How to Make the Hardcover Notebook by Binding Machines

A notebook is more than just a practical tool. It can be a source of joy, a covetable item that turns an ordinary, everyday task—note-taking, journaling, task-planning, brainstorming, or doodling—into a sublime experience.

Upgrading from a cheap notebook to a high-quality one usually costs just a couple more cents per page, and you're worth it.

Not even digital advancements change the seduction of the notebook. For one thing, they are a purchase that cannot disappoint. If you fall in love with one in a shop, it won’t look different or make you look fat when you get it home. It will always go with the shoes you already have. And there is an array of gorgeous options at every price point. You never regret buying a notebook. It is always value for money.

Hardcover Notebook

There are so many different binding ways for different notebooks, but the highest grade of the notebook is undoubtedly the hardcover notebook.

Hardcover case with sewn book block is a traditional method known for its durability and classic appearance. This binding technique is often used for high-quality notebooks and books.

Advantages:

● Very durable 

● Allows the notebook to lay flat 

● Classic, high-quality appearance

Disadvantages:

● More time-consuming and expensive 

● Not as flexible as other methods

Hardcover Notebook Binding Process

If you are manufacturing these lovely notebooks, a range of equipment is used to realize the different functions of the hardcover notebook binding process.

Then let's follow the different processes of notebook binding, to introduce different binding machines separately.

Folding

The most popular size of the notebook is B5 or A5, so the signatures' size is smaller than 6″ x 9″. To improve production efficiency, the normal notebook may have signatures of 32 pages, the folded size is similar to the notebook's size. That means that the configuration of a combination folding machine for the production of notebooks, is usually 4 buckles with 3 folding knives, if choosing the full buckle folding machine, the configuration is 3 folding stations, such as 4 buckles + 4buckles + 2buckles, lead to 3 times vertical half folding.

Flat Pile Combination Folding Machine

Gantry Pallet Combination Folding Machine

Round Pile Combination Folding Machine

Automatic Digital Folding Machine

CP Round Pile Buckle Folding Machine

CP Flat Pile Buckle Folding Machine

CP Gantry Pallet Buckle Folding Machine

Sewing

Notebooks lay perfectly flat due to the solid thread stitching to make the sewn book block. The sewing binding technique prevents page loss and ensures that you can sketch and write cleanly across the pages. Therefore, high production speeds and smooth running are the most important requirements for book sewing machines.

Book Sewing Machine

Automatic High Speed Book Sewing Machine

Book Block Preparation

Compared with hardcover book block preparation, notebook book block back gluing and making are not that demanding, at least no need for hot-melt gluing on the back, normally, the process of notebook's book block preparation is: book block feeding-end sheets lining-cold gluing back gluing-hot air drying-end pressing, that's finished, you will find that comparing with hardcover book block preparation, eliminates processes such as pre-pressure, hot-melt gluing, and long time hot air blowing and drying.

Automatic Book Block Preparation Line

HX3000 Book Block Spine Gluing Line

Three-Side Trimming

Three Knives Trimming Machine is designed to precisely trim cut and refine the edges of notebooks' book blocks,  ensuring a polished, professional final product, high speed and inline working with the book block production line are the basic requirements, with the pre-stacking feeding enables multiple book cutting, to improve several times cutting speed.  

High Speed Three Knife Trimmer

Digital Three Knife Trimmer

Book Block Corner Rounding Trimming

You will find that the vast majority of notebooks have round corners on book blocks and hardcover cases, to protect users from accidental paper cuts, so when the book blocks are finished, will be sent to the round corner trimming machine to trim two corners, to make sure the round corners are precise and smooth, according to the quantity of the products, there have semi auto machine and inline automatic machine for choosing. 

Automatic Double Head Round Corner Cutting Machine

Double Head Book Block Round Corner Trimming Machine

Automatic High Speed Book Block Corner Rounding Trimmer

Ribbon Bookmark Inserting

The round corner book block is not the last step, as the high-end notebook, the colorful and elegant ribbon bookmark is a must-have element. Ribbon bookmark allows you to easily locate the page where you left off without having to search for your location or flip through the book. 

The fully automated and user-friendly ribbon inserting machine inserts ribbons tightly into book blocks. The ribbon is used as a stand-alone machine or in in-line book production systems between the three-knife trimmer and the bookline.

Automatic Notebook Ribbon Inserting Machine

Head and Tail Band Fixing

Head and Tail bands provide that extra detail for the quality finish on hardcover books! They are seen on hardcover notebooks often as a colored cord detail at the top and bottom. This color can be varied and customized by the design. Head and Tail Band Fixing Machine attach the bands with self-adhesive tape instead of liquid glue, for the round and flat spine book block both.

