How To Choose The Best Paper Folding Machine For Your Business

As a book binding, commercial printing, or packaging workshop, the paper folding machine may be your first machine to start your business, the bookbinding business needs to use the paper folding machine, to fold the printing sheets to the signatures which according to typography, and all kinds of the leaflet, brochures need folding machines to make, and of course, the extremely complicated drug instructions, outlets, folding by hand will be an impossible mission, so the right and best folding machines you choose, may determine the success of your business.

Automatic Digital Folding Machine

A folding machine is a machine used primarily for the folding of paper. Folding is the sharp-edged bending of paper webs or sheets under pressure at a prepared or unprepared bending point along a straight line according to specified dimensions and folding layouts. Paper can be folded with either a buckle or a knife; thus, there are generally three types of folding machines: buckle folders, knife folders or a combination of these two types. Whilst buckle folding is the more popular of the two methods, knife folding is sometimes preferable. 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. However, it is a very commonly used finishing process across the printing industry.

Buckle Folding Principle

Knife Folding Principle

It's no secret that running a successful business isn't cheap, but on the other hand, using money to buy higher efficiency, higher automation, and higher production quality is definitely a cost-effective investment. If you're in the market for a folding machine for your bookbinding, commercial printing, or packaging business, keep reading. We're breaking down what you need to consider and what your options are, to help you make the most of your investment.

Decide What Your Folding Machine's Workload Will Be

Before you can start shopping for the right folding machine for your business, you need to think about how much folding your machine will be doing.

For instance, if you're running a very small graphic quick print business, and only need an occasional paper folded, a small paper folder may do the trick.

These take up very little space and are much less expensive than more heavy-duty alternatives. Some small paper folder is indeed designed for short-run folding jobs, compact structures, and more convenient adjustments, and will be your flexible and powerful assistant.

But if your workshop is going to be folding large amounts of paper, a short-run folder won't work. Instead, you'll need one capable of quickly and efficiently folding larger workloads.

If you know that you'll need stacks of paper folded fast, the speed of a potential folder should also be one of your considerations.

Knowing exactly what your business needs are before you start shopping will help you pick the perfect folding machine for your business.

Flat Pile Combination Folding Machine

Consider Your Fold Adjustment Style

Once you've figured out what your folding needs for your new folding machine, it's time to consider which adjustment style you prefer.

A higher level of automation means higher investment costs, but also higher production efficiency and lower labor costs. All we need to do is choose a balance among them.

If you need frequent folding job changes, a folder with folding methods programming, saving and loading any folding methods, and the folding machine will then adjust to make each of the unique folds that you requested. This will take a bit of learning to make sure that you are properly programming your machine to get each fo the folds that you need. But once you get the hang of it, completing large, complex fold jobs becomes very simple. This also eliminates the need for a dedicated employee to tackle each folding job. Anyone can quickly set up the automatic paper folding machine, and let it go while they work on other things.

On the other side, you can choose the manual adjusting (not fully automatic) paper folding machine, for the limited types of folding jobs, experience with multiple practice sessions also leads to greater efficiency.

CP Round Pile Buckle Folding Machine

Choose Your Feed Style

Most paper folding machines usually use different feeders as the main classification method, such as the flat pile feeder, round pile feeder, gantry pallet feeder, etc., this is indeed a very smart classification method, as different feeders is fitting for different folding jobs.

Although the main function of feeders is to shift stacks of paper and feed them into the folding section, different feeders correspond to different jobs and requirements.

Flat Pile is designed to accommodate frequent folding job changes and small to medium run lengths, it is an economic feeder variant at manageable investment costs.

Round Pile is particularly suitable for medium to large circulations, it allows for a high performance by non-stop operation as the feeding need not be interrupted, thus increasing the daily production by more than 15% compared to the flat pile feeder. Even sensible papers and pre-folded, pre-perforated, or creased signatures can be processed.

CP Flat Pile Buckle Folding Machine

Gantry Pallet is mainly used for medium to large circulations as well as for large formats. The sheets on the pallet to be folded are run into the feeder utilizing 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. The operator can concentrate on the quality of the folded products and comfortably unload the products. 

Gantry Pallet Combination Folding Machine

Think About the Post-Folding 

When you have chosen and confirmed the fitting feeder, no hurry, take your time to think about the choice of after fold, yes, the signature collecting. Most paper folding machines' standard delivery is the normal stream delivery, the folding jobs are guided by the conveyor belts layer by layer, it is enough for most short-run jobs, but if you are holding the medium to large circulations folding jobs, especially the book signatures, some functional deliveries are worthy of your attention.

Stream Press Stack Delivery is a stream delivery with the 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 excellent quality. This delivery is especially for heavy ink and thin paper folding jobs.

CP Gantry Pallet Buckle Folding Machine

Horizontal Press Stack 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. The integrated pressing unit deflate the air from the folded signatures, then makes the next process more easier, fitting for most book signatures collecting.

When the Horizontal Press Stack 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), the signatures bunds are easier to stack and transport.

Round Pile Combination Folding Machine

Last but Not Least

Wait, we just mentioned that there are generally three types of folding machines: buckle folders, knife folders, or a combination of these two types.

In short, the fully buckle folding machine can make all the most complex folding jobs, so it is the ideal folding machine for drug Instructions, promotion leaflets, outlets, etc., but knife folding is perfect on the book signature folding because the up-down or down-up knife folding in half is more efficient than buckle folding, much more fitting for the industrial production.

Miniature Buckle Folding Machine

So please make a detailed analysis of your main business, if you often handle different types of folding jobs, and most of them are not large circulations, buckle folding machine is your best choice undoubtedly; if your main business is book signatures folding, long run jobs, the knife-buckle combination folding machine is your first choice.

To be honest, all industrial machines, including paper folding machines, and a penny stock, you will get what you pay, but we only pay for the demand.