Cast & Camber (Helix)

A great stitching wire, like the ones produced at WCJ’s facility in York, PA is not entirely straight. Each spool has a desired wire curvature and these specifications are known independently as the cast (radial or circular curvature), and the camber (axial curvature component). A large cast and a small camber are indicative of a high-quality stitching wire as this will allow a smoother transition to the stitching head with less drag and fewer dropped stitches.

Path of Wire

Providing a clear and clean path for the stitching wire to travel from the spool to the stitching head is critical to the overall stitching outcome. If not adequately protected, the stitching wire can easily chip, scratch, or become damaged by exposed brackets or worn wire guides. The wire path must receive consistent attention and regular maintenance. Flat spots on springs or guides and dirty felt pads can result in flaking issues that will jam stitching heads and cause production delays.

The Right Size Stitching Wire for the Job

The majority of the stitching wire used in today’s binderies and in-line stitching operations is 24 and 25 gauge. The difference in size from 24 Gauge (.023”) to 25 gauge (.0204”) is .0026”. This small amount may seem insignificant, but means a lot in terms of yield. A 24 Gauge wire has 8,496 inches per pound of wire and 25 Gauge has 10,800 inches per pound. This amounts to a 21.3% difference in product yield, which translates into 21.3% more staples if you use 25 Gauge over 24 Gauge. In simpler terms, if you imagine a staple or stitch being 1 inch, you would have 2,304 more staples by using the 25 Gauge wire over 24 Gauge.

For example, a 25 gauge stitching wire’s recommended thickness of work is 1/16 to 7/32 of an inch. Whereas a 24 gauge stitching wire’s recommended thickness of work is 1/16 – ¼ of an inch. These are only suggestions as paper type, density, coatings, and stitcher setup can change the stitching wire size required. We recommend physically inspecting the size of your stitching wire and don’t believe what is on the label until you are sure. An oversized wire that is labeled 25 gauge but is actually larger means you are not getting what you are paying for. Oversized wire substantially affects the yield of your wire along with increasing the amount you end up paying at the post office in postage.