The CIF-101 feeds sheets from the bottom of the pile using a rotating vacuum wheel. Air-blow nozzles mounted at the sides and rear of the feeder help separate covers from each other in the pile. Inserts may be reloaded on-the-run without stopping the Smart-binder.

The insert or cover sheet is independently side-registered so that the width does not have to be the same as the ‘content’ sheets. However the insert/cover sheets must be the same length as the sheets on to which they are fed (same spine length). Insert sheets that are longer or shorter than the other sheets in the book will cause some loss of print registration between sheets.

After side register the insert/cover sheets join the stream of other ‘content’ sheets and pass below the CIF-102 cover feeder and enter the Smart-binder scoring and folding module. Scoring pressure may be adjusted to minimise color-toner cracking. However, the optimum way to eliminate cracking of colour toner is to pre-crease the inserts.

The CIF-101 insert sheet feeder is controlled by a bar code digit on the content sheets coming from upstream. This allows the CIF-101 to automatically feed the insert or cover at the correct position required inside or outside the book.

A bar-code reader (or 2D code reader) is available for the CIF-101 feeder if feeding personalised inserts or covers. The CIF-101 feeder then compares the unique ID number in the insert/cover sheet barcode to the ID number in the barcode on the incoming text content sheets. The Smart-binder can be programmed to either stop on a mismatch, or reject the booklet (without stopping) via the trimmer reject gate.

The insert feeder CIF-101 is capable of feeding sheets in the range 90 – 230 gsm (61 – 154 lbs offset or 24 – 61 lbs bond). Sheet weights outside this weight range should be tested before use to check feeding performance.

If feeding sheets from the CIF-101 insert feeder and making ISG cold-glued books, or if feeding an insert sheet into the center of a book (center spread), there must be sufficient space between upstream sheets into which to feed the insert sheet. If running in-line with a high-speed digitally-printed web then this may mean that the web cutter must be programmed to pause momentarily, in order to create this gap. If feeding from a pile feeder the gap in sheet feeding can be created automatically by the Smart-binder feeder control system.

Refer to IBIS if more than one insert, or more than one extra cover, needs to be fed into each book.

Inserts or covers with tear-off perforations may be run depending on the type and position of the perforations. Check with IBIS first if wishing to run perforated covers. Note that an optional ‘dynamic’ micro-perforation system, option DMP 100, is available for installation just before the Smart-binder folder. This may be used to automatically perforate insert sheets (and any other sheets) if not already pre-perforated.

Feeding a center-insert

The standard cover feeder CIF-102 may be used to feed an insert sheet inside the booklet in any position except in the center of the booklet. The CIF-101 insert feeder must be used if the insert is required in the center of the booklet.