What is collator?

A collator is a machine that is used to automatically sort and organize sheets of paper into a specific order or sequence. The sheets can be part of a book, a report, a presentation or any other kind of multi-page printed document. The collator machine takes individual sheets of paper and creates sets or sets of multiple sheets that are in a specific order. Collators are used in various industries for printing, publishing, packaging, and document management.

Collators can vary in size, complexity and functionality. Some are small desktop machines that can collate just a few pages at a time, while others are large, industrial-scale machines that can handle hundreds or thousands of pages per minute. Collators can also be integrated into larger printing or binding machines to create entire books, pamphlets or catalogs.

Collators use various mechanisms to sort and arrange the pages in a specific order. These include rotary feeders, suction feeders, and friction feeders. They can also be set up to add folding, stapling, and binding to the pages to create ready-to-ship booklets. Collators are popular with printing companies because they save time and labor, and they reduce the potential for errors in the production process.