• The Unibind binding system offers a solution for organizations that are looking for a highly professional binding system without the need to punch and bind their reports and presentations. In fact, Unibind offers the look of a perfect bound document without the need for huge equipment or messy glue.
• The XU238 is designed to offer productivity, durability and versatility to companies who are looking to bind their documents using Unibind. In fact all you need to do in order to use this machine is insert your pages into your spine or cover and place the document onto the binding machine. It really doesn't get much simpler than that.
• This system is ideal for companies who need to bind multiple documents at one time or for organizations that are looking to bind a number of reports in a short period of time
• Plus it give users a huge assortment of options for binding their presentations and proposals.

Strengths / Features:

• The Unibind XU238 is capable of binding documents and reports using a variety of different supplies. Each type of supplies offers the ability to create documents with a different look and feel. Here are some of the options that are available for use with this machine:
  
  
  • SteelCrystal covers use a steel spine with a clear front and back cover. These covers allow you to prominently display your printed title sheet and provide your document with protection from moisture and stains.
  • SteelMat binding covers are similar to SteelCrystal covers but have a frosted matte cover on the front and back. These matte covers are resistant to scratching and provide a premium and elegant look for your reports while still allowing users to see your title page through the translucent cover.
  • Steelbook covers offer you the ability to create your own high quality hard cover documents in just minutes. They still use a steel spine which is hidden inside the hard cover case. This is one of the most elegant options for binding documents using a desktop binding system.
  • SteelBack binding spines allow you to use your own covers with your documents. You simply bind the pages of your document into the spine and then tear off the front and back sheets to leave a fully customized binding cover.
  • Unibind Photobooks provide an option to create high quality landscape bound phtoobooks and presentations. These covers are available with or without a window depending on your needs.

• This machine has two heating units and two cooling units. Each unit offers a maximum binding capacity of 36mm. This means that it is possible to bind up to 72mm of documents at one time using the XU238. You can bind multiple small documents at one time using this machine. This helps to increase productivity and allows you to bind a large number of documents in just minutes.
• The XU-238 is designed to automatically sense when a steel spine is placed on the machine. It will automatically activate the heater when it senses a spine and will let you know when the binding cycle is finished. A green light will let you know that your document is bound and can be moved to the cooling rack. It is possible to use just one of the heating units on the XU238 or you can use both at the same time depending on how many documents you need to bind.
• This machine can also be used with traditional thermal binding covers and with thermal binding glue strips. However, these supplies don't have steel in their spines to activate the machine. The best way to work around this is to use a spare Unibind cover to turn the machine on when binding documents with thermal binding supplies.
• Unibind Binding is very fast. Using the dual heating elements offered by the XU238 it is possible to bind up to sixteen documents in a single one minute binding cycle. No other binding style is faster than this.

Weaknesses / Limitations:

• The Unibind XU238 is limited in the size of documents that it can bind. Each of the two heating elements on this machine are 36mm in size. This means that the largest book that you can bind with this machine is 36mm or 1-1/2". This is also the largest size of spine that is available for the Unibind system. Users who need to bind documents larger than 1.5" will need to consider a different binding style.
• The Unibind binding system is also limited in the lengths of documents that it can bind. The XU238 is designed for binding documents that are up to eleven inches in length. Unibind supplies are only available in eleven inch lengths for letter sized documents and 8.5" lengths for half letter sized documents and landscape binding. The fact that the spines are made of steel makes them virtually impossible to cut down. This means that Unibind will not be a good fit for users who need to bind other document lengths.
• The steel spines used to bind documents with Unibind provide an excellent and secure bind. However, these spines do not allow documents to open flat or wrap around. If these are important features to you then you might need to consider a punch and bind system for finishing your documents.
• Although the look and feel of documents bound with this system is highly professional the cost of the supplies is also higher than with many punch and bind systems. Soft covers cost between $1.00 and $1.50 while hard covers and photobooks can cost $5.00 or more per cover. In my opinion the finished product is worth it, however you need to factor this cost into your purchasing decision.

Recommendation:

• The XU238 is an excellent choice for medium to large sized companies that need to bind a number of documents at once or who may need to bind their documents quickly.
• This machine offers a huge number of options for binding presentations, reports, proposals, yearbooks and photobooks in a highly professional manner.
• However, it is somewhat limited in the size and thickness of books that it can handle.
• If your organization is looking for a highly professional binding system then this is a great choice. Just make sure that you understand the supply costs and size limitations before you make your purchase.