Binding Machine Options

Comparing FastBack, UniBind and Thermal Binding

Fastback from Powis Parker, UniBind and the various other thermal binding systems (such as the P2000 from ProBind) are similar in many respects, but have some major differences. When deciding which system is best suited for your needs, it is important to understand what you hope to get from your binding system as well as what the various machines are designed to do.

First, it is important to note that all of the systems are incredibly fast. Thermal binding is by far the fastest of the binding systems available today. One unique advantage of UniBind and other traditional thermal binding systems is the ability to bind several books at one time. If your application calls for a large number of the exact same document to be produced, UniBind and thermal binding are great options. Fastback, while exceptionally fast at 15 seconds per binding cycle, allows for one book at a time.

Another factor to look at is the costs of the equipment and the associated costs of supplies. The equipment cost of UniBind and thermal binding are very low as they start under $500. The Fastback model 9 starts at about $2300.00. There is a huge difference in cost in the supplies as well. While UniBind will start at about $1.25 per bind and thermal binding starts right at $1.00 per bind, Fastback starts at about $0.30 per bind.

A huge issue to take into consideration is the cost of inventory as well. UniBind and thermal binding have preset spine sizes, similar to combs or coils, where you will need to have several sizes of product on the shelf to accommodate a range of document thicknesses. A hand full of boxes of supplies at over $100 per box can add up quickly-not to mention the additional space requirements of the stock. With Fastback, you will only need up to three boxes of strips, taking up less space than a single box of covers to accommodate any document from 2 pages to 375 pages.

One of the most common complaints that people have with UniBind and thermal binding is that the spines are slightly larger than the number of pages you are binding. When you look at the side of the document you can see a gap. With Fastback, the machine tightly wraps the strip no matter what size the document is.

All three options have several finishes to choose from, making them some of the most versatile binding systems available. All three can bind soft covers and hard covers. UniBind has hard covers, covers with incorporated front and back clear or frost covers and a unique product called a SteelBack spine that enables you to use your own covers. Thermal Binding has a glue strip to enable you to create your own perfect bound books along with paper covers and hard covers. Fastback has a huge number of options including hard covers, SuperStrips that have a linen finish, CompStrips that have a leatherette finish, true perfect binding, and Halfback covers that enable you to print on a cover prior to binding.

Many users want to use their own cover sets to give them the exact look they desire and to lower the overall cost of binding. Thermal binding requires that you use a solid, wrap around cover and is very inflexible. UniBind offers the SteelBack spine to enable you to use your own covers. Powis Parker is by far the best in this perspective giving you the ultimate flexibility to use your own covers or Fastback covers that exactly match the strip. Fastback even offers a foil printer to customize hard covers and leatherette covers as well as a spine printer to print on the spine of the document.

UniBind, thermal binding and Fastback are excellent options for Photobooks as well. Each has their own styles and sizes to choose from. Fastback offers a Photobook work cell that incorporates a stitcher in the binding process to insure that the glossy photo paper will not come out of the book afterbinding.

There are many factors involved in choosing the proper thermal binding system. Machine price, supply price, binding options, binding speed, and appearance of finished product are perhaps the most important factors to take into consideration.

Jeff McRitchie is the director of Marketing for MyBinding.com. He has written more than five hundred articles on topics related to binding machines, binding supplies, presentation covers, ring binders, index tabs, laminators, laminating pouches, roll film, shredders and paper handling equipment. If you have any questions about Fastback Binding Equipment or Fastback Binding Supplies check out MyBinding.com.

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