The Akiles DuoMac-C31 is
a dual purpose binding machine that is designed for binding documents
with both plastic combs and 3:1 pitch twin loop wire.This
machine is ideal for organizations that are trying to decide what style
of binding is the best fit for their image. It is also great for
companies who are planning to revisit the way that they present their
documents in the near future.
Overview:
The Akiles DuoMac-C31 is
a dual purpose binding machine that is designed for binding documents
with both plastic combs and 3:1 pitch twin loop wire.
This is
one of the most versatile binding machines available on the market.
Using the two punching patterns produced by this machine it is possible
to bind your documents with six different binding styles.
This
machine is ideal for organizations that are trying to decide what style
of binding is the best fit for their image. It is also great for
companies who are planning to revisit the way that they present their
documents in the near future.
It is also great for companies that want to use different binding styles for presenting their internal and external documents.
Strengths / Features:
The
DuoMac-C31 has two different punching throats. It is designed to punch
a 3:1 pitch square hole pattern and a rectangular hole pattern with
holes that are 9/16" on center for use in plastic comb binding. With
these two hole patterns it is possible to bind your documents with six
different binding styles including: Plastic Comb Binding, GBC Zipbind,
Spiral-O Wire Combs, Twin Loop Wire, GBC Proclick and 3:1 Pitch Spiral
Coil binding. No other machine provides more options than this.
In
addition to dual punching throats, the C31 also has multiple finishing
devices built into the machine. It includes a high quality durable
plastic comb opener that is capable of handling all of the different
sizes of plastic binding combs that are available on the market. It
also includes a high quality wire closer on the front of the machine.
This wire closer is capable of handling wires that are between 3/16"
and 1-1/4" in diameter. Although 3:1 pitch twin loop wires are only
available in sizes up to 9/16", this wire closer can also be used with
19 loop spiral-o wires in diameters up to 1".
Both of the
punching throats on the Duomac C31 are fourteen inches in width which
means that they can handle legal sized sheets with a single punch. Both
throats also have fully disengageable punching pins and open throat
designs. Using the disengageable dies it is possible to punch any
length of document up to fourteen inches in a single pass. The open
throat allows for punching documents longer than fourteen inches using
a two step punching process.
Like all of the Akiles DuoMac
binding machines, the C31 is known for its high quality metal
construction. The body of the machine and all of its components are
made from high quality steel. The construction of this machine is great
for organizations that need to bind documents on a daily basis.
Weaknesses / Limitations:
The
Akiles DuoMac C31 is able to combine a huge number of features into a
single machine. No other binding system has all of these features.
However, adding two punches and several finishing devices to the system
makes it fairly large and bulky. It can also make it difficult for
inexperienced users to operate.
This machine is a great
system for a small or medium sized office that wants to use multiple
binding styles. However, it is still a manual punch and is not ideal
for high volume applications. Users who need to bind more than fifty
documents per week may want to consider a modular interchangeable die
binding punch.
Recommendation:
The
Akiles DuoMac C31 is an excellent binding system for organizations that
are looking to bind documents with multiple binding styles. This
machine can be used to create presentations, proposals, reports and
documents using up to six different binding styles. This makes it a
perfect choice for companies that aren't sure what type of binding they
want to use or for their documents.
This machine is extremely durable and is constructed with high quality metal components.
However,
it is still a manual binding machine and is not meant as a replacement
for an interchangeable die binding punch. Printers, binderies and large
organizations may want to consider a heavy duty electric punch and
modular finishing equipment instead of a combination binding system
such as this.
This review was written by Jeff McRitchie who is the director of marketing for Mybinding.com.
Jeff has written more than three hundred articles and more than two
hundred reviews on Binding Machines, Binding Supplies, Report Covers,
3-Ring Binders, Index Tabs, Laminators, Laminating Supplies, Paper
Shredders and Paper Handling Equipment.