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The bookmaking process requires individual sheets of paper be stitched into a spine and cover. The resulting stack of paper is then trimmed so that all pages are perfectly aligned with each other. The paper trimmings must then be collected for disposal or recycling.

A printing company contacted Vortex searching for a method to convey the wasted materials away from the trimmer through a vacuum system toward two collection points. When conveying material away from the trimmer, each type of trimming poses an issue. The individual strips of paper are light and can be conveyed long distances through a dedicated line. The spine pieces are heavier and can only be conveyed shorter distances.

Previously, the company was able to run a direct line to transfer paper strips toward the bailer, but sometimes the long strips of paper collected in various areas of the diverter, causing it to seize up and not work properly. The spine pieces also had to be removed from the trimmer by hand. The time spent hand-picking spine pieces added considerable downtime and lagged the entire trimming process.

When considering the material characteristics, a diverter valve was needed to direct the spine pieces toward a nearby receiver, while the paper strips needed to be directed toward a bailer located further away.

A Vortex Flex Tube Diverter (8 in | 205 mm) was recommended to address all the issues inherent with this application.

Features:
•Two-way diverting design.
•Diverter body & housing constructed from aluminum.
•Blade, flexible hose & other material contact areas constructed from 304 stainless steel.
•Inlet & outlet weldments constructed from carbon steel.
•Removable access panel/viewing panel constructed from clear polycarbonate.
•Double-acting air cylinder actuator equipped with a magnetic piston, to be used with magnetic reed switches for gate position indication.

The smooth, unobstructed actuation between ports eliminates any pockets where material can lodge or become trapped. To divert the trimming types toward their proper destination, an operator simply uses a toggle-switch, located between the trimmer and the diverter valve. A viewing panel allows the operator to see which trimming type is being conveyed through the diverter at all times. Hand-picking spine pieces from the trimmer is no longer an issue.