Napkin Folding Mechanism Design

I’m refining Folder1, my patent-pending automated napkin folder for restaurants, and I need the heart of the machine—the feeding and folding mechanism—fully engineered. Accuracy is the overriding priority, while the unit must consistently turn out 20–30 neatly folded napkins every minute. I prefer the moving parts to be machined or formed from aluminum so the final build stays light without sacrificing strength.

Where things stand
I have hand sketches and a partial CAD layout but no physical prototype yet. Your task is to take those early concepts, evaluate them, and develop a reliable, manufacturable mechanism. Expect to work inside a mainstream parametric CAD environment such as SolidWorks, Inventor, or Fusion 360 so we can share native files and run motion studies seamlessly.

Deliverables
• Concept sketches that illustrate the complete feed-to-fold sequence
• A simple motion study or short animation proving the timing and clearances
• Written engineering notes covering reliability risks, tolerance call-outs, and any DFM advice

I’ll provide the existing CAD, sketches, and napkin specs the moment we start. If you have creative ideas to boost throughput without compromising accuracy, I’m all ears, but the 20–30 ppm target must remain realistic for a first prototype.