A good example is the milk carton, which has gone through a similar process. This article continues to describe the types of carton machines, how they work, and how it benefits several industries.

1. What is a cartoning machine?

Cartoning machine, sometimes called a carton box packing machine or cartoner, it is a kind of packaging machine. Its main purpose is to make cartons. The cartoning machine makes the carton stand upright, folded, closed, side seamed, and finally sealed.

Cartoning Machine

2. Types of carton Machine

The cartoning machine can be a semi-automatic cartoning machine or an automatic cartoning machine. In addition, there are two main types of machines, depending on the orientation of the carton:

• Horizontal cartoning machine

Horizontal cartoning machine includes inserting products from the side. This machine has the ability to run continuously or intermittently. These machines also have the option of automatic lateral loading. This machine has many uses in the food industry. It is suitable for pizza, cakes, rice, coffee, grains, etc.

• Vertical cartoning machine

The vertical cartoning machine is the process of sending the cartons through the machine in the vertical position. According to whether the machine is semi-automatic or automatic, whether the product is inserted manually or automatically. The product insertion process usually starts from the top. Some common applications include rice, dried pasta, etc.

3. How does the cartoning machine work?

First, the guide rail places the carton in a suitable position, and then the push mechanism activated by the push plate opens the carton. After that, the bottom of the carton is attached to a suction cup (vacuum suction cup) pushed by a pneumatic system.

This is done from the back and front of it to ensure that the box reaches the loading bay at 90 degrees. In the loading part, the products are packed into cartons by mechanical means, though, gently and accurately.

After loading, the chain conveyor will guide the carton to the folding area. In the folding stage, the carton worker’s goal is to fold the carton. This process is carried out simultaneously on the left and right sides of the steel rail by rotating motion.

Subsequently, the cam is connected to the motor to push the plate to perform the actual folding procedure on both sides of the track. The process then moves to the next critical stage, the carton with the tongue sealed in the front cover. After that, use the push plate to initiate the push, which bends the lid and results in a secure lock.

Then, the cartoner engages its label to manage the adhesive and closes any ends of the carton to completely seal it. Finally, the system detects the accuracy of the carton.

It determines the good and bad packaging by carefully inspecting the structure of the carton, and then determines the one that goes directly to the carton chute and the damaged one.

4. Benefits of Using Cartoning Machine

Companies using cartoning machine have many advantages:

• It helps to increase efficiency.
• Another option is time-consuming labour, including making cartons and filling products manually, which can be quite a severe test.
• There are two types of packaging machines, horizontal and vertical, therefore, depending on the type of product, the appropriate machine can handle either one.
• The cartoning machine can help fold the cartons, erect the cartons, and pack them into the cartons.
• They also finally fixed the carton before it was unloaded from the machine.
• This machine is capable of handling many types of cartons, such as small to medium-sized cardboard cartons, and is suitable for many different types of industries.
• The automatic cartoning machine is very beneficial to enterprises because it fully automates the packaging process.
• The use of this machine is cost-effective and makes the quality control process very simple, so the results maintain high product standards.
• This is the optimal product management program.
• The use of carton packaging machines enables the company to provide high-standard products at extremely low market prices.
• These machines also reduce the chance of error and help project management solutions, therefore, helping the company on a small budget.

 

5. Disadvantages of Carton Machine?

Here are some disadvantages of the carton machine.

• It is expensive to build the entire machine in the initial stage because the cartons are expensive to acquire.
• Increased production costs due to the cost of hiring additional personnel.
• This machine is heavy and fragile, so there is no flexibility to move it after installation.

6. Application of Cartoning Machine

The industries that use cartoning machines include:

• Food and beverage industry
• Pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry
• Grain/Spice Industry
• Toy industry
• Clothing and textile industry
• electronics industry
• Fruit and vegetable industry
• Chemical Industry Company
• Tobacco industry
• Sports industry

7. How to choose a cartoning machine?

You should ask yourself these three questions when it comes to choosing the right packaging machine for your packaging needs. These questions are essential for you to make the right buying decision.

7.1 What type of product needs packaging?

Usually, the type of product to be packaged will directly affect your choice of cartoning machine. For example, if the product to be packed is granular and free-flowing, the most suitable way to pack it into a carton is from above.

In this case, your choice of cartons will be limited to vertical cartons. Nevertheless, the nature of the product may allow horizontal packaging to enter the carton.

