Automated Sheet Folding and Trimming for Digital Printing Waste Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital printing methods for producing small series or single copies of printed works, such as books and brochures, are inefficient due to high paper waste, slow production rates, and the need for manual intervention and multiple paper formats, which limits flexibility and increases storage requirements.
Innovation Solution
An automated method involving a series of stations for folding, pivoting, and edge cutting of sheets to efficiently reduce paper size and format, allowing for the production of multiple formats from a single starting sheet without human intervention, thereby reducing waste and increasing production efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If digital printing is used to print all pages consecutively on paper close to final format, then small runs and single books become economically accessible, but significant paper waste occurs due to trimming stationary stacks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from trimming stationary stacks (2D batch processing) to continuous trimming while the sheet moves through folding stations (1D linear processing). The sheet is folded multiple times along its length, then trimmed edge-by-edge as it moves, converting a batch operation into a continuous linear process that eliminates waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet is folded multiple times in advance before trimming occurs. By pre-folding the sheet into a compact form with multiple signatures, the trimming operation can proceed continuously along the folded edges without requiring the entire stack to be stationary, thereby reducing paper waste while maintaining efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If trimming is performed on stationary stack of sheets, then cutting can be done, but production speed is slowed and manual operator intervention is required
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet feeds itself through the folding and trimming stations in continuous motion. The automated system performs folding and trimming without requiring an operator to manually move stacks between machines, enabling the process to service itself and dramatically increasing production speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the manual mechanical system of moving stationary stacks with an automated continuous-feed mechanical system. The sheet moves continuously through folding and trimming stations, substituting manual stack handling with automated linear processing that maintains constant production flow.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple paper sizes are stocked to achieve personalized publications and flexibility, then on-demand printing becomes possible, but production speed is limited by paper size changes and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single large-format sheet serves multiple functions: it can be folded different numbers of times to create different signature sizes, trimmed to different final dimensions, and configured for various book formats. This universal starting material eliminates the need to stock multiple paper sizes while maintaining full adaptability for personalized publications.
Solution Approach 2:
The large starting sheet is segmented through multiple folding operations to create different signature configurations. By folding the sheet different numbers of times and at different positions, various final formats can be obtained from the same source material, enabling flexible on-demand production without changing paper sizes.
4Loss of substance
If multiple paper formats are stocked to reduce waste, then various final formats can be achieved, but the number of different formats to be stored increases
Solution Approach 1:
One universal large-format paper size serves all final format requirements. The sheet can be folded and trimmed to produce any desired signature size and book format, eliminating the need to maintain inventory of multiple paper formats while achieving the same waste reduction goals.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method and system for digital printing of printed works, for the flexible, on-demand production of a single work or small series of works. The method of the invention is an automated method for manufacturing at least one printed work from at least one sheet, comprising the steps in which: - a plurality of pages (1, 4, 5, 8) of the work are printed (A) onto the sheet (10) which - is moved along a series of stations in which, successively, - the sheet (10) is folded (C) in half perpendicular to the direction of travel; - the folded sheet (10) is rotated (D) 90° with respect to the direction of travel; and - the edges (18, 19) of the folded sheet are cut (E) to obtain separate superimposed sheets (16, 17).