A method of making a customized book via a fully automated process. Various sized customized books are produced via an automated book production system. The automated book production system includes a book block finishing section for preparing a book block to be part of the customized book. The automated book production system also includes a cover finishing section for preparing a cover for the customized book. The book cover is made of a flexible material. The automated book production system further includes a customized book finishing section that combines the book block and the cover to create the customized book. A fully automated customized book production system includes the book block finishing section, the cover finishing section for preparing a cover for the customized book, and the customized book finishing section that combines the book block and the cover to create the customized book.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for manufacturing embossed laminated hardcover book cases and embossed laminated hardcover books. The method of manufacturing an embossed laminated hardcover book case may comprise: receiving a book printing request from a user; printing a desired cover design on a cover sheet based at least in part on the received book printing request; applying a laminate sheet to the cover sheet using a laminating apparatus; embossing the laminate sheet using a textured roller of the laminating apparatus to define an embossed laminated cover sheet; providing a spine board and front and rear cover boards based at least in part on the received book printing request; and combining the spine board, the front and rear cover boards, and the embossed laminated cover sheet to define the embossed hardcover book case. Adding a book block converts the case into an embossed laminated hardcover book.

An automatic machine for covering the covers of a book of different dimensions starting from a film sheet; the machine comprises a work plane in which the film sheet is arranged, means for welding and cutting the film sheet, first and second means for folding the ends of the film sheet and a control unit adapted to control the welding and cutting means and the first and second folding means as a function of the book dimension for covering the book covers. The machine comprises reception and gripping means configured to receive the book with the open covers at the input position and adapted to grip the body of the book outside the work plane and transport the book to the working position over the film sheet for the operation of covering the book covers.

An automatic machine for covering the covers of a book of different dimensions starting from a film sheet; the machine comprises a work plane in which the film sheet is arranged, means for welding and cutting the film sheet, first and second means for folding the ends of the film sheet and a control unit adapted to control the welding and cutting means and the first and second folding means as a function of the book dimension for covering the book covers. The machine comprises reception and gripping means configured to receive the book with the open covers at the input position and adapted to grip the body of the book outside the work plane and transport the book to the working position over the film sheet for the operation of covering the book covers.

An automatic plasticizing equipment (17) for image sheets (26) comprises a first plasticizing device (27) and an electronic control unit (22) for the plasticizing device and in which the first plasticizing device employs a first plasticizer film (28) unwinding from a first film spool (29). The plasticizing equipment (17) processes image sheets (26) with associated enhanced sheet codes (ESC), readable by machine, having dimension and finishing information associated to said image sheets (26). The equipment (17) further comprises a second plasticizing device (41), downstream of the first plasticizing device (27) for a second plasticizer film (42) of different typologies unwinding from a second film spool (43) for pre-forming plasticized image sheets (31, 44) of different typologies; and the electronic control unit (22) responds to the dimension and finishing information from the enhanced sheet codes (ESC) for selectively activating the first plasticizing device (27) or the second plasticizing device (41) or to leave the plasticizing devices deactivated so as to obtain plasticized image sheets (31, 44) of different typologies of plasticization or non-plasticized image sheets (46).

A media binder has an inner assembly and a case assembly, The inner assembly includes inside boards pre-attached to a binding mechanism. Adhesive is placed on outward surfaces of the inside boards. The case assembly includes a cover sheet with at least one marginal edge attached to surface boards and at least one loose edge. To customize cover, a printed cover is inserted in-between the cover sheet and the surface board through an opening formed by the loose edge. The case assembly is then laminated. The laminated case assembly is combined with the inner assembly using the adhesive on the inside boards. A one-piece media binder has cover sheets wrapping around surface boards forming pockets. The surface boards are partially attached to paste downs. To customize cover, printed covers are inserted into the pockets, and the paste downs are then attached to the surface boards to seal loose edges.

An automatic plasticizing equipment (17) for image sheets (26) comprises a first plasticizing device (27) and an electronic control unit (22) for the plasticizing device and in which the first plasticizing device employs a first plasticizer film (28) unwinding from a first film spool (29). The plasticizing equipment (17) processes image sheets (26) with associated enhanced sheet codes (ESC), readable by machine, having dimension and finishing information associated to said image sheets (26). The equipment (17) further comprises a second plasticizing device (41), downstream of the first plasticizing device (27) for a second plasticizer film (42) of different typologies unwinding from a second film spool (43) for pre-forming plasticized image sheets (31, 44) of different typologies; and the electronic control unit (22) responds to the dimension and finishing information from the enhanced sheet codes (ESC) for selectively activating the first plasticizing device (27) or the second plasticizing device (41) or to leave the plasticizing devices deactivated so as to obtain plasticized image sheets (31, 44) of different typologies of plasticization or non-plasticized image sheets (46).