Creasing, Folding, and Collating: Creating a Strong Finish

While print service providers (PSPs) are constantly being encouraged to look at new markets and explore opportunities for expansion, it is important that they continue to deliver a high-quality service across their prime offerings.

Be it leaflets or booklets, demand remains for this type of print and should certainly not be overlooked completely in favour of other ventures. For this reason, PSPs need to keep a handle on finishing for this type of work, which often requires some form of creasing, folding, and collating.

There is certainly no shortage of new options to those companies seeking to evolve and improve their finishing. Here, we pick out some of the newest solutions available to the market and speak with manufacturers and suppliers about how new investment can help PSPs in the long run.

Advance with Automation

First up is Duplo, which offers a wide range of specialist print finishing equipment to the industry. Craig Harry, sales manager for Duplo UK, says automation, consistent high quality, lower power usage, built to last, and purchasing from an organisation that is continuously investing in themselves, are all factors to look for when investing in new kit.

“As with any investment on finishing, it is hugely important to invest in creasing, folding, and collating technology,” Harry says, continuing: “Duplo automatic multi-finishers have saved customers hundreds of hours of manual work on simple everyday print jobs.

Duplo automatic multi-finishers have saved customers hundreds of hours of manual work on simple everyday print jobs

“Automating this laborious task means that not only are you freeing up valuable time for your production team to get on with other more highly skilled work, but also all your products will be of a consistent high quality. Duplo have partnered with Fiery and Ultimate Impostrip to automate the production of simple finished items from start to the finished product.

“With the increase in national insurance contributions in the latest budget it means companies are less likely to increase headcount even when their capacity is stretched. Thankfully Duplo multi-finishers help to lighten that load, with single operators able to work multiple machines at a time, due to bar code automation.”

Harry says that Duplo invented the multi-finisher, a device that slits, cuts and creases in one pass. The Duplo range also perforates and folds in one pass, all tied in through Fiery and Ultimate automation.

Picking out certain machines, Harry highlights the DC-618, an entry-level machine that can handle paper stocks between 110-400gsm, process up to six slits, 30 cuts, and 20 creases in one pass. It also delivers full-bleed applications up to 23 sheets per minute without white borders and toner cracking and can be upgraded to handle long sheets from the current generation of digital presses.

Also from Duplo are the DC-648 and DC-746, featuring heavier duty cutters and creasing modules. The DC-648 also comes with tungsten carbide knives that have double the life cycle of the machine and can also be resharpened by Duplo. The DC-746 comes with the option to be equipped with an integrated folding system that automatically folds sheets up to 350gsm that have been cut, creased, and perforated. In addition, both machines can be integrated with the DC-F100 folder, which recently launched to the market.

Another option from Duplo is the DC-20K B2 cutting system, which adds a B2 high-capacity sheet feeder and cutter with a fast delivery mechanism to the DC-746 and DC-648.

“On a normal SRA3 sheet, printers can get 21 standard business cards on a sheet, with the DC-20K, one SRA2 sheet can have up to 64 business cards on them instead of just 42,” Harry says, adding: “It is the ultimate solution for companies with a B2 press and have major issues with bottle necks in the finishing department.”

On top of this, Duplo distributes the Multigraf range of folder creasers, which are modular and all revolve around the C-375+ creaser. This can then be upgraded with creasing and folding system in the form of the CF-375.

Core Activities

Elsewhere in this market is Morgana. Ray Hillhouse, vice president sales and marketing for the Plockmatic Group Offline Business Unit, which own Morgana, says creasing and folding are core activities for a high percentage of print shops, and therefore proper investment is required.

“For those just starting out in making such investments, to expand the amount of work that they can produce in-house, it is important to find quality equipment,” Hillhouse comments, adding: “For current businesses, there is the need to match the latest products from print engine suppliers with finishing solutions. These printers have tended to offer longer sheet printing, so investments in new post-press kit need to keep such developments in mind.”

As for what to look for when investing, Hillhouse advises that with longer sheet production in mind, the first thought must be to match the format in the post-press operation.

“Quality is always critical in bindery operations,” he says adding: “Products that are capable of providing a crisp, accurate, and repeatable crease and/or fold are of great importance. Solid construction of the machine is an essential ingredient, along with ease of operation. Post-press departments are finding it harder to recruit skilled operators, so look carefully at equipment demonstrations – how many buttons are being pressed to set the job in motion.”

As to how Morgana can help, Hillhouse points to the AutoCreaser Pro XL, the latest edition of is popular AutoCreaser solution. Running at up to 8,500 A4 sheets per hour, this automatic paper creasing system features a vacuum top feeder for added support.

