What are the complete steps for book and magazine binding? From milling back, gluing to book pressing and cutting (novice process)

Wireless glue binding (using EVA hot melt adhesive to stick the book core and cover together) is the mainstream binding method for books, brochures, notebooks, and graphic and text fast printing products. But beginners are most likely to overturn on “milling back”, “glue amount”, and “book pressing time”, resulting in page drops and glue peeling. Below, we will explain the complete process and key points of each step in the order of Sunlife’s on-site training.

1、 Page matching and page collision

Arrange all book stickers in page order, align them, and check for any errors, missing pages, or inverted pages. This is the most fundamental step, and the cost of remedying it later is extremely high.

2、 Milling back (open back)

Use a milling cutter to flatten and remove the binding on the spine of the book sticker, exposing the edges of the inner pages——Adhesive must be able to penetrate into paper fibers in order to be considered firmly bondedSo milling the back is a crucial step in making the glue have a place to eat. The milling depth should be sufficient but not too deep: too shallow will prevent the glue from seeping in, and too deep will damage the book core.

3、 Pulling hair (plucking hair)

After milling the back, use a grinding wheel or saw teeth to remove the paper fibers from the spinePulling and PluckingIncrease specific surface area and permeation channels. This step directly determines whether the adhesion is firm or not – many pages fall off, and the root cause is that the “milling back and pulling hair are not done properly”.

4、 Top adhesive (hot melt adhesive core)

Books and periodicals with adhesive backing 160–180℃ Melt (exact value based on the accompanying process card), apply to the back of the pulled hair, and infiltrate into the paper fibers. Common models of adhesive backing include 292/296/295/396/397/391/393/39B (based on the process card, selected according to paper and machine type). There are three key points:

• Glue temperature accuracyRunning close to the upper limit is the most dangerous. First, calibrate the actual temperature of the glue pot with a thermometer (Sunlife emphasizes that 90% of after-sales service is due to temperature control failure);
• Moderate amount of glue appliedToo little infiltration, too much trailing wire;
• Match machine speed with opening timeThe time from coating to pressing of the adhesive should be within the opening time, and the faster the machine, the faster the fast curing model should be selected.

5、 Upper adhesive (reinforcement)

After backing, apply adhesive on both sides of the spine or outer frame of the bookEdge glue(such as 298/29B), enhance the spine’s resistance to tearing and prevent pages from falling off when flipping. The back rubber tube can stick in, while the side rubber tube can seal firmly, with different roles assigned to them.

6、 Pressing and clamping

Immediately press and clamp the adhesive until it cools and solidifies. EVA hot melt adhesive is completely cured 3-5 minutes(Based on the process card); Urgent orders should be matched with fast curing models, otherwise cutting and handling before curing can easily cause loose pages and stuck knives.

7、 Cutting and Inspection

Trim the three sides neatly, check that the spine of the book is flat, there are no missing pages, no empty glue, and the cover is not crooked. Randomly inspect a few books and conduct a test to ensure that the pages do not fall off and the spine does not open before mass production.

8、 The four most common points for beginners to overturn

1. Uncontrolled glue temperatureDisplayed at 160 ℃, it may actually be higher (carbonization, strong odor, weak adhesion) or lower (glue not melting, poor penetration). First check the temperature, then replace the glue.
2. Insufficient back milling and hair pullingThe paper fiber is not opened, and the glue floats on the surface → the page falls off.
3. Improper amount of glue appliedIf there is less, it will not seep in, and if there is more, it will be blocked by wire drawing.
4. Workshop temperature and humidityTraining requirements: The workshop should have a temperature of about 15-26 ℃ and suitable humidity; Too cold reduces the opening time and too humid affects penetration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does it take to produce and cut adhesive bound books?

A: EVA hot melt adhesive solidifies in a few seconds and fully solidifies in about 3-5 minutes (according to the process card). Urgently select the fast fix model to shorten the book pressing time; Cutting and transporting without curing can easily cause loose pages.

Q: Why do bound books lose pages?

A: The vast majority of page drops are caused by a combination of “insufficient back milling and hair pulling+incorrect glue temperature/glue amount”, rather than a problem with the glue itself. Provide Sunlife with the sample book, the measured temperature of the glue pot, and the current model. The technology should be based on the paper, machine speed, environment, model, and process card, and the glue should be more stable than repeated testing.

The process of book and magazine gluing may seem like a few steps – gluing, pressing, and cutting – but what truly determines success or failure isMilling back hair pulling, glue temperature, glue amount, pressing timeThese four things. Sending the sample book to Sunlife for sampling on time and producing process cards based on real paper and equipment is much more cost-effective than adjusting parameters based on experience.

Related Reading:What is the difference between edge glue and backing glue? The use of two types of adhesives for book binding and Sunlife models · Does paper powdering cause the hot melt adhesive to not stick firmly? Reasons and solutions for the weak adhesion of copperplate paper/coated paper · The influence of milling depth on the adhesion of hot melt adhesive particles: How to adjust 0.8mm to 2.0mm for firmness