It's hard to believe, but Hunkeler's automatic sheet-end gluer, the VEA-520, has been going strong for more than 50 years. There have been a few incarnations along the way, but the product, launched to revolutionise the bindery, is still going strong.
According to Stuart Bamford, UK and Ireland sales manager for Friedheim International, the distributor for Hunkeler machines in the UK, end-papers were previously hand finished by gluing the paper to the book block, but, "as the bindery has evolved it has become more automated and this has improved accuracy", he explains.
The machine is well suited for producing paper inserts for high-end greetings cards; this is backed up by the big-name customers that Friedheim holds in that particular market, such as Hallmark and greetings cards publisher Simon Elvin.
The VEA-520 is also a popular model with bookbinders, says Bamford.
Two feeder options
The machine had two feeders - one for the insert and one for the card. The products for gluing are picked up with the grippers at stations one and two. By adding a bit of glue, the machine sticks the paper insert into the card and the finished product passes onto the delivery unit via the pressing station.
Buyers can also opt for hot or cold gluing, depending on the application. With hard-cover books, the machine can also be used for gluing end-papers - the paper connecting the book block to the hard cover.
As you'd expect for a machine that's been on the market for more than half a century, there have been several substantial changes to keep up with the changing face of finishing. Safety guards have been introduced and the machine also runs faster. Its speed has been bumped up from 3,000 to 8,000 inserts an hour, although this does depend on the application.
The VEA-520 is a robust model. Some of the early machines are still in operation, according to Bamford. "One of the main benefits of the machine is its longevity. The first ones are almost certainly still being used - if you go the big greetings card manufacturers you will see loads of them," he adds.
Models available
For secondhand models, it's worth getting in touch with used post-press equipment dealers such as Wakefield-based Atlas Machinery or Derbyshire-based Nyland Graphics. Printing and Graphic Machinery (PGM) based in Buckinghamshire has a couple of used VEA-520s in stock. At the time of writing, the dealer has a 1989 rebuilt model with guarding and specialist gluing applications priced at around £17,500. It also has a 2003 model for £21,000 and a 2002 model for £20,000. PGM managing director Guy Churchill says the 1989 model has been upgraded with the latest options so that there's little difference between it and its 2002 or 2003 counterparts.
Friedheim has 20 engineers in the UK and service contracts are offered bespoke to the machine. The distributor will part-exchange used models and new prices tend to be based on whether you're using hot or cold glue.
When buying a used model, make sure the machine has been serviced regularly. Also, Bamford warns to ensure the glue-heads have been cleaned properly. "If no one cleans it out it's going to be a complete nightmare," he adds.
Specifications
External gluing formats 100x70-520x310mm
Insertion, internal gluing
Max 360x260mm
Footprint 1,855x995mm Side delivery section: 650mm
Price
New: On application
Used: £17,000-£23,000
What to look for
• Condition of glue-heads
• Service history