In this case, your preferred carton machine should be a horizontal carton machine. Obviously, we must first understand the business needs and the nature of the product.

7.2 What is your budget?

After determining the products that need to be boxed, make sure that your purchase budget is the second stage of the project. Your financial ability will directly affect the type of carton machine you choose.

What will catch your attention, when buying a carton machine, most of the cartons available are of horizontal nature. The horizontal cartoning machines offer more freedom and a lower price than vertical machines. However, if you plan to pack products such as capsules, granules or powders, you need to naturally choose a vertical cartoning machine.

7.3 Offline packaging or online packaging?

As a businessman, you know that offline packaging and online packaging have different requirements for carton manufacturers in terms of speed and power.

• Online packaging

In-line packaging refers to the packaging of products immediately after they are released from the production line. Products should be packaged directly, so the speed of the cartoning machine should match the production speed.

To determine the carton speed, simply calculate the maximum number of products produced per minute or hour, and then divide this number by the number of units per carton.

• Off-line packaging

Offline packaging means that you are packaging a product that has been produced before. In this case, you do not pay attention to the speed of production.

In order to establish the power and speed of a cartoning machine suitable for offline packaging, you should consider the following parameters. Consider the number of products you need to deliver daily, weekly, or monthly.

Make sure to only compare the actual working hours of the carton workers, and not simply divide or multiply every 8 working hours per day.

Be extra careful when estimating the quantity and try to be as accurate as possible. This procedure is very important to the future of your company. Overestimation of actual demand may lead to the purchase of more expensive and more powerful machines, when in fact this is unnecessary.

8. What are the benefits of packing in a carton?

Here are some of the benefits of packaging your products in cartons:

• Product protection and transportation convenience

The carton can protect the contents inside. Since the carton has a regular shape, it can be used for bulk packaging of shipping vessels such as containers and trucks and is convenient for transportation.

• Environmentally friendly

Recyclable-carton packaging provides the best recyclability compared to any other packaging materials. Renewable-In most packaging designs, you cannot substitute raw materials extracted from nature to make packaging. Nonetheless, you can sustainably decompose wood fibre and send it back to earth.

• Tamper-proof

In addition to protecting your products from interference and adulteration, carton packaging can also be used as a tamper-proof item.

• Speech

Cartons give brand owners and manufacturers the ability to develop a wide range of structural molds. Customized items and the requirements of its consumers, the current carton design touches the design to the entire display.

This includes high-resolution graphics, double-sided printing and carton shapes, expanding its use as a package. Other advantages of carton packaging include:

• Light weight-provides convenient handling
• Cost-effective-low price compared to other available alternatives
• Easy to shape into any type of shape
• Easy

9. What is the Cartoning Machine Used For?

Carton is an important part of most production lines. The common use of the packaging machine is to pack medicines, cosmetics, candy, bottled food, etc., which can be different depending on the scale of the business.

10. How many kinds of packaging boxes are there?

Boxes can play an important role in creating an eye-catching appearance for your product, and there are thousands of designs and types that you can use to package items of any shape or size.

Let’s take a look at some common box types for packaging products:

• Folding carton

Folding cartons are the basic and most common box type for packaging products.

Carton boxes are mainly used for packaging consumer goods. In addition to different graphics and colours, there are also various shapes and sizes.

The main purpose of folding cartons is to provide protection and make retail product marketing and transportation possible.

These cartons are made of different raw materials.

• Rigid box

It is an upgraded version of folding cartons. Rigid cartons are stronger and are mainly used for luxury goods and display purposes.

They provide extra protection in addition to high-end finishes.

• Shoulder Box

The shoulder box is a rigid box cover and the base are not satisfied, and the middle part is called the shoulder box.

You can use the shoulders to create a feature by applying contrasting colors on the bottom and top of the box.

• Foldable box

Foldable boxes are another type of box that can be used in product marketing.

The box helps save transportation costs and storage space and provides a wide range of design options to make your project truly stand out.

• Corrugated Box

By glueing a pair of curved flute pads, the corrugated box has been traditionally used for external packaging, although it is now becoming more common in small companies.

You can make them into almost any shape and size, and the production cost is relatively low.

• Conventional slotted container

A standard box used in the packaging department, in which all creases from the groove to the edge have a similar length.

Conventional slotted containers are ideal for transporting small personal products.

