From the course: Print Production: Folding

Machine folding vs. hand folding

From the course: Print Production: Folding

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Machine folding vs. hand folding

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- Machine folding or mechanical folding is when a printed piece is folded entirely by machine for the greatest speed and production efficiencies. Most of the folds we see in direct mail and print production today are machine folded. In the process of mechanical folding, there are three commonly used techniques. Buckle-plate folding, knife folding, and plow folding. These processes can be used by themselves or in combination to create an infinite variety of formats and we'll cover all three mechanical folding processes in this chapter. Sometimes there are limitations in the folding equipment or the print quantity is too low to justify setting up a machine to automate the entire process. When this happens, the folded piece is taken as far as it can go by machine, and then the last fold or two is done by hand by a group of workers in the bindery. This process is called semi-automation. Lastly, there's always an option to fold printed products entirely by hand. Folding by hand is a necessity for mock-ups and for many specialty folds, but when folding for mass production, finishing by machine is always the fastest, most efficient way to get the job done. So why would you choose to hand fold? Hand folding is not always due to the limitations of machinery. For small quantities, sometimes it's easier to fold the pieces by hand than it is to take the time to set up a folding machine. Oh, one last thing, just a cool little folding fact. Virtually any folding style, no matter how complicated, can be folded by machine if the quantity is high enough to justify engineering the machinery to execute sophisticated folding configurations. Think tens of thousands into the hundreds of thousands, or even millions. Basically, it has to be worth the time, effort, and expense to set up the machinery to do it and you would have to go to a printing service provider that can make it happen. That's why many tricky and some not-so-tricky folds are finished by hand.

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