Wire-O Binding Offers Plenty of Versatility
By: Chris Eckhart, Eckhart and Company

Today's book applications must satisfy many disparate requirements. End users want books that are modern and attractive, yet durable and easy to use. Designers continue to pack more information onto less space, making options such as foldouts and tabs increasingly necessary. As if these demands weren't enough, tighter budgets mean maximum productivity must be squeezed out of every dollar.

Wire-O™ binding can handle all of these requirements, making it the ideal choice for many projects. Although Wire-O has been around for decades, it always looks modern and never goes out of style. Here are a few other advantages Wire-O binding offers:

Layflat capabilities - Wire-O books lay flat for use on a tabletop. They can also be folded cover-to-cover, allowing for single-hand use.

Mixed stocks - A Wire-O book can include stocks with a variety of weights and finishes. This makes Wire-O binding popular for paper swatch books and other product sample catalogs.

Foldouts - Foldouts give designers extra space to place important copy. Foldouts can be designed as part of the cover, or to be collated in with the text sheets. Foldout covers can be die cut to hold business cards or pamphlets, or to create a capacity pocket that holds larger materials.

Crossovers - Unlike plastic spiral or spiral wire binding, a Wire-O bound book does not step up when opened. This makes it ideal for applications with crossover text or images.

Many cover options - In addition to the standard split back (two-piece) cover, there are fully-concealed, semi-concealed and wraparound cover designs. The latter three have the advantage of allowing for a printable spine, which is ideal for applications that require the book to be displayed on a shelf. Wire-O bound books can also be cased-in to provide a hard cover. Cases can be decorated with book cloth or other turned-edge materials, as well as die cutting, foil stamping and UV coating for a nearly limitless range of design and usage possibilities.

Variety of wire colors - Wire-O binding elements are available in a rainbow of colors. For exact color matching of corporate logos or other color-sensitive graphics, PMS-matched wire colors are also available.

Planning and Production Tips
Although Wire-O binding is ideal for projects with many complex requirements, it's important to begin planning well in advance in order for production to go smoothly. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when designing a book for Wire-O binding:

Start with a sample - The shortest and simplest way to get the results you desire is to provide your finisher with a sample of the project. This allows your finisher to measure all margins, copy placement, final trim size, tab placement and more.

It's important that the sample be produced on the exact stock to be used for the production run. This allows the book bulk to be measured to determine the proper binding pitch. For books bulking ½" or less, 3:1 (three holes per inch) wire will be used. Books thicker than ½" will require 2:1 binding.

Avoid punching into copy - All images and text should be kept clear of the spine area to avoid the punched binding holes. For books using 3:1 wire, leave at least a 3/8" margin from the spine edge to the edge of the punched hole closest to the spine. That margin should be at least a ½" for books using 2:1 wire.

Plan tabs properly - In order to bind in tabs automatically with the text sheets, leave at least a ¼" "shoulder" from the edge of the tab to the head or foot of the sheet. To realize even greater production efficiencies, have your finisher collate tab pages for you. This will ensure that page-specific tabs are located properly, and will also make binding different-size pages much easier.

The Advantage of Combination Runs
Occasionally, the requirements of a project will call for different versions to be produced with different binding styles. For example, many companies would like a "high-end" version of their annual report for distribution to major stockholders and the board of directors, and for placement in lobbies and other high-traffic areas within the company. A combination run of Wire-O and perfect bound annual reports can handle the need for both standard and "elite" versions.

Planning Tip - Although perfect binding isn't suitable for projects with mixed or heavily-coated stocks, a combination perfect bound/ Wire-O run enables easy stock changing for each binding style. Run the Wire-O books first with a high-quality #1 sheet, then switch to an uncoated stock for the perfect-bound copies, without changing plates. On-press UV or aqueous coatings can also be used to give the Wire-O sheets a premium look.

Also, due to the different margin requirements of perfect and Wire-O binding, the printed area may need to be shifted to avoid punching into copy on the Wire-O bound copies. Consult with your finisher prior to printing to be sure all margins have been accounted for.

Cased-in Wire-O Offers Opportunity
Cased-in Wire-O binding is an attractive combination of a hard cover with the layflat capabilities of Wire-O binding. This allows it to possess characteristics of both case binding and mechanical binding styles, without compromising the advantages of either.

The durability of cased-in Wire-O makes it an ideal binding solution for books that will receive extended and repeated use, such as journals, how-to books, cookbooks and more. Books that will be featured in retail locations are also prime candidates for cased-in Wire-O thanks to the high visibility of a wraparound cover, which can accommodate spine printing needs.

Production options are numerous for cased-in Wire-O binding. Books can be bound with a wire diameter of up to 1-1/4", which is large enough for most applications. There are also plenty of materials for the covers of these books such as cloth, offset printed and film laminated paper, leather and more. Other decoration options include foil stamping, embossing and screen printing.

Cased-in Wire-O is still a relatively underutilized binding method. Since some print buyers and book designers aren't comfortable with this option, there is a selling opportunity for astute print sales reps that are willing to educate their customers. By demonstrating the benefits of this fine product, you add more value to the selling process, narrow your competition… and win more work!

Single-source solutions improve quality
Many complex Wire-O projects involve several different post press processes. For example, a Wire-O book with foldouts and tabs involves die cutting, scoring, folding and collating in addition to mechanical binding. Cased-in Wire-O projects involve an even broader range of services. Customers benefit from using a post press services provider that can perform not only the various production functions under one roof, but also the various case and cover decoration options, including foil stamping, embossing, turned-edge material application and more. The result: Reduced turnaround times, significant cost savings and happy customers.

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Chris Eckhart's company, Eckhart & Company, is an Indianapolis, Indiana-based bindery specializing in mechanical binding, loose leaf manufacturing and information packaging. Chris can be reached at (800) 443-3791, or chriseckhart@eckhartandco.com. His partner and brother, Brent Eckhart, is past president of the Binding Industries Association International.