How to Create a "Z-Fold" Using a Duplo DF-520 Folding Machine

Using a folding machine is very time efficient when handling mass mailings. Since our office handles an incredible amount of large mailings daily; acceptance letters, scholarship letters, president announcements, etc. using a folding machine is necessary and a great time saver. Folding thousands of letters daily would not be an efficient use of company time. The Duplo DF-520 is an industrial folding machine that is a must have in the office as it can rapidly fold multiple letters into many different styles of folds to fit your mailing needs in minutes. It is a great way to help speed up the mailing process and have a little fun while doing so. This tutorial will show you simplified steps to use this style folding machine to fold letters into a "Z-fold" which allows the letter to be folded to fit into a window envelope to clearly display the recipients address for mailing.

For this tutorial all you will need is:

• The Duplo DF-520 Folding Machine
• Printed Letters to be Mailed
• Envelopes (if needed)

Your initial step will be to turn on the Machine.

The power button is located in the bottom right corner of the machine, it is a toggle switch; the O symbol indicates the machine is off and the | symbol indicates the machine is on. Switch to the on position, you will hear a loud noise indicating the machine is on and warming up.

Next, you will review the fold type settings and choose the fold type that fits your needs.

Example choices are shown on the display screen as an image of the folded paper.

For this tutorial we will be choosing the Z-fold, as our needs are for the recipients address to appear in a window envelope.

Press the gray button on the display screen that links to the images until the red light stops at the Z-fold image.

In order for the machine to pull each paper successfully and to prevent the machine from jamming it is important for the stack of paper to be straight with no lose papers or jagged edges are visible.

With a little force, tap the stack of paper on a flat surface making sure to tighten the stack so all the edges are nice and straight.

Next, you will place the metal handle on the left side of the machine to the up position to open the tray for the paper folder.

You can do this by simply lifting the metal handle up.

This allows the paper tray to drop and to be in the proper position to place the paper in the machine to begin the folding process.

For the Z-fold, the paper needs to be placed into the tray with the print side face down and your paper header facing to the outside the folding machine.

Next, you will move the lever to the down position, simply by pressing the handle down.

This will tighten the grip and secure the paper into the machine to start the folding process.

Next, review that you have the correct setting and speed set for your fold (the red light indicator should be at the image of the Z=fold), you can now press the start button on the machine to begin the folding process. This is the round raised button on the top of the folding machine.

During the folding process the machine will be very loud, this is normal. You are able to watch the display screen to see both the count of letters being folded and the speed of the letters.

If there is a jam, the machine will stop. Please see the steps on how to troubleshoot a jam at the end of this tutorial and in the instructional manel for the machine.

Warning: be careful not to place your hands anywhere in the folding area while the machine is running to avoid injury and/or jamming the machine.

Once the machine has stopped folding you can safely remove the folded letters from the area below where the letters were loaded.

They are now ready to be placed in your envelopes for your mailing.

You can continue running the rest of your letters through to be folded following the previous steps, or switch the machine off if you are finished.

If there is a jam while folding, the machine will stop. It is a good idea to first turn off the machine. The folding trays are able to be removed to inspect the jam. Please only continue with this step if you are familiar with the machine. You can remove the folding tray by unlocking the tray to remove the tray and allow you to remove the paper jam. After removing the jam, replace the tray back to its original position, and set back to locked, turn on the machine and continue your printing. If you are unable to remove the jam, please refer to the folding machines instructional manual for further steps or call for service.

Here is a link of a video demonstration on how to create the "z-fold" using the Duplo DF-520 folding machine. Thank you to my co-worker Danielle for assisting me with creating this video. I had no previous knowledge of how to use the machine, she is the folding machine office expert and was excited to teach the process to me so I could create and share this step-by-step guide for others to learn too.