U.S. Paper Counters - Q & A Page

Q. Why should I invest in a paper counter?

A. You should invest in a paper counter if you need accurate counts, if you want to save money & if you want to increase production. The cost of paper has gone up; if you work on a plus or minus factor as most printers do, you are either shorting yourself or your customer. For example, if a commercial printer purchases $1,000,000 worth of paper a year and works off a plus or minus factor of 5%, 5% plus is $50,000 and minus 5% is $50,000 making a total asserted variance window of $100,000 per year. This figure does not take into consideration the time it took to run the extra prints, the ink used, etc.

Q. I am counting using a scale now; will a paper counter do the job faster?

A. Not all the time. Scales will be faster if you’re counting in high numbers such as thousands, but will not be in lower numbers. Also scales, depending on ink, paper and humidity, can be off by plus or minus a few percent. If you can afford the loss then you do not need a paper counter.

Q. What are the limits of a paper counter?

A. Our paper counters, depending on model and options needed, can handle weights of paper from 20gm² (4lb bond) up to 250gm² (.010 cover) and sheet sizes from 2 ¼ X 4” up to 40X40”.

Q. How fast can your counters count and batch tab?

A. Our advertised speeds, depending on model, are up to 2500 sheets per minute. However in the real world, that’s not always the case. The 2500 sheets per minute is running speed. We’ve done tests to see how fast the average person can count. We found that speed to be approximately 800 - 1000 sheets per minute, which takes into account loading / unloading of the paper and resetting of the counting system. Batch tabbing has no effect on the speed of the counter; the counter can batch tab at any speed.

Q. Should I get a counter with a large throat so I can count more at one time?

A. Bigger does not always mean better & there are many reasons for this:
1. Paper weight limits you to how much you can count at one time; the thicker the paper the less you can count without using breathers.
2. If you have a machine with an 8” throat and only want to count copy paper, yes you can fill the throat with paper. However if you’re batch tabbing, you have to remember you will be inserting tabs at your pre determined batch points, so you will be increasing your stack height.
3. The machine will have to reset the same distance as it counted, so 8” up means 8” down. You can count two 4” piles in the same time it takes to do one 8” pile; and, when you are handling large format sheets, it’s easier to jog and handle smaller piles.

Q. Since your counters only count the corner of the stock, can’t I purchase your smaller model machine and build a bigger table on it?

A. Yes, but we do not recommend it. The smaller model was designed mainly for office environment usage. While the smaller model does have the same electronics and counting system, the frame is designed for the smaller format sheets (15"X18” max. sheet size). If you only needed to count medium format sheets once in a while and in low volume, the smaller model will work for your needs.

Q. I have a small print shop and do medium volume. I’m looking for an affordable way to batch tab my product. Do you have a low cost solution?

A. In this case we recommend the Shooter II line of press tabbers. These units can stand alone at the delivery or be attached to your press. They can batch tab directly into the delivery of your press at speeds of up to 3 tabs per second.

Q. I have a high-speed sheeter and fairly fast press and I want to be able to batch tab on both machines. Can you help?

A. Yes we can. The Shooter-II has the ability to tab at high speeds, up to 3 tabs per second.