h a l f b a k e r yNot so much a thought experiment as a single neuron misfire.
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The unit looks like a laser printer, but has a handcrank on the side (<sigh> yes, fully electric models are available).
A4 is loaded into the tray. To operate, turn the selector-dial to the model required and turn the crank: paper is taken from the intray and folded using common industrial techniques.
Complete paper airplanes are dropped into the output hopper for easy access, nesting for fast-firing ease.
The Deluxe version of this office-necessity mounts a small turret which feeds from the bottom of the output-hopper. A joystick provides directional control while a pedal controls velocity.
Get one NOW.
...or you can do it yourself!
http://www.paperair...es.co.uk/planes.php
A good selection of designs with which to impress (or not) your cow-orkers. [DrBob, Feb 09 2009]
Paper Planes
http://www.youtube....watch?v=7sei-eEjy4g
Dispensed by M.I.A. - she truly is the woman. [wagster, Feb 10 2009]
Papierfliegerei
https://www.youtube...watch?v=0dLHdDVtPkg
[FlyingToaster, Aug 07 2017]
[link]
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//common industrial techniques// |
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I suspect you'll find this will be your achilles heel. Bun for the thought though. |
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//Achilles heel//
Huh ? Granted that the process that makes every single cardboard box and insert that you've ever seen is usually applied to a serial assembly line that can involve multiple square-meters of cardboard just for one item, but scaling (and folding) it down into a laserjet-sized box that makes paper airplanes doesn't sound like much of a challenge. |
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There's a difference between a single fold and multiple
repeating folds. I'm not saying this is impossible, but even a
simple box folder probably runs at least$20000. Something
more complex and small is going to be very pricey. |
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To clarify, in machinery, smaller is generally not cheaper, it
tends to run the other way. |
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Does it need to be that pricey? I can see that you will need a press to pre 'score' the folds, a little widget to fold the triangular corners downwards twice, a roller to press it flat so it keeps its shape, then a further widget to fold it in half and push the wings down (probably some kind of press pushing down in the middle, up at the inside edges of the wings and down on the outside. One more set of rollers (maybe heated?) and you are done. It might have to be a bit of a different shape to a laser printer (about 100cm long by 30cm wide by 20cm high) but it should still be fine for the office environment, and quite cheap to make if you mass produce (who wouldn't want one?) |
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I want the remote access network linked one - dial in a map of the office, select your target and click fire - the machine in the centre of the room does the rest. Definately + |
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Could you have a 'repeater' elasic band launcher on the output ramp. |
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I think this could be built, but only for single designs at a time. You'd need a different creaser, folder and roller for the different designs. Maybe a Thunderbird 2 style mechanism for switching? |
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//but only for single designs at a time// |
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... at least two iterations (one for each side) of creaser, folder, roller; different multi-cams for each design. |
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Though I think you could do a minimalist one with only two folders as long as one of them can slip under the paper. |
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Thinking about it you'd probably be best off with an electronically controlled system able to place a fold anywhere... |
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========
__________
==== ====*========
^
Side view, with a clamping plate on top (===), allowing the pre-folder ( ====*) to flip the edge 180, which is then finished using a sprung plate (a bit like a spatula) sweeping in/out of the screen as we see. The final fold could be done using a twin clamp bed (==) that closed in with a blade ( | )sticking down similar to the robot to give symmetry.
|
==== | ======
----\ | /---------
====\ | /======
V |
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So long as you are able to manoever the paper in rotation and translation relative to the fold line, you can make any basic shape that doesn't require 'tucking in'. |
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You could do some tucks I'm sure by changing the step order so they wouldn't be tucks. This isn't a tuck example but for most designs the major longitudinal fold that everybody does first to line up the rest of the steps isn't necessary with a machine that knows it's getting A4. |
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This is so cool that I can't see cost being any problem. I would gladly pay upwards of £100,000 for one of these. |
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I like it. I want a machine-gun paper airplane
dispenser, and I want them to come out flying. + |
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Nice (+).
As with Mr Tindale, I'm sure that our office photocopier has secret ambitions to be a paper airplane making machine but it still seems to be in the "experimental folding" stage of development. |
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This could be designed to look like an aircraft carrier ... |
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+ weeeeeee there it goes..... |
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Hmmm... Do I want the one with the heavy soundproof cover, or the one with the clear acrylic "looky all the moving doojiggies!" cover? |
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Hey there, what about origami in general? I want little praying mantises to skatter around the place freaking people out perhaps, and + like a few days ago i didnt even read it then tho. |
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I think this is the wrong category for this wonderful invention. Is there not a *dispenser* category?
well no, I looked and think that Office Supplies might be the closest... |
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I spent a year working in a box factory and there was no folding machine of any kind. Most of the boxes were printed, cut, and glued but not folded. That way you can fit far more of them into lorries and vans. The ones that were folded were folded by hand. |
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Of course that doesn't mean that folding machines are impossible. Just that I don't think these 'common industrial techniques' you imagine actually exist. |
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I worked in a factory that packaged bluing agents (laundry powder); we had a box folder: you'd start with a pallet of printed cardboard cutouts; as they went through the line they'd be folded and glued in a 5-6 stage process to make boxes. § x1 |
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Okay then you've got my bun. |
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Little tip: instead of folding the corners in twice, do it three times. That way you end up with a much faster, pointier plane that can go much further. |
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//What about four times?// |
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Tried it but it didn't seem any faster or better than three. It still flies well, so you can try it if you want. |
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Because it's hard to fold it a fifth time. By the forth fold you'll basically have a paper stick. The fifth fold is hard to do and if you did it you would end up with . . . . . a paper stick. |
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I've found that the best planes are made by pouring petrol down the spine and lighting it just before throwing it off a tall building. |
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Don't try that at home kids! |
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Look up the lego airplane folder/launcher. |
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