Whenever you are asked to prepare an annual report or a technical paper, you want it to look as professional as it can be. The same thing is true with client presentations. And aside from making your document look professional, you would also want to protect it with covers so that I can be used for a longer time. There are many applications that can enhance the appearance of documents while protecting it better. Among them are binding machines. Binding machines, or binders, are machines used to align, punch, and enclose individual sheets of papers into document sets. With binding machines, you can make documents look more professional, keep them well protected and lengthen their usage life.

1. Document Protection

Now, all binding can enhance the appearance of documents and protect them from damages. Choosing a binding machine to use for your report or paper, however, is not as simple as just picking any binder you can find in the market. There are many types of binding machines and each type would differ in price, binding method, capacity and a lot of other things. The question now is what kind of binding machine would you want to purchase?

2. What Kind Of Document To Bind?

Different kinds of documents require different styles and not all kinds of binding machines can give your document the binding style it needs. Decide whether your document needs a traditional finish, a book-style finish, a contemporary finish or a finish with some metallic appearance. Then, base your choice on this decision.

3. How Thick?

Each type of binding machine has a limit on the thickness of the document it can bind. Some binding machines can bind documents of up to 3 inches in thickness while others are limited to binding I inch documents.

4. How Will The Machine Be Used?

If the binding machine would be used at home or in a home office, and not regularly at that, then a simple and affordable binding machine would generally be recommended. Larger offices that demands more binding jobs would need some complex and electrical binding machine unit.

5. Binding Machine Options

After you've answered all the questions and have eventually determined what kind of binding machine you need for your documents, then it is time for you to consider your options. There are a lot of binding machines available today and each of them has their own set of strengths and weaknesses.

- Coil Spiral Binding Machine

- Plastic Comb Binding Machine

- Wire Binding Machine

- Thermal Tape Binding Machine

6. Coil Spiral Binding Machines

Coil or spiral binding is probably the most recognizable type of binding technology. It is the type of binding that one usually sees in blank notebooks. Coil binding machines are available in table top and floor standing models. These machines are also available in manual or electric configurations. Spiral binding machines bind documents by (1) punching holes on the pages, (2) inserting the coil, and (3) crimping and cutting the coil ends.

- Offers a unique and contemporary finish to documents

- Can bind documents of up to approximately 1 inch in thickness

- Ideal for low volumes of binding and generally used by organizations like schools and churches

7. Plastic Comb Binding Machines

Plastic comb binding machines are among the most popular binding machines today. These binders use a plastic binding with many combs inserted into holes punched along the edge of the stack of papers.

- Offers the best known, traditional finish

- Has the capacity of binding documents of up to 2 inches in thickness

- Easy to use, easy to assemble, durable, economical and reusable

- Ideal for home use as well as in most schools and businesses

8. Wire Loop Binding Machines

Wire loop binds appear like a combination of coil bound and plastic comb bound documents. This is because wire loop machines use wires in double loop design. Once inserted into the document, this wire loop will then be closed by the machine or a separate closer.

- Offers a clean and stylish premium metal finish

- Bind documents of up to 1 inch in thickness

- Ideal for binding presentations, manuals and sales materials

9. Thermal/Tape Binding Machines

Unlike all of the other types of binding machines, tape or thermal binding machines don't punch holes into the document. And neither do they use inserts to hold the stack of papers together. Instead, these machines use tape or thermal glue to bind the spine of the stack of papers.

- Provides a hole-free, book-style finish

- Can accommodate documents of up to 5 to 500 sheets of paper (or approximately 2.25 inches in thickness

- Ideal for high volume binding jobs or for binding hundreds of document sets per hour