Information on Buying the Right Paper Folder

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Getting the right paper folder is easy if you take the time to make a wise decision!

What you Should Know about Paper Folders

How They Work

Paper folders in the common market work by using four rubber rollers that are compressed together with spring pressure. The rollers line up with opened slots on folding tables, which have a variable adjustment bar for the length of the fold called a paper stop. The rollers shoot the paper into the folding table where it collides with the adjustment bar and is pulled back out by the next set of rollers in-line. Any machine that has adjustable paper stops can typically be configured to do much more than advertised folds, as long as a person understands how to do the math and set the folds correctly.

Paper folding machines have limitations on stock and other characteristics. Make sure before purchasing that you have the right machine for the job. Its good advice to assume that any time you are in need of a machine that performs some function to paper to be cautious and aware of issues.

Who Uses Them

Paper folders are a unique product in the sense that they were originally used only in the printing industry. They are one of several products originally in printing which now span a number of business types. Paper folders are used in churches, schools, print shops, quick-copy centers, banks, mail-houses and many other types of organizations.

Feed System Styles

Top-Fed

Top-fed paper folders have a rubber feed wheel that sits above the stack to pull the paper in. There are two different kinds: retarder-wheel based and feed-plate based. Retarder style machines use an adjustment knob on the bottom of the feed table to set the friction of a small stationary rubber roller, which makes the unit feed one sheet at a time. Spring-plate machines have a spring-loaded table that constantly presses the stack against the feed roller. The fact that no adjustment is required on spring-plate machines is a strong advantage, but also limits your adjustment for various sheet thicknesses. Retarder-based machines require that the stationary roller be rotated from time to time because of a flat spot that is created over time with the friction of the feed wheel rubbing against it.

Bottom-Fed

Bottom-fed Paper Folders work much the same way top-fed machines do. You may be able to guess the difference. With top-fed systems the feed wheel is on top, with bottom-fed paper folders the feed-system is on the bottom. They do however have some advantages. Usually, a bottom-fed machine can be reloaded while it is still running, and there is no necessary fanning of paper as is many times required with top-fed units. They also supply better in-feed registration and feed parts wear out less quickly.

Air-Fed

Air-Fed paper folders use a combination of air flow and suction to feed materials in. They are typically only used when they are needed, which is for stocks that have a smooth or glossy finish, or for paper that is printed with wet-ink, and needs to be folded before it dries. Air-fed paper folders tend to be more complicated to operate, tend to be loud, and require more advanced knowledge from the operator than a friction paper folder does. They are only recommended in print shops and other organizations that are accustomed to working with these styles of machines, and possess professional operators.

Technical Things You Should Know

Paper folders are not a ‘what you see is what you get’ product. Review the category notes to make sure that you don’t end up with the wrong machine:

Customer Records for Banks and Other Billing Agencies

Banks, billing offices and some other industries usually have the need to keep their documents in order as they are folded. The only reliable way to do this is by using a machine that has conveyor belts and stacking wheels on the exit to make sure they do not get out of sequence.

Colored Paper and Inking Duplicating Machines

Colored paper and inking duplicating machines bring similar issues to many paper folders. Of primary concern is ink contaminating the rubber folding rollers, and colored paper having chemical reactions to the folding rollers. Extreme caution should be exercised when picking a folding machine to handle these types of applications. At the very least a machine with an adjustable speed control is required to slow the machine down to a speed that will prevent the stock from being damaged as it tries to enter the folding tables. Damage trying to enter the folding tables it the most common problem seen.

Numbering, Inserting, Sealing, Multiple Page Sets, Counting

There are many additional things that often need to be done in the process of folding paper. Numbering is the most common one, and usually requires a stand-alone machine to do it. Number should be done before the paper is folded as a rule of thumb for compatibility issues in the small-end market.

Inserting is another common need, and it should be pointed out that there are many machines in the market that can fold, insert and then seal up to 3 pages into a standard envelope. These machines are a lot like paper folders, but are more expensive and usually much slower because of the number of features that are being performed.

Multiple Page Sets can usually be done of up to 3 sheets on a standard folding machine. For the most part, it’ usually required that they are done as a hand-fed item if more than one page is being folded. This is basically because of feed system limitations. Machines that can do a continuous feed of multiple page sets are out there, and should be hitting the main stream soon. Ther are currently no American companies that offer this product.

