Printed sheet and paper
Provide unfolded dimensions, grammage, grain direction and printed production samples.
Selection decision: Check the folder’s feed range and the behaviour of the printed paper.
Solution · Pharmaceutical leaflets
Pharmaceutical Leaflet Folding Machines
Build a leaflet process around the printed sheet, the folded panel and the way the finished insert enters the packaging operation.
Production brief
Pharmaceutical Leaflet Folding
A patient information leaflet is the hardest folding job in print. The sheet is small — often 60 × 100 mm unfolded in the miniature end of the range — the paper is thin, the fold has to be square enough to feed a cartoning line, and the fold line must not crack the ink or the fibre. Get any of those wrong and the problem only appears after the leaflets are packed.
The SPEED pharmaceutical configuration pairs a miniature buckle folder (T490 or T520) with a parallel knife unit (SD-X250) for trimming and a flattening press (SD-XP300) for de-bulking, so folding, trimming and packing preparation run as one process rather than three separate passes.
Published configuration references · Ratings depend on the model and configuration; they are not an accepted-output guarantee for a complete line.
60×100
mm minimum sheet
28–200
gsm paper range (T490)
15
mm max finished thickness
20
mm minimum buckle fold
01 / Define the job
Information that determines the configuration
Start with the printed piece and the production requirement. These details help our team compare equipment and propose the process.
Finished leaflet drawing
Show the fold sequence, final panel dimensions and orientation of the text.
Selection decision: Review the plate arrangement, register requirements and any trimming step.
Downstream feeding
Specify how inserts are picked, stacked or fed into the packaging equipment.
Selection decision: Determine whether delivery or pressing is needed for the agreed handoff.
Inspection and documentation
List required checks, rejection handling and documents for your supplier review.
Selection decision: Agree the project inspection scope and the equipment documentation before ordering.
Production requirements
Production requirements and the specification decisions to review for this folding job.
01
Miniature formats and small panels
A folder that is stable on A4 can lose control of a 60 × 100 mm sheet. The T490 platform is specified down to 60 × 100 mm with a 20 mm minimum buckle fold size, so the small end is inside the machine envelope rather than at its limit.
02
Fold cracking on thin pharma paper
Cracking is a roller and pressure question. Spiral-pattern rollers combined with soft polyurethane give anti-slip, wear-resistant grip without crushing the sheet, and the creasing pressure is adjustable across the 35–250 gsm band.
03
Bulk in the finished pack
A 12- or 16-panel leaflet traps air and bulges at the fold. The SD-XP300 pressing machine flattens the folded or stitched leaflet so the stack packs flat and feeds cleanly on downstream cartoning equipment.
04
Batch discipline
Pharmaceutical work is judged on traceability and consistency, not only on speed. Double-sheet detection at the feeder and counted delivery mean a batch can be reconciled sheet-for-sheet.
02 / Plan the process
From the printed sheet to the finished piece
A process reference for the project discussion. The final layout and optional stages are agreed from the job drawing and sample run.
- 01
Feed and fold
Select the miniature folding arrangement from the printed sheet and finished panel.
- 02
Trim if required
Include a finishing step only when the leaflet layout requires trimming or slitting.
- 03
Press if required
Review folded thickness and flatness against the packing or feeding requirement.
- 04
Check the handoff
Confirm orientation, stack presentation and acceptance on the downstream operation.
Configuration notes
- Folding
T490 (60 × 100 mm minimum sheet, 28–200 gsm, 180 m/min) for miniature leaflets; T520 (520 × 1000 mm maximum, 550 mm pile) when the same line also runs larger inserts.
- Trimming
SD-X250 parallel knife unit — trims and slits the folded leaflet in the same pass, 30–90 m/min, up to 15 mm finished thickness, 0.4–0.6 MPa air supply.
- Flattening
SD-XP300 pressing machine after folding or stitching to remove fold bulge before cartoning.
- Verification
Send the leaflet stock and the finished panel size; we fold a sample run and return the folded leaflets with the fold measurements so the pattern can be approved before tooling.
03 / Select the equipment
Equipment and its role in the process
Compare the linked equipment by its role. Folders and finishing modules are selected for their own operating envelope; every unit is not required for every job.