Also in this family is the AutoCreaser Pro XW, a stand-alone creaser that can run at speeds of up to 8,500 – with one crease – A4 sheets per hour, with a top sheet size of 500 x 700mm up to 0.4mm thick.

Other new solutions include the DigiFold Ultra, a creasing and folding machine that launched at drupa 2024 offering full bleed trim capabilities. The device can slit, cut, crease, perforate, and fold applications in one pass, with the ability to trim applications up to 1,300mm long.

In addition, Plockmatic recently added Intec Printing Solutions to its wider network, bringing with it new solutions for customers. These include the new SC6500, dual tool digital cutter featuring a capacity of up to 1,000 sheets and an auto-sheet feeder to cut and crease light sheet card or labels to any shape without any set up costs.

Elevating Print Production

Also weighing in on the conversation is Intelligent Finishing Systems (IFS), with managing director Eric Keane saying advances in automation are significantly elevating print production processes, and folding is no exception.

“At the latest Horizon Smart Factory event in Japan next generation folding technology played a vital role in the company’s lights out inline web press and smart binding solution,” Keane says, adding: “The blank roll in, sorted books out, line featured dynamic folding on the Horizon AFV-566SF buckle folder. A core element of the end-to-end line was high-level quality control with multiple checkpoints ensuring no misprints, poorly folded signatures, missing signatures, or mismatching covers/book blocks occurred.”

According to Keane, the AFV-566FKT folding machine was developed to deliver enhanced functionality to tackle a broader range of fast turnround run lengths quickly and efficiently. The system features a new look, advanced colour touch-screen panel cover, and a status checking screen for a quick at-a-glance overview of jobs.

Also from IFS and Horizon (which IFS is the exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland) is the CRF-362 Folder Creaser, which creases and folds in one pass across a wide range of light and heavy weight stocks, coated or uncoated. It is also capable of up to ten crease lines on a sheet, using impact scoring technology to eliminate or minimise cracking of the stock or printed image.

“All of Horizon’s high-quality creasing, collating, and folding systems are quick to set up and operate, which helps eliminate bottlenecks, aids smoother throughput, and reduces operator intervention,” Keane says, continuing: “They ensure crisp, sharp, and accurate folds and creases for the delivery of high-quality final products.”

Keane adds that many Horizon machines incorporate cloud-based iCE LiNK workflow that provides access to an intuitive easy to use dashboard. It reports real-time production analysis for improved efficiency and profitability, remote update capabilities, and scheduled maintenance resulting in less downtime. As an added advantage, information is accessible via smartphone, tablet, or desktop PC.

Quality Focus

Concluding our round-up is Steve Humphreys, sales and marketing coordinator at Tech-ni-Fold, which has a patented range of over 400 innovative rotary creasing, micro-perforating, and cutting products. Humphreys says investment here is key if PSPs are to get the best possible results.

“Having the Rolls Royce press firing out the hottest looking prints and then sending them to the back of the factory for someone to process with a bar creaser or clapped-out folder not only seems counterproductive but there’s also a distinct chance you’re going tarnish the look of the finished job, resulting in either unhappy customers or re-run jobs,” Humphreys says.

There is a lot of great kit out there but certainly in terms of creasing there is no one size fits all solution

 “There is a lot of great kit out there but certainly in terms of creasing there is no one size fits all solution. What is great for packaging isn’t the most suitable for greetings cards, and vice versa. Always do your research for what’s out there and try to see live demos of everything if you can to really make sure you know the limits and capabilities.”

While the Tech-ni-Fold portfolio is far-reaching and wide-ranging, Humphreys says its most popular creasing solution is the Tri-Creaser, the flagship product that started it all for the company. The current iteration is the Tri-Creaser Fast Fit, which is fitted on thousands of folding and creasing machines all over the world.

The latest innovation from Tech-ni-Fold is the Section Score, which is still being rolled out to customers and, according to Humphreys, will be a hugely useful tool in finishing.

“At drupa, we discovered a lot of printers have issues when scoring and folding section work, and the methods involved with tackling it on a folding machine are average at best, and costly to replace. We have specially developed a new tool to comfortably handle a wide variety and thickness of section work which is quickly interchangeable to go from one thickness to another and is far more cost effective to replace than current products.”

The message here seems clear, ignore or skimp on finishing investment, and you risk jeopardising your entire product range. By working with specialist providers this will help you to identify the most effective solution for the type of work you are producing, allowing you to improve the final look of the printed product.