How Can the Paper Folding Machine Revolutionize Your Paper Handling Tasks

Folding machines exclusively used for folding paper are commonly referred to as paper folders. These machines are typically used for creating letter folds (C Folds) and accordion folds (Z Folds). Other commonly used folds include a half fold, fold-out, double parallel fold, gate (brochure) fold, and right angle fold.

Buckle Plate Paper Folding Machines

Buckle folders work by feeding the paper at high speeds until it can move no further; the reaction of the paper is to buckle. High friction rollers then grip the paper and push it through, folding the paper, which is squeezed between the rollers, in the process. Attached rubber provides the rollers with the required grip. The front edge of the paper is then finally placed into a “pocket”—a result of the rollers pressing together with the aid of a spring.

Buckle Folding Principle

Knife Folding Machines

A knife folder works by striking the paper with a knife between two rollers. This knife is not sharp enough to cut through the paper and simply strikes and creases the paper along the line where the fold is required. Ideally, knife folding is used with thick paper, for “cross folds” (commonly employed for maps and also known as a “French fold”) or if the paper has been stitched during the folding process; stitched sheets can ruin high friction rollers. Knife folding is commonly found on high end folding machinery but more recently has been employed in the short run digital print markets by incorporating this technology into Crease and Fold machinery. Digital stocks suffer from fibre cracking when folded and also tend to be heavier weight paper materials, as a result a traditional buckle paper folding machine is not sufficient to handle the stocks being produced. To solve this problem Crease and Fold machines incorporate both a crease matrix and a pair of knife folders and heavy duty rubber rollers to create the fold in stocks up to and exceeding 350gsm.

Knife Folding Principle

A paper folding machine can be a value-add for any digital printer, print shop, mail house, e-commerce center or other commercial/office setting.

The benefits and capabilities of paper folders today go beyond the fold. Folding solutions can lead to slitting, batching, perforating, scoring, gluing and other finishing options. The right machine brings with it increased production efficiency, improved quality, expanded job opportunities and decreased overall costs.

Folding machine models vary in sophistication, with high-end machines capable of processing more complex folding jobs and unusual paper forms (in terms of density and size). Organizations required to undertake mass mail-out campaigns often employ folding machines to improve efficiency.

Folding Machine Feeding systems

There are 3 types of feeding systems used by folders, pile, continuous and gantry.

The first is flat pile, in which the paper is placed on a feeding table and each sheet is then transported into the machine by friction or an air-controlled suction-wheel. A variation of this is palatalized feeding, in which an entire pallet full of paper may be placed on the feeding table.

The second type is called “continuous”; this involves the sheets being placed onto a belt, on a table or rollers, that takes it around the end of the machine, then each sheet is individually pushed into the machine by an air-controlled suction-wheel. The sheets of paper will be separated by blowing air between them.

The third type is gantry pallet, or gantry pile, The sheets on the pallet to be folded are run into the feeder by means of a pallet truck directly from the printing press with no manual intervention. All in all, the gantry pallet feeder provides high production capacity – with shortest interruptions for feeding by pallets. More precisely, you can transport the entire printed pallet from the delivery of the printing press into the feeder of the folder. The physical strain for the operator is low even if large signature formats have to be processed.

Signatures

The folded groups of pages that emerge from the folding machine are called signatures. Most projects have signatures of 16 pages (8 pages on each side of the parent sheet), but projects 6″ x 9″ or smaller may have signatures of 32 pages, and projects larger than 9″ x 12″ may only have 8 pages per signature.

Folding Machine Feeding systems

Except the normal standard delivery for the fodling machine, for different functions and achievements, there are 3 types of delivery systems used by folders, vertical press stacker delivery, stream press stacker delivery and verical press stacker and bundling delivery.

The first type: 

Vertical Press Stacker Delivery, Vertical Press Stacker Delivery is a delivery system with a high storage capacity for folded or bound products that is therefore particularly suitable for the processing of medium to large runs, which allows you to deliver folded and bound products of larger runs efficiently. Even multiple-ups and delicate papers can be processed with ease. The integrated pressing unit increases the folding quality and the height adjustable infeed makes the delivery combinable with all folding machines.

The second type:

Stream Press Stacker Delivery, Stream Press Stack Delivery is a stream delivery with integrated pressing device. The pressing rollers deflate the air from the folded products and guarantee sharper folds. You can not only unload the products easier to the pallet, but offer your customers an excellent quality. The conveyor belts guide the sheets through a pair of pressing rollers. With the integrated sheet monitoring and marking function you are able to unload an exact amount of products. The Stream Press Stack Delivery with height adjustable infeed section are universally compatible with all brand folding machines.

The third type: 

Vertical Press Stacker and Bundling Delivery, own a high storage capacity for folded or bound products that is therefore particularly suitable for the processing of medium to large runs, the integrated pressing unit exhausts air to improve the folding quality, and the delivery combines with the bundling device, can setting the signature stack number, flapping the stack neat, then push to the bundling station, pressing and bundling the folded sheets (signatures), brochures, book blocks, etc., with 3000N pressure, it is fitting for industrial signature production, and is perfect for the next post-press production.

CP Flat Pile Buckle Folding Machine

As the first and must step of book binding, folding is very important for whole book binding process, once the printing is complete, the stacks of fully-printed and dried parent sheets are taken to be folded by the folding machine. Each parent sheet zooms through the machine one at a time entering into gates that are set to the proper fold size. A final fold is applied by a heavy arm – this is called the knife fold – which applies immense pressure on the fold line. The final project rolls out of the machine as a “signature”. The majority of projects are folded by these machines, so this is the paper folding machine.