The PaperFolder PH-17 is a 4 fold plate Pharmaceutical folding machine. It can perform 4 folds on a sheet of paper. Most machines have 2 fold plates and can only perform 2. Consequently, it can fold paper into much smaller sizes than those machines, (up to 1/5th of the length) It can also perform many more folds.
It can perform many types of cross folds in 2 passes, or it can be part of the PaperFolder Cross Fold System which makes right angle (cross) folds in one pass. It can fold paper into very small sizes for package inserts.
The main reason people buy a 4 fold plate machine is to fold paper into smaller sizes than is possible with 2 fold plate machines. It is called a Pharmaceutical folder because it can fold the paper that goes into the small pill packages.
CROSS FOLDS
If the paper has to be really small, it requires a right angle or cross fold. Cross folds are made when a sheet of paper is folded in one direction, and then folded again from the side. These are pictures of basic cross folds. It is folded in half or thirds and then again from the side.
Few machines can perform a cross fold. It requires 2 passes, with the second pass much harder to perform without jamming.
If you need to fold the paper into a narrow strip, the PH-17 may be all you need. If it needs to be folded from the side to be smaller, PaperFolder Cross Fold Systems can fold paper into even smaller sizes.
The Cross Fold System consists of 2 large format folding machines with a conveyor between them, and an optional output stacker to neatly accumulate the folded output, which can be very small in size. The first machine has 4 fold plates rather than 2 like most machines. So, for example, you could fold a piece of paper into thirds and then fold that in half in the first folder. The second folder then folds that in half or thirds from the side.
FOLD TYPES
The PH-17 can fold paper into smaller sizes than most folding machines because it has 4 fold plates instead of 2. For example, a regular folder can make 2 folds, so the maximum number of panels in an accordion fold is 3. With the PH-17, you can fold it into 3, 4 or 5 panels. See the chart.
The PH-17 can perform these folds on paper from letter, legal and 11 x 17 paper and very small paper as small as 3.2" x 2"(L). Y
ou set the fold plates according to the paper size. So for example, a half fold on a letter size would be set at 5.5" (half of 11") for plate one. The others would be closed.
| Fold Type | Image | Plate 1___ | Plate 2 | Plate 3 | Plate 4__ |
| | | | | |
| Half |  | 1/2_______ | Closed_____ | Closed_____ | Closed___ |
| Letter |  | 2/3 | 1/3 | Closed___ | Closed___ |
| Z |  | 1/3 | 1/3 | Closed___ | Closed___ |
| Double |  | 1/2 | 1/4 | Closed___ | Closed___ |
| Engineering |  | 1/4 | 1/4 | Closed___ | Closed___ |
| Gate |  | 3/4 | 1/2 | Closed___ | Closed___ |
| 4 panel |  | 1/4 | 1/4 | 1/4 | Closed___ |
| 5 panel |  | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| | | | | |
CROSS FOLDS
It can also perform cross folds (fold again from the side) in a second pass.
If you need to process a large volume of cross folds, a Knife folder can be added to the PH-17 to make a cross fold system consisting of 2 folding machines. This allows you to create a cross fold of small size in one pass.
PF Cross Fold Systems can fold sheets of paper ranging from 5.5" x 8.5" to 11" x 17" in these folds and more. Call us for your needs:
| Paper Size (inches) | *** | First fold | ***
| Second fold | *** | End size (inches |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| 5.5 x 8.5 | | Half | | Half | | 2.55 x 4.25 |
| 5.5 x 8.5 | | Half | | Tri | | 1.85 x 4.25 |
| 5.5 x 8.5 | | Tri | | Tri | | 2.84 x 1.85 |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| 8.5 x 11 | | Half | | Half | | 4.25 x 5.5 |
| 8.5 x 11 | | Half | | Tri | | 2.84 x 5.5 |
| 8.5 x 11 | | Tri | | Tri | | 2.84 x 3.67 |
| 8.5 x 11 | | 5 panel | | Tri | | 2.2 x 2.84 |
| *** | | | | | | |
| 8.5 x 14 | | Half | | Half | | 4.25 x 7 |
| 8.5 x 14 | | Half | | Tri | | 2.84 x 7 |
| 8.5 x 14 | | Tri | | Tri | | 2.84 x 4.67 |
| 8.5 x 14 | | Tri then half | | Tri | | 2.34 x 2.84 |
| *** | | | | | | |
| 11 x 17 | | Half | | Half | | 5.5 x 8.5 |
| 11 x 17 | | Half | | Tri | | 3.67 x 8.5 |
| 11 x 17 | | Tri | | Tri | | 3.67 x 5.67 |
| 11 x 17 | | Tri then half | | Tri | | 2.84 x 3.67 |
STACKER
The machine has an output conveyor that will stack larger size paper neatly. Smaller paper, such as the size for package inserts should be handled by the stacker. In both cases, the operator can pause the machine for a set period to remove a set number so that they can be neatly stacked. E.g., after 200 pieces, pause the machine for 10 seconds to allow the operator to remove and stack them.
Conveyor output without stacker
Optional Stacker output
The PaperFolder Cross Fold Systems perform folds that cannot be done by any other commercial machine. If you need to perform a lot of cross folds or fold paper into very small sizes, this system has no equal because it has 2 additional fold plates to perform more folds while folding cross folds in one pass.
Please call if you would like to discuss your jobs with us or have questions. 800-520-6008.