MAI offers print production services for short to medium run books, magazines, directories and catalogs in one to six colors. These service include hard cover, soft cover, mini and RepKover lay flat binding.
Please contact us for job planning and quotes on your projects.
Hard Cover Books
Covers are made separately and may consist of rigid or flexible boards that can be covered with a variety of materials so that the covering material surrounds the outside edges of the board. Covers always extend beyond the edges of the text pages and may be either square or round cornered. Glued end sheets attach the inside covers to the text signatures. Case binding is more expensive than soft cover, but has greater longevity and higher perceived value.
Smythe Sewn
Signatures are secured by linked stitching on the back of the fold and up through the center fold of each signature, allowing the book to open flat -- the ultimate for longevity and durability.
Applications: Upscale editions of trade, scholarly, business, professional, religious, reference and text books.
Adhesive (Perfect) Bound
Signatures are gathered, one on top of another, with flexible adhesive holding each page in place, after folds along the spine are trimmed off. A less expensive, less durable process that still has high perceived value. Variations include notch, burst, and lay-flat bindings.
Applications: Trade, scholarly, business, professional, religious, reference, and text books where longevity and durability are less critical or where price is a concern.
Side Sewn
Signatures are gathered, one on top of another, and sewn from the side, a stronger process than center sewing.
Application: Library editions of juvenile books.
Center Sewn
Signatures collated inside one another are sewn at once through the center. Ideal for juvenile books because of strength and openability. Best for books of 96 pages or less. Reinforced tape is often applied along the spine for greater strength and durability.
Applications: Juvenile books, composition or record books, bank books and passports.
Soft Cover Books
Soft cover books are usually paper bound, with covers and text pages trimmed flush. Most of the case bound options are available in soft cover, plus several additional choices. Soft cover books are less expensive than hard cover to produce, and are widely used where longevity and durability are less critical, or where price is a concern.
Adhesive (Perfect) Bound
Signatures are gathered, one on top of another, with flexible adhesive holding each page in place, after folds along the spine are trimmed off. A less expensive, less durable process that still has high perceived value. Variations include notch, burst, and lay-flat bindings. See also: RepKover Lay-Flat Binding.
Applications: Trade, scholarly, business, professional, religious, reference, and text
books where longevity and durability are less critical or where price is a concern.
Lay-Flat
A reinforcing strip is applied along the backbone of the cover. The book bloc is then secured with two applications of cold glue and a bead of pressure-sensitive hot melt
about 1/8" above the back edge of the front and back covers. This results in a gap on the book's spine between the reinforced text signatures and the cover that allows the book to easily flex away from the cover when opened. Lay-flat is a newer binding style often used as an inexpensive alternative for Wire-O, spiral, and plastic comb binding.
Applications: Technical reference books, manuals, directories, calendars, and cookbooks.
Saddle Stitched
A booklet binding method which inserts one folded signature into another, then fastens
with wires through the center fold of the gathered signatures. The cover may be
self-contained (same paper stock as text images) or separate. Less expensive then adhesive binding but also has lower perceived value.
Applications: Journals and booklets not over 1/4" thick.
Burst Bound
Slits are made on the spine during the folding process. The slits allow the adhesive to penetrate folded signatures prior to applying the cover. This adds greater strength than is achieved in conventional adhesive binding. A more expensive and less used variation is Adhesive Notch Bound. In this method, notches are made on the spine during the web printing or folding process. Both methods require little or no backbone grinding to attain a strong book. They can be used instead of sewing on soft cover (coated or offset signatures) or case bound books (offset signatures only).
Applications: Books in a broad range of categories where lower price is important but somewhat greater binding strength is required.
Smythe Sewn Drawn on Cover
Signatures are gathered one on top of another, then secured with thread by linked stitching on the back of the fold and through the center fold of each signature, which allows the book to open flat. Covers are flush with text pages are affixed with glue on a perfect binding line.
Applications: Business and professional books, technical reference and other manuals.
Center Sewn
Signatures collated inside one another are sewn at once through the center. Reinforced tape is often applied along the spine for greater strength and durability.
Applications: Bank books and passports.
Mechanical Bound
A binding method in which the book is punched with slots along the binding edge, through wich either a continous series of double wire loops (Wire-O) ore vinyl plastic sheeting die cut in the shape of a comb (Plastic Comb Bound) is inserted.
Applications: Manuals, training materials, and specialty items such as recipe books that must lay flat.
Mini Books
With a wide range of sizes and cover options, the many uses of The Mini Book have become almost infinite. When planning the printing of a book, one of the biggest decisions to be made is the binding style to be used. Book publishers must consider the planned usage of the text, as well as manufacturing costs and retail value.
Unique : The size and style will attract attention. P.O.P.s will have tremendous impact.
Practical : It can go anywhere, the purse, the pocket, the lunchbox. It takes less display space in the store and less warehousing for you.
Flexible : There is a wide size range. Many cover materials are available. It can be saddle stiched , perfect bound, case bound or in-line glued, one or four color. Special inserts and fold-outs can be accommodated.
Economical : With today's skyrocketing paper, freight, postage, and distribution costs, big no longer is better, and small is definitely smarter!
How Are Mini-Books Used?
Premiums : As a low cost premium or giveaway, Mini-Books stand alone. It has a good "perceived value". You'll achieve multiple exposure, and a lot of reuse. It's easy to distribute through the mail or enclose in a product.
Inspirational : The Mini-Book is a perfect medium to carry inspirational thoughts. All or portions of The Bible easily fit into this format. A daily devotional guide or planned study program is excellent in this pocket-sized format.
Commercial : The applications are limitless. It can be a catalog. Add an order form and you have a unique gift selection program or it can be used as a coupon book.
Activity : From crossword puzzles to coloring books, from novelettes to bios of TV stars, the subjects and applications seem without end. They are perfect for the commuter, or to take along on a trip to occupy and instruct the children. Activity books, whether they're brain teasers, informative, or just plain easy reading, are one of the most popular pastimes.
Helpful Hints : "How to..." books like home repair, knitting, gourmet cooking, dieting, and exercising, are just a few of the areas where the Mini-Book has been used.
Directories & Guides : For reference information or "where to find it" facts to the public, the Mini-Book is the way to go. Car rental locations, authorized repair outlets, sport team line-ups, wildlife and fishing codes, insurance premium books are just the beginning.
Educational : Nearly anything informative can fit into this category. Instructions on how to improve your golf, tennis or bowling are good examples. Medical or first aid books are ideal. Dictionaries and grammar usage guides are very popular.
Repkover Lay-Flat Binding
This unique process results in a perfect bound book which when open stays flat. A reinforcing strip is attached to the backbone of the cover with glue being applied only to the edges of the strip. The pages are secured to the strip with two applications of cold glue. This allows the book's spine to flex away from the cover when opened. Lay-flat binding is more flexible than perfect binding and very durable. The entire text page is visible as type doesn't get lost in the gutter. Unlike mechanical binding, the cover can be printed on the spine.
Applications : RepKover lay-flat binding is ideal for cookbooks, instruction manuals, reference books, directories, workbooks, law books, and medical books to name a few. Any time you want to use a book "hands free" ask for RepKover lay-flat binding.