Semi Auto Book Block Head and Tail Band Fixing Machine

Digital Head Band Fixing Machine

Book Edge Printing

For some high-end notebooks, to improve the appearance, the edge of the book block will also be decorated, using the book edge printing machine to print the designed pattern directly onto the trimmed edges of the notebook' book block, then cover casing in to the finished products. 

HXEP400 Book Edge Digital Printing Machine

Hardcover Case Making

Let's move on to the topic of hardcover case, notebook's hardcover case protects the pages inside and the edges of the cover itself from any dents or knocks. Hardcover notebooks have a classic look that exudes quality, and because of this, they are perfect for special events or occasions. However, their durability also makes them suitable for frequent use.

Notebook's hardcover cases are made by covering the inside book block with three pieces of board which are held together and protected by different kinds of materials, such as cloth, card, special paper, paper with lamination, or PU leather. There is an individual piece of board for the front, back and spine which ensures every side of the book is protected, and creates more movability which enables the book to lie flat. 

Apart from the hardcover case, of course, the case-bound notebook's cover also has other two kinds, one is the softcover, a single piece of material (traditionally heavy paper or PU leather) acting as the case rather than the thick board; the other is flexi cover, it's similar in style to the hardcover case, but offer more flexibility in the cover. They are produced in much the same way, but use a much thinner board for the casing. These two covers have less durability, but more flexible.

Semi Auto Case Making Machine

Semi Auto Dual Stations Case Making Machine

Multifunctional Automatic Hardcover Case Making Machine

High Speed Hardcover Case Making Machine

Hardcover Case Corner Rounding

Softcover book's cover can also be trimmed into a round corner shape, but how to round the hardcover case? 

There are two ways:

One is making the hardcover case in the hardcover case-making machine directly, and the round corner board with the corner die-cutting star-shape cover materials is converted to the round corner hardcover case by molds, in the production process. 

The other is making the hardcover case, also in the hardcover case-making machine, but the board with round corners, the cover materials no need to die-cutting the corners to the special star-shape, just cut the corner, then making the flat corner hardcover case (the corner is not solid due the round corner board), the next step is forming the four corners of the hardcover case by heating and compressing.

According to the different output and speed, here are some choices for you.

HX60R Automatic Hardcover Case Corner Rounding Machine

HX500CR Semi Auto Hardcover Book Case Corner Rounding Machine

Elastic Band Fixing

Whether you like it or not, many high-end notebooks are currently equipped with elastic bands/strings for the closing, famous brands, such as Moleskine and Leuchtturm are always launching a large number of notebooks, agendas, journals, diary with different colors and widths elastic band/string.

The elastic band provides more design elements and functions for notebooks, which is why the high-end notebooks with the elastic band are more popular.

In the past, fixing the elastic band could only be done manually, low efficiency, high cost, and need more workers to do these, quality control is difficult to guarantee.

Now, when we choose the notebook elastic band/strap/string fixing machine, only need ONE operator to control it, and leave other things to the machine to complete, with a high speed and quality of the process, the speed can be 30 pcs/min, that means single shift output per day can be more than 15000 pcs.

Semi Auto Notebook Elastic Band Fixing Machine

Elastic Pen Loop Applying

Pen and pencil loops are made of strong elastic to hold a writing utensil, the durable elastic pen holders are designed to keep your writing instruments secure within your notebook. We often use the semi-automatic machine to apply one elastic pen loop onto agenda and diary cases or already cased-in products with hot-melt glue.

Semi Auto Elastic Pen Loop Applying Machine

Cover Casing In

Finally, let's move on to the most critical and final step of notebook manufacturing, we can choose the normal hardcover book cover casing in line for cover casing in, but for notebook production, need to control investment costs in a perfectly competitive market, this production line seems to be too big for its britches.

We recommend the automatic notebook cover casing-in machine, which owns the function of hardcover or softcover casing-in by cold glue, joint forming for round back and flat back books, nipping, and flat pressing, in one-time automatic completion.

HX360 Notebook Cover Casing In Machine

In this age of customization and personal expression, notebook binding offers an avenue to create something truly unique and tailored. Whether you're a student, a professional, or a business looking to make an impression, the right notebook binding can make all the difference.

Remember, be meticulously designed and crafted hardcover notebook can transform a simple collection of pages into a cherished companion for writing, sketching, planning, or documenting life's moments. Choose wisely, and let your notebook be a testament to your needs, style, and values.