What is the workflow of a carton machine? What are the specific steps from raw material input to finished carton output?

What is the workflow of a carton machine? What are the specific steps from raw material input to finished carton output?

Carton machines, especially automatic cartoning machines or multi-functional automatic cartoning machines, usually go through a series of precise and orderly steps from raw material input to finished carton output.

1. Raw material preparation and input
Cardboard/carton raw materials: Place the cardboard or pre-made carton in the corresponding hopper of the cartoning machine. These cardboards or cartons are usually pre-processed by cutting, creasing, etc.
Instructions and other auxiliary materials: For cartons that need to be filled with instructions or other auxiliary materials, these materials must also be prepared in advance and placed in the designated position of the cartoning machine.

2. Unloading and unloading
Unloading: For cartons that need to be filled with items, the relevant items will be accurately placed on the conveyor belt by the unloading equipment.
Unloading: A suction cup (or other similar device) will suck a carton from the carton feed port and then move it down to the main line of cartoning. The carton is fixed by a guide rail and opened with a push plate.

3. Opening and filling
Opening: After the carton is fixed and opened, two forward-moving clamps usually rise from the bottom, clamping the sides of the carton from the front and back directions, so that the box opens at a right angle and moves forward to the filling area.
Filling: In the filling area, the items on the conveyor belt (such as medicine plates, instructions, etc.) will be sent into the opened carton by the push rod.

4. Closing and sealing
Closing: After the items are loaded into the carton, the carton will continue to move forward driven by the conveyor belt and enter the closing process. Before closing the lid, the machine will first bend the sheet metal of the tongue of the carton, and then the push plate will promote the bending of the lid so that the tongue is inserted into the box.
Sealing (if necessary): For some cartons that require additional sealing, such as cartons sealed with glue or tape, the cartoning machine will perform the box sealing operation after closing the lid.

5. Detection and rejection of waste products
Detection: During the cartoning process, the cartoning machine will detect cartons, items, instructions, etc. through multiple sensors and photoelectric switches to ensure that they arrive at the designated location accurately.
Removal of waste products: If unqualified cartons are detected (such as no instructions, missing items, etc.), the cartoning machine will remove them through the waste rejection device to ensure that all output finished cartons are qualified.
6. Finished product output and subsequent processing
Finished product output: After all the above steps, qualified finished cartons will be transported to the export conveyor belt for further processing or packaging.
Subsequent processing (if necessary): According to actual needs, the finished cartons may also need to be printed with batch numbers, labeled, packed, and other subsequent processing.