Apart from changing the external design and printing, they don’t have much room for customization, although sometimes less is more.

• Semi-slotted container

It is the same as an ordinary slotted container.

However, this box type has an open side, making it ideal for sliding pre-boxed goods.

• Crimping at the end of the roll

A degummed box is formed by simple folding. This type of box is suitable for transporting retail products.

The roll-up top box is simple, but it tells a story about the brand, which is straightforward and unforgettable.

• Full overlap

These types of boxes are characterized by external flaps that cover the entire width of the box, which helps to enhance their toughness and elasticity.

They are practical options for shipping products, and you can enhance them with stunning printed designs.

• Telescope Box

A telescope-type box consisting of two completely separate parts; a cover and a base.

They are known for high-end products such as packaging technology, and Apple’s iPhone packaging is a very popular example.

• Sliding Box

Another type of box consists of two different parts. This type of box has an inner box and a sleeve.

• Mailer’s box

The post box is specially designed for packaging small items.

Their design is suitable for convenient mailbox and letterbox delivery.

• Ready-made shelf box

Shelf preparation boxes are specially made for retail shelves and store display items.

You can design them to showcase your products and make them stand out in front of customers.

• Customized box

The packaging boxes are multi-functional, and you can make them into almost any shape and size you want.

Making exclusive customized boxes for your goods is the perfect way to make an unforgettable experience based on your customers.

11. What are the Key Components of the Cartoning Machine?

The cartoning machine is an equipment unit composed of mechanical, pneumatic, electrical and light components.

These components are connected in this way to generate, transform and effectively use the mechanical energy generated by the system to form a packaging carton.

The following is a list of the key components of the cartoning machine:

• Control panel
• Motor and electric panel
• Conveyor, guide rail, roller and carton chute

Pneumatic system and carton packaging tools

• Inkjet Printers
• Lubrication system
• Safety system

12. Can you Combine the Cartoning Machine with Other Packaging Equipment?

Absolutely, the case packer mixes special flexibility and optimized performance in a very compact design completely tailored to your operation. It allows integration with upstream packaging equipment to ensure seamless product manufacturing.

13. What is the difference between semi-automatic cartoning machine and fully automatic cartoning machine?

• Semi-automatic cartoning machine

For semi-automatic cartoning machines, whether it is a horizontal cartoning machine or a vertical cartoning machine, the operator must manually insert the product into the machine.

Because there is no automatic feeding, the machine is easy to operate, but the production speed and output are significantly reduced. In addition, it requires the presence of several operators.

• Automatic carton machine

This is a piece of more sophisticated equipment that does not require much human assistance in its operation. The automatic carton machine has the ability to check the integrity of the carton to ensure that it is of the correct quality.

This machine and other accessories include:

• Folding system
• Inkjet Printers
• Brochure insertion system
• Hot Melt Adhesive System

All operations of the fully automatic cartoning machine rely on a digital control unit. The computer control unit runs, controls and regulates all operations of the carton, requiring minimal manual assistance.

14. How does the horizontal cartoning machine compare with the vertical cartoning machine?

According to the position where you insert the carton through the machine, the cartoning machine is divided into two types: vertical and horizontal.

• Vertical carton machine

In the vertical cartoning machine, you can feed the carton vertically into the carton machine, manually or automatically packaging items, in most cases starting from the top of the machine.

The vertical cartoning machine is suitable for packaging “naked” products that can or should be conveyed by gravity and sold by volume or weight.

Such products include dried pasta, rice, etc.

• Horizontal cartoning machine

With a horizontal cartoning machine, you pack the product from the side of the carton. This type of cartoning machine can operate in intermittent and continuous modes.

It can also choose to automatically fill the product horizontally to the end of the carton and seal through flap insertion or hot melt application.

Horizontal cartoning machines are mainly used for food packaging, such as grains, vacuum-packed coffee or rice, cakes, pizzas, etc.

15. What are the characteristics of the high-speed automatic cartoning machine?

A high-speed cartoning machine is a more efficient cartoning machine, used to pack a variety of products into boxes.

• Can work continuously, the maximum speed can reach 370 boxes/min
• Efficient packaging and high-tech equipment of mechatronics design.
• Can open box, pack, fold single sheet, imprint batch number, and automatically seal.
• Frequency conversion speed regulation, PLC control, HMI operation, photoelectric management and control of each station.
• It can be operated independently or integrated with other machines to form a production line.
• The box can be sealed with hot melt glue.

