FAQ

General

What is pre-converted paper/substrates?

Pre-converted paper eliminates post-converting processes such as gluing, perforating, scoring, envelope-converting and other complex finishing requirements. These features are in-position prior to printing, so after the personalized sheet comes off your digital press, the only steps required to finish the piece are trimming, folding and pressure sealing.

Where can I download test files for printing?

Once you are logged into your account on the website, access the RESOURCE LIBRARY to make your selection.

Can any paper be used for my applications?

No. Only specific papers are compatible with cohesive glue technology. Use of alternative papers is possible but should be tested.

How is a Convertible Solutions product seal formed?

Folding the form aligns patterns of cohesive glue, which have been pre-applied to the document during manufacturing. Once folded, the document should be placed under pressure to seal the glues. Activating cohesive products requires a minimum of 300 psi to activate the cohesives to adhere properly.

Why is pressure seal glue called cohesive and not adhesive?

Unlike a standard adhesive, a cohesive requires two patterns placed on top of each other to create the bond. In the case of a pressure seal cohesive, pressure is required to activate the bond. An adhesive glue will stick to any substance and does not require another glue surface to bond.

If pressure activates the cohesive why doesn‘t pressure from a laser printer cause the activation?

Cohesive glue only reacts when it comes in contact with itself under pressure. Any other pressure and heat has no affect on the cohesive glue.

Doesn‘t the cohesive have little capsules that break under pressure?

Cohesive glue is not microencapsulated and therefore will not adhere to any substrate other than itself.

What affects the sealing quality?

Extended exposure to light and air will cause the cohesives to be less effective. And as with all substrates, our papers must be properly packaged and acclimated to the print environment before imaging for the best sealing results. Be sure not to print over the glue, or where the glue will adhere, as this will almost completely prevent the sealing to occur. Lastly, be sure to apply enough pressure with either your cutter clamp bar or clicker press to bond the glues. We recommend 300 psi.

Are there any special handling issues to be considered?

Product should be kept in the original wrap to protect it from air and light. Forms exposed to air and light for extended periods of time before sealing will deteriorate in bonding performance. Unused sheets and rolls should be re-wrapped and stored in their original package.

Can heat or extreme cold affect cohesive glues?

Once manufactured, cold or heat will not affect the product as long as the product is properly stored. The product should be acclimated to a print room environment for approximately four (4) hours before imaging.

Why are my sheets jamming in the folder?

There are a variety of reasons for paper jamming. The heat used in imaging causes a natural curl in the paper, which can cause jamming and folder feeding issues. Feed the sheets curl side down to help this issue. Fan the sheets before folding to allow air to separate the sheets from one another.

Fold N' Go®

Where can I find a template to use with Fold N’ Go® products?

Visit the specific product page to download the template for that product.

Can I use my folder to seal Fold N’ Go products?

All Convertible Solutions Fold N' Go mailers require 300psi to seal properly. Relying on your folding equipment to seal Fold N' Go mailers will result in the pieces coming open during mailing. These mailers MUST be trimmed AFTER folding at a minimum of 300psi to ensure proper sealing.

MultiLoft®

Do MultiLoft® Cards need special care?

For maximum archivability, we recommend storing cards @ 77 °F (25 °C) and 20-25% Room Humidity.

Can I run MultiLoft® Inserts through my digital press?

No, MultiLoft® Inserts are not designed to be run through your digital press. Once the slip sheets are removed from the product, it can block together while sitting in the feeder tray.

The MultiLoft® product is jamming between the feeder and the press in my Indigo, what can I do to solve this?

We suggest you make sure the transfer belts are clean. If the belts on the feeder bridge appear to be loose, they should be replaced. Fluff the paper before inserting in the drawer glue side down and run the press on heavy substrate mode.

TRU-Flat®

What’s the difference between sheets & pages?

One SHEET of TRU-Flat® paper spreads from the far left side of the open book to the far right side of the open book. There is no gutter or binding in the spine area. We refer to this entire spread as one SHEET since only one sheet of TRU-Flat® paper is used. Old book binding terms would consider this a two-page spread or two PAGES of the book. This is probably the most confusing new concept to learn when working with the new TRU-Flat® technology, but it makes page layout a snap.

How is TRU-Flat better than the competition?

Low cost startup.
No cumbersome liner papers to throw away during production.
Pages really lay flat.
No gutter, no gap, no left to right registration issues.
No cross-over color shifting issues.
Ability to reposition sheets during the building process.
Print & assemble “on-demand” in-house.
No need to wait for hours for wet glues to dry before shipping the finished book. You can ship your book immediately after binding.

How do I lay out the graphics?

This is the simplest change to make for graphic artists and the benefits are huge.
Every sheet of TRU-Flat paper represents a traditional 2-page spread. Simply lay graphics out from left to right using the entire print area of the sheet. There is no gutter so graphics will always be aligned, and since the entire sheet is printed at one time, color match concerns from left to right (across the traditional gutter) are a thing of the past.
Self-wrap cover layout is exactly like traditional cover layouts. Front cover on the right, back cover on the left.
Visit the specific product page to download the template for that product.

Do I need to score the sheet before folding?

No scoring is required.

Do I need to apply glue to the TRU-Flat sheets?

All necessary glues are already a part of the pre-converted TRU-Flat® paper and are activated with pressure. Nothing needs to be added.

Is heat used to seal the sheets?

Heat is not required at any stage of producing TRU-Flat® books. Some cover crimping devices use heat to create the aesthetically pleasing crease at the bind of the book. These creasers can be used with our products, but heat is not a requirement.

How can I create a softcover or self-wrap cover for my publication?

Self-wrap is an easy, cost effective, and very popular method to cover books, brochures and proposals. Simply print your cover graphic on a sheet of TRU-Flat® paper. Fold with the glue side in and wrap the printed sheet around your book block before the final trim. Press/seal the book with the self-wrap in place and trim to finished size. The glues on the cover page will adhere with the glues on the outer book block sheets to form a durable and attractive soft cover.

Where can I get hardcovers for my books?

Some TRU-Flat® customers use in-house case making equipment for their other product offerings and they use their existing cases/covers with our products. TRU-Flat® also works with your current cover supplier.

Do TRU-Flat® books need special care?

Proper care of TRU-Flat® books is very important: recommended storage @ 77 °F (25 °C) and 20-25% Room Humidity.

Is there a maximum number of sheets I can have in book?

There isn’t a limit due to the paper, but as a practical matter we recommend hard-cased book sizes of 30 sheets or less. Books larger than 30 sheets become difficult to press/seal, difficult to handle, and ultimately difficult to enjoy as a finished product.
The maximum recommended sheet count for self-wrapped books using a standard TRU-Flat sheet for the cover is 15 sheets.