Miniature folding is the best solution for ensuring pharmaceutical product inserts and outserts fit in the packages cleanly while still allowing the text to be readable and usable. This precision process is done by pharmaceutical paper folding machines.
Let’s explore what miniature folding is and why it is important to your business, as well as explore the various usages of it. We’ll also look at how AOQI can meet all of your miniature folding requirements for any use case, including for pharmaceutical applications.
What Is Miniature Folding and Why Is It Important?
Across many industries, there are regulations and rules which determine that appropriate or mandated information must be included with specific products.
In the pharmaceutical industry, this is even more pressing as the information relating to medication or similar products can get technical and specific, as well as needing to be fully compliant with the detailed requirements of the law.Combined with the fact that pharmaceutical products are not normally very large, that limits the amount of space for large information manuals or instructions. To overcome this, an insert or outsert is put into the packaging or attached to the medication.This requires miniature folding, sometimes referred to as pharmaceutical folding, to get the instruction sheets down to a manageable size.These can take the forms of outserts or inserts. Outserts are very similar to inserts, with the main difference being that an outsert is on the outside rather than the inside of the product, typically seen glued to pill bottles.
The scale and volume needed to create so many inserts and outserts requires specialty machinery, and this is where AOQI comes in. AOQI has been a specialty manufacturer of miniature paper folding for pharmaceutical purposes since 2011.
Can AOQI’s Equipment Handle Pharmaceutical Folding?
Pharmaceutical folding usually deals with lightweight paper weighing 35 grams per square meter (gsm). As paper generally weighs around 80gsm, the paper used in pharmaceutical folding is delicate and thus requires specialized machinery that can handle it.
There are two reasons for this: one is that lighter paper is more economical in terms of cost, and the second reason is that thinner paper is much easier to fold and will thus take up less space.Some of the most common outserts are patient packaging inserts (PPIs), prescribing information (PIs), instruction sheets (IFUs), as well as other information required in the form of outserts.
Other sought-after features in an outsert folding machine include having a parallel knife and pressing unit, which generally allows for folding paper in a way that is too thick or difficult for the traditional buckle folder machines to handle.On top of this, it’s important for an outsert folder to include a gluing apparatus to enable sealing of the outserts.
Finally, for flexibility in outsert paper folding, it is important that your machine can deal with a variety of techniques for folding.
Depending on the size of the box or packaging that the outsert is going to be put into, as well as the way the information should be displayed, different folding methods will be desirable.
For example, one of the most common ways to create an outsert is to use an accordion fold. This technique utilizes alternating folds to create multiple panels of similar sizes. It has the advantage of being easy to unfold as well as separate the information out evenly.
Another method is the parallel fold. This is better for smaller outserts as there is just a single fold down the midway line, normally performed twice.Â
A roll fold, commonly seen with brochures, is completed by folding one section of paper inward then using a succession of parallel folds to create multiple panels.
Other Considerations for Miniature Folding
First, it’s very important to choose a machine that can handle the weights and varieties of paper you’ll be using, as well as which coating options your finished product will have amongst glossy, soft finishes, matte, or foiled.
To handle large volumes and a variety of paper sizes, look for a paper folding machine that has wide feed tires, or offers the option for this. This helps your paper get fed into the machine correctly, as well as being faster.
This also has a strong relationship to input trays and feeders, as it doesn’t matter how fast your machine is at folding if you constantly have to stand over it, feeding a few sheets of paper at a time.
Why Choose AOQI for Pharmaceutical Folding?
AOQI has insert and outsert paper folding machines, including those designed for leaflets and pharmaceutical folding. These machines have been used by firms in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, electrical appliances, and many other industries.Â
AOQI is one of the top manufacturers in China for paper folding machines and accessories. With partnerships stretching over 20 countries, AOQI has shown their abilities to provide top service in manufacturing, sales and configuration support.
The AOQI factory is open for tours, so please contact us if you would like to arrange a factory tour. We can also send samples to you once you let us know what your specific folding requirements are.
AOQI produces our machines in house, meaning we manufacture and service the machines, thus knowing everything about them. We take the raw materials, process and assemble the components, and test thoroughly to make sure you get a high quality piece of equipment.
An 18-month warranty is also offered on all machines, and AOQI is able to produce your specific machine generally within 20 days, although this can be sped up if needed to fit with urgent needs.
Aoqi Packing Machine has the 480TS /600TS Paper Folder that is able to produce folded leaflets with the largest size being 480mm/600mm wide by 1000mm long, and a minimum folded size of 25 by 25mm. It will also produce outserts with a maximum thickness of 12mm.
AOQI has a team of experts who are well versed with all aspects of pharmaceutical and miniature folding, and are available to answer your questions as well as send samples and videos of the machines in operation.
If you’ve ever considered moving your printing and folding inhouse, be sure to contact AOQI to find out what equipment is best for you.