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Graphic arts project managers have heard this design adage before: Form follows function. Planning a folding sequence should be done with this concept in mind. If you are looking to spice up a printed piece by allowing it to open in an unusual or dramatic way, consider a broadside folding layout. Broadside folding is a common technique for posters, maps, and charts that are used by theme parks, tourism bureaus, park districts and equipment makers.
What is Broadside Folding?
In broadside folding, the longer dimension of the sheet is fed into the folder; consequently, the product’s running length is the shorter dimension. On a 28 x 40 sheet, for example, the first fold (the broadside fold) would bring the piece to 14 x 40.
Nuts & Bolts:
Once the broadside fold is made, there are several choices for subsequent folds. Accordion, gatefolds or over & over fold styles are all possible. Each has its own benefits, as well as some design challenges to consider:
Accordion folding: This is the most economical fold choice to follow up a broadside fold. It is relatively easy to set up, utilizing all available fold plates, while running smoothly and efficiently through the folder. For folding efficiency and speed, accordion folding is ideal. However, this fold style leaves no single backbone or spine that can be used to feed as part of an automatic inserting operation. When talking with your client, the first question needs to be, “How will you be distributing this product?” If the answer involves mailing, inserting, or affixing try steering your client to some other design options.
Gatefolding: A gate fold design is fun for end users to open, plus it has the closed spine necessary for automatic feeding. However, a three-parallel closed gatefold performed at a right angle to a broadside fold does have an inherent design flaw: Wrinkles will often develop on the inside center panels. This is because the inside panels, which are the same dimensions as the outside panels, are “trapped”. As the center fold of the closed gate is made those inside panels simply get stressed and with nowhere to go the paper can wrinkle under the pressure of the last fold.
Over & over folding: This is perhaps the most popular style of utilizing the broadside fold. Over & over folding is especially popular for mailers because it can be easily spot glued or tabbed shut.
As with gate folding, performing an over & over fold at a right angle to a broadside fold can stress the sheet, which may lead to tearing.
Please Note: The topic of paper stress and the resulting issues is too large to cover quickly, so the July Helpful Hints issue will be devoted solely to this topic. One quick nugget of information though: As a general rule of thumb, limit yourself to four over and over folds at a right angle to a broadside.
Running Speeds: Broadside folding jobs typically run at about two-thirds the folder’s normal speed. The slower speeds will translate into slightly longer production times and consequently have higher unit pricing. With clients wanting product in ever shorter periods of time, this production point should be discussed early in the project planning phase.
The Rickard Advantage
At Rickard Bindery, our production team has logged thousands of hours working with broadside folds, making us an ideal choice for this type of project. Another important consideration: The most common folder width is 26 inches, which is too narrow for broadside folding. Our three large-format folding machines, each exceeding 40 inches, offers plenty of capacity for broadside folding applications. Give Rickard a call today to see how we can help you get the job done.
The Rickard Advantage
Rickard Bindery is proud to offer string tying as an extension to our other piggyback advertising services, such as bottleneckers and product inserts. We use the most common elastic string to keep costs down. Ask our experts for ideas on incorporating folding, gluing or stitching into your string tying projects for unique products.
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