Counting is a feature that is incorporated in some folding machines and available as an accessory for others. Check individual brands for this feature if its important to you.

Automatic Fold Adjustment Vs. Mechanical

Automatic adjustment of paper stops for a folding machine can be very important in a multiple-user environment. This is especially true if there are going to be users that have no earthly idea how to operate the unit. These machines provide varying degrees of success with ease of operation and level of intuitiveness, but in general are easier to get along with than machines that have manual adjustments for fold lengths. Folding machines that auto-adjust also tend to use spring-loaded feed tables in a brilliant effort to avoid adjustments.

Paper Types

The only sure bet as far as a generic qualification for a machine is if you are running copy paper or most letterheads (Linen Stocks excluded!). Offset stock (Used in many pre-printed applications), Card stock, Tag stock and proprietary paper that is used with special machines should all be individually tested for qualification. Paper types handle differently in folding machines and you never know for sure that these kinds of materials are going to perform well until they are tested. There is a good chance that a smaller machine will do it, but you can’t tell for sure until it’s tested.

Fold Styles

Folding machines fold in the direction the paper travels leaving the feed tray. There are many variations of folds used by churches, schools, engineering firms, print shops and other businesses. Depending on what someone needs to accomplish, it may or may not be a standard setting on the paper folder they buy, but custom folds can be done by calculating the lengths of the folds and setting the table accordingly.

Half-Fold

In order to do a half-fold, a unit has to have a folding table that can be disengaged, often times it involved placing the table in a unit in a reversed manner. Papers react different ways, and there can be concerns of accuracy in some applications. Most machines come very close to doing a "perfect" half-fold, but not exact. This can be made worse by certain kinds of paper. Make sure you know what the accuracy range is for a particular machine if you are doing a half-fold, especially if its 11x17 paper. Don't be surprised if it takes a larger unit than you may want to purchase in order to do.

Tri-Fold

Tri-folds are a very common fold style in the market. Some paper folders consider a tri-fold to be 3 equal sections (brochure fold) and some do not. Make sure you identify whether your application is a tri-fold or brochure fold. All adjustable machines will do this, but if the machine is designed to leave a slight difference between the edges then the adjustments would need a minute adjustment to get 3 equal sections.

Z-Fold

A Z-fold is used if the document has to be placed into a window envelope to be mailed. Just because a machine does a tri-fold does not mean that it will have the ability to do a Z-fold. A Z-fold requires an adjustable machine, and if the documents must be kept in order then the unit should have conveyor belts and stacking wheels on the delivery to facilitate the process. "Nesting" is also something that can occur with this fold style with certain kinds of paper. This is a term that refers to documents getting intermingled with one another because they do not sit flat as they come out of the machine. The end result is sheets that are very much like spoons in a silverware drawer.

Double-Parallel Fold

The double-parallel fold is becoming more and more common in the market, and although many manufacturers advertise this fold as being compatible it does bring issues to the table. Because the folds on this document cross each other the material has to be ran through the machine twice in order to achieve. This can involve things like a need to readjust the feed system for the second pass and also being aware that the material may not stack very well in this condition, because the outer fold has a tendency to stand up as it comes out of the machine. makes sure you are comfortable with what configurations have to be adjusted and adhered to on the machine you are interested in.

Baronial Fold

The Baronial fold is also becoming more and more common in the market, and has similar issues. Because the folds on this document cross each other the material has to be ran through the machine twice in order to achieve. This can involve things like a need to readjust the feed system for the second pass and also being aware that the material may not stack very well in this condition, because the outer fold has a tendency to stand up as it comes out of the machine. makes sure you are comfortable with what configurations have to be adjusted and adhered to on the machine you are interested in.

French Fold

The French fold is also becoming more and more common in the market, and has similar issues. Because the folds on this document cross each other the material has to be ran through the machine twice in order to achieve. This can involve things like a need to readjust the feed system for the second pass and also being aware that the material may not stack very well in this condition, because the outer fold has a tendency to stand up as it comes out of the machine. makes sure you are comfortable with what configurations have to be adjusted and adhered to on the machine you are interested in.

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