Thermal binding is one of the most rapidly-growing binding styles on the market today, primarily due to its ease of use, durable binds, and professional appearance. The Helios 60 thermal binding machine from Fellowes is a compact and user-friendly thermal binder that is capable of binding documents in as little as 60 seconds. Below are 11 helpful tips for creating bound documents with the Fellowes Helios 60:
- Always use the appropriate size of binding cover to bind your document. Using a cover that is either too large or too small for your document can lead to improper binding.
- Thermal utility covers work best when they are filled to capacity, with little to no space before and after your document. For best results, consider including blank sheets to fill the thermal cover to capacity. This can also be helpful for bound presentations and proposals because the blank sheets provide additional space for note-taking.
- Whether you’re binding just one document or doing a more substantial run, be sure to always perform a test bind using a similar size and thickness of thermal covers before binding your final product.
- The Fellowes Helios 60 has an angled heater mechanism that helps to ensure that the document is correctly aligned with the document support during the binding process.
- The adhesive that lines the spines of thermal binding covers works best when used with thin, uncoated types of paper. If you are binding with thick and/or coated paper types, take extra care during binding to ensure satisfactory results.
- If you discover that the sheets have not been fully glued to the spine of the thermal binding cover after the binding process has been completed, the document can be run through the binding process a second time to improve the adhesion.
- You will achieve your best binding results if the pages of your document are well-aligned and in good contact with the adhesive-lined spine. To ensure that your sheets are aligned, simply place them into the thermal binding cover and tap the cover against your working surface, with the spine side down. Repeat this process immediately after the thermal binding cycle finishes (while the glue is still warm and pliable) to further secure the pages.
- When the machine is first turned on, it will automatically perform a ‘System-Check’ function. The control panel will illuminate LED indicator lights in sequence to check
their operation. - The Fellowes Helios 60 is capable of automatically determining the optimum binding cycle period and self-adjusting, so there is no need to manually input the cycle period. When you open the document clamp and load the documents that you are binding, the machine will calculate the required binding settings and adjust itself accordingly.
- In addition to holding your document in place during the binding process, the document clamp also operates as a ‘Heat Shield’ that prevents operators from accidentally touching the heating plate.
- If the machine is inactive for 30 minutes, the ‘Auto-Off’ function will automatically place it into standby mode, which is indicated by the ‘Power-On’ LED flashing green and red. To return the machine to regular operating mode, simply press the ‘Power-On’ button.