Miniature buckle folding
T490 Automatic Paper Folding Machine
Review the minimum sheet and finished panel size for small leaflets and inserts.
View specifications →
Leaflet folding and line integration
T520 Automatic Paper Folding Machine
Review the leaflet format and the interfaces to trimming, pressing and delivery equipment.
View specifications →
Parallel knife finishing
SD-X250 Parallel Knife Folder
Use when the job requires the described trimming or slitting operation; confirm feed size and folded thickness.
View specifications →
Post-fold pressing
SD-XP300 Pressing Machine
Assess folded stack thickness and the flatness needed for packing or downstream feeding.
View specifications →| Equipment | Sheet / feed / working width | Paper weight / finished thickness | Published speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| T490 | 490 × 1000 mm | 28–200 gsm | 180 m/min |
| T520 | 520 × 1000 mm | 28–200 gsm | 180 m/min |
| SD-X250 | 160 × 260 mm | 15 mm | 30–90 m/min |
| SD-XP300 | 300 mm | 1–20 mm | 1–60 m/min |
Values refer to individual products. Actual line output depends on the stock, fold sequence, optional equipment and delivery arrangement.
Fold layouts for the project discussion
Use the diagrams to describe the finished piece. The model references below come from the reviewed product overviews; the ordered plate arrangement and your stock determine the final fold capability.
Accordion fold ↗
Concertina panels alternating in direction — 风琴折.
Double parallel fold ↗
Two folds, four panels, opened in the middle like a book.
Cross fold ↗
A parallel fold followed by a fold at right angles on the second unit.
Production and demonstration footage
View the related feeding, folding or finishing operation in the existing SPEED video library. Confirm the proposed configuration against your own job brief.
Instruction-manual folding with a vertical stacker
Miniature instruction-manual folding with the vertical stacker module — the configuration pharmaceutical printers use to keep small panels aligned at the delivery.
Watch on YouTube →Pharmaceutical leaflet and insert folding line
The pharmaceutical folding line as a system: miniature buckle folding, parallel knife trimming and press flattening working as one process.
Watch on YouTube →04 / Review the sample
Checks to agree before the trial
Agree the test stock, drawing, operating conditions and acceptance criteria with our team. The checks below help structure that review.
Panel size and orientation
Compare the folded sample with the approved drawing and check the printed content is presented as required.
Printed surface and fold edges
Inspect the actual printed stock for marking, cracking and damage at the selected settings.
Packaging handoff
Trial the agreed finished sample or stack on the downstream feeder and record misfeeds and handling issues.
Frequently asked
What is the smallest leaflet you can fold?
Down to a 60 × 100 mm sheet on the T490 platform, with a minimum buckle fold size of 20 mm and a minimum finished panel that the delivery can handle squarely. Send the unfolded and finished sizes with the enquiry and we will confirm the pattern.
How do you stop the fold line cracking on thin paper?
By controlling grip and pressure rather than speed: spiral-pattern rollers with soft polyurethane, adjustable creasing pressure, and a fold-test run on your own stock to set the parameters before production.
Do I need the knife unit and the press, or just the folder?
The folder alone produces the folded leaflet. Add the SD-X250 if the finished leaflet must be trimmed or slit square in the same pass, and the SD-XP300 if the folded stack bulges enough to affect cartoning.
Can the line be qualified for pharmaceutical documentation?
The machines are CE and ISO certified and supplied with the technical documentation required for supplier qualification. Tell us your qualification requirements with the enquiry.
Folded product applications
Pharmaceutical leaflets
Folded to carton-insert size from 40–120 gsm pharma paper; the highest-volume pharmaceutical folding job.
Production considerations
Patient information leaflets must fit the carton while retaining readable multi-panel copy. Miniature sheet handling, repeatable fold position and counted delivery are the main production checks.
The T490 and T520 cover leaflet folding; the SD-X250 can trim or slit a finished leaflet when the cut edge is part of the job. Confirm the pattern on the actual stock before specifying the line.
Industry applications
Technical reading
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Discuss your pharmaceutical leaflet folding project
Send the job drawing, printed stock information and production requirements. Our team can review the equipment combination and arrange the next technical discussion or sample test.