When purchasing a 3-knife trimmer, the most important consideration is finding the machine that can handle your production needs. At Colter & Peterson, we specialize in matching our customers with the state-of-the-art 3-knife trimmer that best suits their needs.
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Not all 3-knife trimmers are the same.
Let Colter & Peterson help you chose the machine that best meets your needs.
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While the origin of the 3-knife trimmer dates back to the early 1900s, the basic principles of 3-knife trimming have remained relatively unchanged. Unfinished product, usually book blocks, is taken into the machine, clamped, trimmed on all three sides and finished product is ejected out.
Hand-fed, Offline or Inline?
When choosing a 3-knife trimmer, first resolve whether you need a light duty hand-fed 3-knife trimmer, a semi-automatic offline machine or one that is fully integrated into an automated, inline binding solution.
Hand-fed and offline 3-knife trimmers require operators to feed product directly into the machine and are appropriate for companies with hand-fed perfect binding equipment. For those with high speed binders in the 4,000+ books per hour range, an inline 3-knife trimmer is the right solution. Conveyor belts are necessary to deliver freshly glued book blocks directly from the binder to the 3-knife trimmer. If you have any doubt which class of 3-knife trimmer you need, a phone call to Colter & Peterson will quickly provide the advice you need to make an informed decision.
Consider Product, Turnaround Needs
Besides budget and existing machine concerns, also consider your product and turnaround needs. For instance, if you frequently bind thin books approaching the 1/8” or thinner range, or books with a combination of loose, glued or folded forms, then a machine with hydraulic clamping offers greater stability and ultimately better quality.
For consistently short run jobs (fewer than 300 pieces), a hand-fed machine is sufficient. If there’s a lot of size and thickness variability, you probably should consider more of an “on demand” style 3-knife trimmer with speedier set-up times. Horauf, Accutrim and Challenge offer machines that fit this bill.
Used, Rebuilt or New?
The next consideration is whether to purchase a used, rebuilt or new 3-knife trimmer. If you’re installing a top of the line Wohlenberg Master S or Champion S perfect binder, any decision other than a new 3-knife trimmer is suspect. If you’re replacing a 3-knife trimmer on an existing binder, then factor in your binder’s age, annual usage, maintenance history, expected future life and current business need. Your clients’ needs are important. If you’re servicing the financial report printing market, we recommend buying new because peace-of-mind reliability is well worth the investment.
The Colter & Peterson Advantage
Colter & Peterson has three generations of experience and extensive knowledge of nearly every paper cutter and three knife trimmer ever manufactured. Whatever your cutting needs, Colter & Peterson has the equipment, service and can-do attitude that thousands of satisfied customers have come to expect. Contact Bruce Peterson at: bruce@colterpeterson.com for more information.
