Folders — The Possibilities Are Endless

"The traditional folder employed by binderies and printers was big, complicated to set up between jobs and expensive," Polk explains. "For many of the smaller, targeted print runs, these folders were inefficient and slowed down production."

Which is why Profold developed the Model 4040, he says, to serve the short-run, targeted mailing market niche. With its patented "No-Set-Gap-Set," he notes, just about anyone can set up the machine and fold jobs—without extensive training or knowledge of the "art" of folding.

"Our patented Fast Track grooved fold rollers, made from Prothane, provide long life and are almost maintenance-free. The grooved roller material has no affinity for ink or toner and allows air to escape under the paper, providing the tightest fold possible," Polk says. "The Model 4040 is rated at 40,000 sph and has a three-shift duty cycle. It is fast, efficient, and easy to set up and operate. Just what binderies and printers need."

On-demand Folding
"The future of folding, and [that of] the entire bindery, lies in the on-demand printing market," proclaims Rudi Gunther, director of marketing for Stahlfolder. "The printing industry is changing, and it's up to postpress to meet the new challenges.

"The bindery equipment currently used in the on-demand market was originally designed to operate in office environments," Gunther says. "Today, the demands on that equipment are much greater, so the variable data printers are beginning to find a need for industrial-quality equipment that still has the necessary electronic sensors and tracking abilities."

Those customers, he continues, are now demanding reliable finishing solutions for digital printing that can handle higher volumes, while still being used for "binding on-demand."

Stahlfolder's answer to this is its new TD 52, "a reliable and durable, technology-based piece of equipment," states Gunther, noting that the folder will help the bindery build a tunnel between the traditional, high volume, ink-on-paper printing model and the new, variable data processes.