The front and back cover are are attached to the hard cover boards.

The 16-page book sections (the signatures) are gathered together in the correct order for the book main text. The stack of signatures is then sewn together on a special machine. This method of making a book is called smythe-sewing and it provides the most durable book. Books can also have their signatures glued together in a process called adhesive binding. Most paperback books are made with adhesive binding. Over the long run, pages in an adhesive-bound book can start to fall out (it happens a lot with my computer books), so I used smythe sewing to ensure maximum durability and longevity. Of course, smythe sewing is more expensive.

Note that these processes were not in operation when I visited the printer, so there are no books on the equipment.

This is the machine that gathers the book signatures into the correct order. The stacks of signatures are loaded into the slots.

This is another view of the signature ordering machine.

The signatures travel along a conveyance line and are assembled in the correct order inside this Universo unit.

The collections of signatures are then sewn together on a special machine. This view shows the guideway that each signature follows to get to the sewing area. The signature travels from the machine beginning (at the right) and moves toward the left.

This is the section of the machine where the signatures are sewn together.

Here is a stack of signatures that are sewn together. Normally the black marks on the spine will form a diagonal pattern to verify correct assembly. This sewn assembly must have been run during setup.

The hard cover starts as an assembly of three pieces of cardboard that are sized for the book.

This machine attaches the laminated printed cover to the cardboard assembly. Apparently the technology for performing this operation has not changed for a long time, so this is a relatively old piece of equipment.

After running through the machine, an assembly like the one above is produced. The final step of the manufacturing process joins the hard cover to the sewn assembly.

Continue to final assembly