Case maker vs positioning machine plus four-side wrapping machine

Short answer

Both routes make the same hardcover case at up to 30 pieces per minute. The HF-550 case maker does it in one 10.5 m machine and takes spines down to 10 mm. The HF-1050 with the HF-900 splits the job in two: the HF-1050 glues and positions, the HF-900 wraps. The HF-1050 can also be used for rigid boxes.

Updated 11 October 2026 · figures from the HORFON specification sheets

On this page · 9

What a hardcover case is and where it is used
The three operations in case making
HF-550 vs HF-1050 + HF-900: side by side
The working range of each route
Floor space and power
When the HF-550 case maker is the better choice
When the HF-1050 with the HF-900 is the better choice
The semi-automatic route: HF-850A and HF-900
What comes before and after the case maker

What a hardcover case is and where it is used

A hardcover case is a set of flat greyboard panels laid on one sheet of cover paper, with the paper folded over all four edges. The gaps between the panels are the hinges. It is the cover of a hardback book, and the same construction is used for file folders, calendars, the covers of book-style magnetic boxes and the outer case of a collapsible rigid box.

The three operations in case making

Every case goes through the same three operations: the paper is coated with glue, the boards are positioned on it, and the four edges of the paper are folded over and pressed. The routes differ in how those operations are divided between machines.

Which machine does each case making operation, on three routes.
Operation	One machine	Two machines	Semi-automatic
Gluing the paper	HF-550	HF-1050	HF-850A
Positioning the boards	HF-550, by camera	HF-1050, by camera	By hand
Wrapping four edges	HF-550	HF-900	HF-900

HF-550 vs HF-1050 + HF-900: side by side

One-machine case making against separate positioning and four-side wrapping.
Parameter	HF-550	HF-1050	HF-900
Speed	20–30 pcs/min	15–30 sheets/min	20–30 pcs/min
Largest case	1000 × 500 mm	1000 × 500 mm	1000 × 500 mm
Smallest case	200 × 100 mm	150 × 70 mm	150 × 90 mm
Minimum spine	10 mm	15 mm (narrower spines need customised parts)	—
Positioning accuracy	±0.1 mm	±0.1 mm	—
Board thickness	1–4 mm	1–3 mm	1.2–4 mm
Paper weight	80–300 g/m²	100–350 g/m²	100–250 g/m²
Motor or heating power	10.5 kW / 380 V, 3-phase	7.5 kW	2.5 kW / 220 V
Weight	3,000 kg	2,000 kg	800 kg
Footprint (L × W × H)	10500 × 2050 × 2050 mm	7000 × 3500 × 2000 mm	2700 × 1160 × 1220 mm

The working range of each route

On the two-machine route a case has to pass through both machines, so the range of the pair is the overlap of the two. That narrows it in some directions and widens it in one.

Working range of the HF-550 against the HF-1050 and HF-900 used together.
	HF-550	HF-1050 + HF-900
Largest case	1000 × 500 mm	1000 × 500 mm
Smallest case	200 × 100 mm	150 × 90 mm
Minimum spine	10 mm	15 mm; narrower needs customised parts
Board thickness	1–4 mm	1.2–3 mm
Paper weight	80–300 g/m²	100–250 g/m²
Separate boards	1–6	Not stated
Electricity	380 V three-phase	380 V for the HF-1050, 220 V for the HF-900

The HF-550 has the wider range in board and paper and takes the narrow spines. The two-machine route goes down to smaller cases.

Floor space and power

The HF-550 is long and narrow: 10.5 × 2.05 m, 3,000 kg, with a 10.5 kW motor and 6 kW of heating. The HF-1050 is 7.0 × 3.5 m and 2,000 kg, with 7.5 kW and 4 kW of heating; the HF-900 adds 2.7 × 1.16 m, 800 kg and 2.5 kW. Placed end to end the pair is a little shorter than the HF-550 but wider at the positioning machine.

When the HF-550 case maker is the better choice

You only make cases: book covers, folders, calendars, the covers of book-style boxes.
Your cases have narrow spines (10–15 mm) or up to 6 separate boards.
You run board thicker than 3 mm or paper lighter than 100 g/m².
You want one machine with one control system rather than two machines to set.

When the HF-1050 with the HF-900 is the better choice

You make rigid boxes as well as cases: the same HF-1050 feeds a box forming machine on other days.
You already own a four-side wrapping machine and want to automate the gluing and positioning in front of it.
Your cases are smaller than 200 × 100 mm.
You want to add capacity in stages rather than in one purchase.

The semi-automatic route: HF-850A and HF-900

The simplest way to make cases keeps the HF-900 and puts an HF-850A gluing machine in front of it. An operator lays the boards on the glued sheet by hand, and the HF-900 wraps the four edges at 20–30 pieces per minute. The accuracy then depends on the operator. A Yamaha robot can be added to the servo version of the HF-850A later to automate the positioning.

What comes before and after the case maker

01
Before: board preparation
The HF-1300 slits greyboard into panels. For magnetic closures the HF-7090ZK drills the recess, the HF-600B pastes the magnet and the HF-600A the iron sheet, before the case is wrapped.
02
After: glue spraying
The HF-600 sprays glue on the case where the inner box will sit, along a programmed path.
03
After: assembly
The HF-8288 or the semi-automatic HF-808 presses the inner box onto the case, at 15–22 pcs/min. For collapsible boxes the HF-1150 assembles the case with its side wings.

Machines in this guide

HF-550Automatic Case Making Machine20–30 pcs/min

HF-1050Automatic Visual Positioning Machine for Rigid Box and Hardcover15–30 sheets/min

HF-900Automatic Hardcover Four Side Wrapping Machine20–30 pcs/min

HF-850AAutomatic Paper Gluing Machine7–45 pcs/min

Common questions

Which is faster, a case maker or a positioning machine with a wrapping machine?

Neither. The HF-550 runs 20–30 pieces per minute. The HF-1050 positions 15–30 sheets per minute and the HF-900 wraps 20–30, so both routes top out at 30 pieces per minute.

What is the largest hardcover case these machines can make?

1000 × 500 mm finished size on both routes. The smallest is 200 × 100 mm on the HF-550 and 150 × 90 mm on the HF-1050 with the HF-900.

What is the narrowest spine a case maker can handle?

The HF-550 takes a middle strip of 10 mm. The HF-1050 needs 15 mm as standard, and narrower spines need customised parts.

How many boards can the HF-550 position in one case?

From 1 to 6 separate boards, placed by a Yamaha robot guided by two 10-megapixel cameras, to ±0.1 mm.

Can I make cases without a camera positioning machine?

Yes. An HF-850A gluing machine coats the paper, an operator positions the boards by hand, and an HF-900 wraps the four edges at 20–30 pieces per minute.

Can the HF-900 be used on its own?

It wraps the four edges of a case that has already been glued and positioned, so it always follows a gluing step: an HF-850A with hand positioning, or an HF-1050.