Getting that perfectly folded brochure or outsert not only makes your products look more professional, but raises the profile of your company. However, there is a lot that goes into mass production folding troubleshooting.
Join me as we explore some common issues that pop up during paper folding, how they are caused and how best to fix them. We’ve compiled these tips and tricks from our vast experience with paper folding, and hope they are helpful for your projects as they are for us.
Check Equipment Speed
If you’ve noticed that you need to recalibrate or fix your machinery more commonly than is to be expected, it could be that you’re putting too much pressure on the equipment.
Small changes have a big impact in regards to paper folding. Big changes in velocity, such as bumping up the speed, have a huge impact on increasing the stress felt by the machine.
This is because the impacts felt by increasing the speed are not linear, but instead geometric, meaning a doubling in speed can result in the pressure being squared.
Static electricity can act as a magnet, lifting paper out of alignment or not allowing it to be fed into the machine properly.Â
Cold and dry climates are common causes of buildup of static, or when a paper folder is placed in close proximity to other computer equipment, such as uninterruptible power supply. However, anything with a battery or large electromagnetic field may cause these issues.
Think Up and Down the Line
No matter the type of paper being used, if you notice feeding issues with paper then it may be worth taking into account the whole process of paper folding and its process to nail down what the issue is.
Simply twisting or tumbling the input, or putting it in upside down, may help with the end product.
This is particularly the case for paper that curls, as some have noticed that if you flip it over so the curl is facing the opposite way, this reduces jams significantly while not impacting on the overall finished product in any way.
The key takeaway should be to always challenge your assumptions. Consider whether you are doing something because you were told to, or because it’s the best way to do something.
The Wrinkling Problem
Wrinkling looks ugly: it creates creases and folds in areas you don’t want and once present, can’t be removed. There are several causes of wrinkling and by examining them individually we can see how to tackle this annoying but fixable issue.
Fold Roller Pressure
One of the most common causes of wrinkles stems from incorrect pressure settings for the fold roller.
First, narrow down how the problem is occuring by looking for patterns in the wrinkles. Ascertain the direction the wrinkles are taking, generally they run in the same direction as the sheet travel, often perpendicular to the fold rollers.
A quick check and reset of the rollers can solve these issues, but focus on the rollers responsible for the wrinkles in that section, if applicable.
For example, if wrinkling is happening in the middle of an outside section of a 8-page right angle brochure, consider adjusting the rollers for the 8-page right-angle section.
If the wrinkles run in the opposite direction, consider only checking the rollers responsible for the main parallel section.Â
Improper Setup of the Folder
The key is to make sure that paper should be perfectly flat at key sections of the process. One of the most common areas for paper to buckle or bow is after the sheet leaves the feeder and is about to enter the fold rollers.
You’ll want to check that the side lay isn’t set too far from the edge of the pile or continuous stream. Consider also whether the side lay is too skewed or there is a wrong combination of steel and/or plastic side lay marbles.
Make sure to also check whether there are poor or intermittent feeding issues. This can be caused by poor placement or the operation of sheet smoothers. Vital to this process is the smooth running of transport belts and improper machine speed for the weight of stock.
Imposition
Imposition is one of the most common causes of wrinkling. Imposition refers to the arrangement of pages on a press sheet. If you notice wrinkling particularly along the edges or head of the sheet, incorrect imposition is the likely culprit.
One tactic is to reduce the number of pages or to use thinner stock. Complex folds can also leave air no room to escape, particularly on larger projects, and so consider a different folding method.Â
Take Stock of Your Stock
Stock fed into a paper folding machine comes in many different thicknesses. The thinner it is, the more likely it will buckle. Thin stock used for pharmaceutical folding generally requires a slightly slower folder speed.
You can counteract this by decreasing the buckle plate gap or buckle space to help allow for thinner paper. You can also try laying out the job so the fold is against the grain, giving it a bit of extra stiffness which can help minimize defects.Â
Wear and Tear
If you’re doing a lot of volume, parts can wear out over time. This can manifest in interesting ways, for example worn out fold rollers will have inconsistencies on their surface, causing bumps and wrinkles on folded sheets.
Dog Ears
The bane of many a paper folder, dog ears on your documents will appear very unprofessional. But like many tips and tricks in this list, fixing dog ears is best done by identifying how they happen and stop them before it does.
One of the most common causes can be that the inside panel fold length needs adjusting.
Other times, running additional rollers at low pressure can help flatten inside panels, particularly on thicker jobs. This means that the folds won’t pop open and get dog ears during the process.
Fold rollers will also impart pressure on the stock so that it may curl in one direction, but then get canceled out by a fold in the other direction. Of course, the more time spent in the folding machine means the more opportunities for damage to the paper or jamming.
Technifold USA has a great blog post that goes into some more techniques for fixing this issue, including through a unique combination of fold plates.
Push Versus Pull
Understanding that the rollers in your folding machine push rather than pull paper is key to troubleshooting a variety of issues that come about.
This is particularly the case for buckle folding, as the leading edge of the sheet gets fed into the fold plate, with the trailing edge then being pushed by the rollers. This causes the sheet to buckle, completing the fold.
Thus when you’re setting fold roller pressure, consider that it is the push on the trailing edge of the sheet that is going to make all the difference.
A good rule of thumb to prevent the push of the paper causing issues down the line, is that if more than half of the folded sheet is going into the first fold plate that will require increasing the spacing between sheets.
If you notice that the trailing edge of a sheet is interfering with the lead edge of the following sheet, you will definitely have to increase the spacing.
Long Term Success
To get the most out of your equipment, keeping them clean is vital.
Dust and particles will wreak havoc with the machinery, especially considering the presence of oil needed for lubrication for paper folding machinery.
While all parts of the machine should be kept clean, the one component in particular that will cause a lot of issues if not spotless, is the paper folder. You can use a microfiber cloth off Amazon to wipe it down.
The rollers are another key piece to keep clean, and depending on the type of machine you have and the material the rollers are made out of, the cleaning method will differ. Consult the manual but generally warm water and diluted detergent will be fine.
For removing caked on glaze that is a result of paper dust and ink, solvents or cleaners will do the job but be sure to consult whether those materials are rated for work on your paper folding machine.
Consider getting a dust cover to place on the equipment when not in use.
Ask for Advice
Here at AOQI, we pride ourselves on knowing our equipment inside and out, and have been in this business long enough that we’ve seen it all.
We always welcome your questions or inquiries, and we want to help you make the best product you can. Sometimes all it takes is to tweak or change some settings to make the machines work best.
You can send us an email and all our details are on our website, so please feel free to ask whatever is bothering you regarding paper folding.