Folding Digital Print

[ammiller]

Anyone out there having issues with folding full color glossy text stock off of KM 6501/5500, or Oce 650/550?

We have quite a time, and I just wonder what folders everyone with these machines is using and how they are working.

 

[UberTech]

Most machines have problems with stock cracking, note I say stock. The only way I have seen someone get around it is with a precreaseing machine. Which is a manual machine that put a slight crease in say, the seam of a book. Some stocks are worse than others.

 

[ammiller]

Yes, I understand that, we have a Graphic Whizard creasemaster that eliminates that problem, but for some reason, we have a hard time pulling the sheets off that printer and folding them straight whether on a friction or air folder.

 

[smatros]

We use Morgana AC 33 and it works ok. We pre-crease all stocks above 140 gr. and then fold them on ordinary folder without cracking.

 

[UberTech]

Sorry, I read your post and immediatly thought you were talking about cracking. The only folder I have seen that reliably feeds is FD-501, but thats from some pretty limited folding experence

 

[che.c]

We use a Morgana Major Folder and it folds and feeds the stock a treat.

Vacuum roller feed. All rubber folding rollers. Stock 170gsm and above NEEDS creased.

 

[kslight]

We sometimes will have to score the job to get it to fold without cracking in high coverage areas.

 

[Craig]

I fold KM6500 prints for a shop that can't get them to run on their folder. We use a Baum 2020 floor folder with combo rollers. The sheets off a 6500 are slicker than snot and would not register well on their old floor folder with strait metal rollers. Plus we inline crease to prevent cracking at the same time we fold.

If you have a floor folder you may want to check your register belt to see if it's too worn to hold the sheet in register. The best way to do this is to slightly wet the belt and run a few sheets to see if they "grip" the belt better, if so you need to replace the belt. Also check the fold rollers, if they are sloppy you need a rebuild kit. If you have a table top, well good luck.

For feeding you need to make sure you don't have a static issue with the sheets sticking together, you may need to check your humidity levels or get some static string (not the copper tinsel).

 

[arossetti]

KM tried to replace our 8000AP with 2 KM6501's but the registration on them would float a lot. We tested the machine for awhile and they had their head tech trying to zero it in. In the end it wouldn't come close to the 8000AP's registration.

Is your issue part of the registration of your image on the sheet? What problems are you having because you left that very open...

 

[Craig]

KM tried to replace our 8000AP with 2 KM6501's but the registration on them would float a lot. We tested the machine for awhile and they had their head tech trying to zero it in. In the end it wouldn't come close to the 8000AP's registration.

Not to hijack the thread but...... WOW!

 

[Wunder08]

We have good success with our Oce Pro 665 using short grain stock ( 17x11 or 18x 12).

This seems to solve any misregistration. No cracking up to 80 lb book-but have not yet tried heavier for folding.

 

[littledog]

Morgana

Morgana

We have a Morgana Auto Creaser MK2. Before we got it we had the same problem even with stocks that we scored on the press. Now we use it for everything that has to be folded (text weight and cover stock).

 

[kgallagher0120]

I have run into cracking at the fold on any folding machine. Our solution was to have the paper specially cut for the particular job by making sure the "grain" of the paper would be in the same direction of the folded edge. A little more expensive but the results for the customer far outweigh the cost.

 

[kgallagher0120]

I have run into cracking at the fold on any folding machine with regards to digital print. The solution that works best for me is to have the paper specially cut for the particular job by making sure the "grain" of the paper would be in the same direction of the folded edge. A little more expensive but the results for the customer far outweigh the cost. Once you know a job will require the special cut, you will be able to plan ahead for it when scheduling the job both for cost and print/delivery schedule.

 

[Dennyboy]

Creaser

Creaser

The best unit on the market right now is the Morgana Creaser. It feeds great and creases in perfect register and it is very quite. The Graphic Wizard has a high noise level. It sounds like a cannon going off. We fold our material on an MBO B20 without a problem. However, you need to do 2 setups-one for the creaser and another for folder. We are trading in the Morgana Creaser for the Morgana Creser folder the 5000P. This creases and folds at the same time. We have seen it work and it is a wonder. If you are going to stay into digital work you need to have the correct equipment to produce the work properly. It makes no sense to print a fine product and have a cracking situation ruin it.

 

[Craig]

I had the "pleasure" of going through this last year and choosing between the Morgana 5000P and a Baum 2020 with a set of Ultimate Scores. The Baum combo actually out performed the Morgana in versatility, speed and folding without cracks. Both were about the same cost, so that wasn't an issue. I'm glad I didn't get the Morgana.

 

[che.c]

Ahh you just always gotta be contrary dontya Craig..

We use a oxen-powered Creasematic and a steam-engined Morgana Major. Well, is not that bad, but you don't have to drop tens of thousands on plant to get decent results - do have to have skilled operators though.