16. Features of the Multifunctional Cartoning Machine?

• Use automatic feeding, open cartons, insert cartons, print batch numbers, seal cartons, discard waste, etc.
• Compact and reasonable structure, simple function adjustment.
• Adopt step/servo motor, PLC system, touch screen control panel, clear man-machine interface display.
• Adopt a photoelectric eye automatic sensor tracking system. There is no need to send empty packaging materials into cartons, which greatly saves packaging materials.
• A wide range of packaging, easy to adjust, and can achieve fast switching between different sizes and specifications. The specification modification does not need to change the mold, it can be realized only by adjustment.
• Using automatic shutdown and main drive motor overload protection device when the product in the box is not fed in the correct position.
• The flip-up safety protective cover can be selected according to customer needs, which is easy to operate and beautiful in appearance.
• It can be integrated with other equipment to form a production line.
• Allows the use of different kinds of automatic product feeders and carton insertion systems, depending on the items that need to be packaged.
• Equipped with a hot-melt adhesive coating device, use hot-melt adhesive to seal the box by mechanical brushing or spraying.

17. What is a hand-packed carton?

The working principle of the hand-loaded carton is to seal one side of the carton, and then load the product by hand through the opening at the other end.

Before the equipment moves to the manual loading section, the rear end of the box is positioned and sealed. After loading, the system closes the top of the carton and unloads it from the machine.

18. Is there a Tamper-proof Carton Machine?

Yes, there are some tamper-proof cartoning machines to ensure extra security. The unique way the cartoner seals the cartons can help determine if there are tampered items. This helps build consumer confidence in your product.

19. What is an intermittent automatic cartoning machine?

The intermittent automatic cartoning machine is a cartoning machine in which the operator makes the carton upright and stops during the cartoning process.

The design of the machine is to load items into the box horizontally, and lock and seal it when hot melt glue or patching.

intermittent automatic cartoning machine

20. How to Modify the Carton Specifications of the Cartoning Machine?

Modifying the carton specifications will affect the carton mold settings and the main feed inlet. It is recommended to adjust the carton conveyor belt first, and then manually seal the carton.

Continue to grab the upper cover and place the carton in the middle of the conveyor. Then, move the adjusting knob to adjust the middle plate to the position where the output belt can properly clamp the carton.

When making adjustments, make sure not to touch the inner creases. To accurately determine the width, loosen several nuts on the carton conveyor and adjust the chain plate to make the carton width equal.

You must also modify the carton storage room. In this case, you will use a blank or flat carton to change the width of the entrance by moving the front and rear carton frames.

In addition, you need to match the length of the right, left and block shafts with the blank carton. The position of the vacuum device should be consistent with the size of the carton, and the height of the carton compressor can be changed.

Another important part you need to adjust is the relationship between the plant rum and the length and height of the carton.

The side height of the carton should be in the center of the carton. Another parameter that needs to be modified is the position and batch number of the carton seal. You should adjust the position according to the length and height of the carton.

At the same time, the gap of the batch number needs to be changed to match the height of the carton paper. The front track of the carton must also be equal to the height of the carton.

Need to apply the new carton position and width to change the position of the carton conveyor belt. Finally, arrange the sensors according to the location of the new machine.

21. How to troubleshoot the cartoning machine?

During the operation of the packing machine, some problems may arise. Let us look at some problems and troubleshooting methods. After long-term high-speed operation, the stability of the machine is poor

Solutions:

• The servo system can make the cartoning machine run smoothly.
• Carton failure due to blockage or leakage of air in the suction pipe

Solutions:

• Unclog the oil pipe and replace with a suitable oil pipe.
• Draw a flat blank at the feed of the carton magazine

Solutions:

• Use photoelectric sensors, such as multi-pulse technology, to sense any faulty cartons and alert you.
• You must stop the cartoning machine immediately and solve the problem before the situation worsens.
• Incorrect modification of carton warehouse

Solutions:

• Stop the cartoning machine and modify the warehouse correctly so that the cartons can be transported faster and correctly.
• Indivisible carton blank

Solution:

• Stop the cartoning machine, take out the inseparable carton, and replace it with a better carton.
• Ageing sucker

Solutions:

• Replace the old one with a new one.
• Inappropriate vacuum position

Solutions:

• Overhaul the entire vacuum system and replace it in an appropriate place.