Bindwel webinar highlights rejection as biggest cost in book production

A Bindwel webinar, hosted by P Sajith, CEO of Bindwel-Stelda Group, and Shreya Sajith, lead, engagement and growth, Bindwel, shed light on critical issues plaguing the book production industry, identifying rejections as the single largest cost. The session also featured Suresh Nair, Chief Technology Officer at Bindwel, who was present for the Q&A about common book production mistakes.

The webinar was attended by leading book printers and publishers, emphasised the importance of addressing prevalent problems to enhance the entire value chain and ecosystem of book manufacturing.
A key takeaway from a poll conducted during the webinar revealed that 52% of participants considered rejections to be the biggest cost in book printing, surpassing paper (45%) and adhesives (3%). Sajith Pallippuram elaborated on this, stating that even a 1% rejection rate of total turnover can lead to thousands of wasted books, loss of margin, and even penalties, ultimately resulting in customer loss.

The speakers delved into various technical aspects of book production, offering insights and solutions for common issues. The Bindwel team spoke about cover cracking. He said this is often caused by offline filler coating on covers and incorrect grain direction of the cover material. They advised a "flex test" before starting a job to check for cracks.

Bindwel's Shreya spotlighted first page last page (FPLP) issues. This long-standing problem in perfect binding stems from multiple factors, including cover and inside paper grain direction (which should be parallel to the spine), spine preparation, notching, machine settings, nipping, and adhesive type. New "FPLP gadgets" in glue tanks are being developed to minimise this issue.

Next, the focus was on lamination failures (silvering, delamination, wrinkling). These are frequently observed due to incorrect machine settings (speed, pressure, temperature), the quality and type of lamination film (especially matte and 3D lamination), and surface energy issues between the film, adhesive, and paper. The webinar highlighted the importance of "Corona Discharge Treatment" to increase surface energy for better adhesion. Operators were advised to perform test runs and checks before full production.

Some of the common problems with book production are blow holes on the book spine and crow’s feet. The reason is due to process and handling errors that are often a result of poor handling of signatures, inadequate head-side perforation, and incorrect folding alignment. Proper training and meticulous folding techniques are crucial to prevent these structural defects.

Paper acclimatisation, the hygroscopic nature of paper makes it susceptible to changes in moisture and humidity. Uneven trimming and "mouse trap" effect (books closing automatically) are often due to mixed paper grain and insufficient acclimatisation time between processes. An ideal humidity of 55% in a printing press was recommended, along with measuring paper moisture (ideally 4.5-5%).

The importance of machine maintenance was underscored during the Bindwel webinar. Blunt milling cutters, unclean glue pots, and generally poor machine maintenance were identified as significant contributors to defective books. The importance of following preventive maintenance schedules was stressed, with a poll revealing that many only address issues after a breakdown.

Bindwel also introduced BindRight, a programme aimed at training and supporting publishers, printers, and supply chain specialists to reduce rejections and improve book quality. This initiative offers shop floor and classroom training, immediate solutions to problems, and educational resources on basic testing tools. The programme emphasises the development of a robust quality assurance process from planning to dispatch.

The webinar concluded with a strong call for industry-wide collaboration and a focus on quality to ensure India's position as a leading exporter of high-quality books.