There are many companies in this printing industry who have folding machines which are not equipped with the Gate-Fold-Plate option. Granted not every company will have the need to do a Closed Gatefold application but if they had this option available, it would open the doors to a more diverse folding capability.   Almost everyone in this “folding machine world” knows that it’s possible to do an Open Gate-Fold on any standard folder but it’s not possible to do a Closed Gate-Fold.  This is due to how the folded panels are transported thru the folding rollers of the machine which brought about the invention of the Gate Fold Plate many years ago.

For those who are not sure exactly what an Open Gatefold is compared to a Closed Gatefold, it looks like this:

The Gate-Fold plate design has seen many upgrades since its beginning.  Production speeds has increased from what used to be around 5,000 sheets per hour using electrical solenoids to today’s pneumatic driven plates capable of speeds up to 25,000 sheets per hour.  Gate fold plates are available for the majority of the MBO folders.

Because setting up this application on the machine is not an everyday event for many folder operators, it has become a bit of a burden for those who do not know the correct methodical procedure in accomplishing a productive setup.  There will be expected problems that occur that the operator has to overcome to achieve a commercially acceptable product.  Once the operator understands the problems encountered and knows how to overcome them, it will no longer be a daunting task to get the gate fold application up and running.

Moreover, the condition of the folder will have a lot to do with how any application will set up.  The worse the condition of the machine, the harder the set up.  Speed also plays a major role in any application being run on the folder.  The machine has to be in optimal shape in order to get faster speeds.