chicago from 8 to 12 September. The kit will run in connection with an MBO roll unwinder, sheeter and dynamic buckle folder.

Upgrades to Ibis' standard Smart-binder system has increased the HS model's maximum input speed to 24,000sph and output to 7,000 1-up, 10mm-thick booklets per hour or 14,000 2-up. It will run inline with presses up to 130m/min with the standard folder. With additional folders it can run at at least 200m/min.

The kit, commercially launched in the UK in June, costs around £120,000 and is targeted at digital press users that need a high-speed, heavy-duty saddle-binder that can run 24/7 to make booklets and publications.

"The model’s unique offering over previous models involves a new higher speed infeed, folding and sheet collecting system and enhancements to the trimmer transport system," said managing director John Cracknell.

He said it was the only system to fold sheets individually and provide integrated sheet and booklet tracking systems for true variable-data production output.

The patented Individual Sheet Gluing (ISG) cold-glue binding technology replaces the need for conventional wire stitching and allows the number of pages in each booklet to be continually varied from four pages up to 10mm maximum book thickness, without stopping the sheet infeed flow from the web or sheet feeder.