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How to Choose a Carton Printing Machine

George Yang has a background in mechanical engineering from Tsinghua University and is a pioneer in the box-making machinery industry. Drawing on his expertise, he founded Autoboxup, dedicated to advancing and innovating box-making machinery technology.

George Yang’s deep expertise and commitment to innovation has propelled Autoboxup to the forefront of the boxmaking machinery industry. His groundbreaking efforts not only changed the industry landscape, but also served as an inspiration to fellow entrepreneurs and engineers.

George Yang’s contributions to the field of box making machinery have been recognized by industry leaders and publications, making him a respected authority on the industry. His relentless pursuit of excellence continues to drive progress and shape the future of boxmaking machinery technology.

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With the continuous improvement of printing science and technology. Now the types of printing machines on the market have diversified. Some equipment structures also have some post-processing production functions. It can be said that the current Ep IJ machine manufacturing technology is more mature. In order to improve the printing quality and production efficiency of products.

It has greatly promoted the reduction of printing production consumption. Due to the different types of printing equipment, their uses are also different. The printing machine used for carton production must conform to the characteristics of carton products and printing production technology in order to better meet the production requirements and improve the fundamental purpose of economic efficiency.

 

1. Types of Structures and Production Characteristics of Carton Printing Machines

There are many types and structures of carton printing machines, including gravure printing machines, flexographic printing machines and lithographic printing machines suitable for pre-printed carton surface paper. There are also multi-functional models that can complete glazing, hot stamping, silk screen printing, etc. on-line, and have a roll paper structure. There are also offset paper models. There are those suitable for direct printing on corrugated cardboard. Slotting can also be done online on the device. Flexo printing presses for corner cutting, slitting and creasing.

The pre-printing equipment of the carton refers to before the face paper (such as kraft cardboard or white cardboard) and the corrugated cardboard are pasted. Use the printing machine to print the graphic on the box body on the corresponding position of the face paper in advance , and then mount the printed face paper and corrugated cardboard. Then use a die-cutting machine to go through die-cutting, creasing and forming to make a complete carton. The characteristics of this type of machine.

That is, the printing production efficiency and printing precision are high, which is more suitable for printing beverages. High-grade colored corrugated boxes for beer , electronic equipment and other food packaging. Semi-finished products printed by pre-printing equipment with web structure. It can be directly mounted on the tile line into corrugated cardboard, because there is a certain heating and molding time during production. It can better improve the strength of corrugated boxes. And suitable for flexo printing presses for corrugated cardboard printing. It is printed on the surface of the uneven corrugated cardboard , and the ink color quality effect of the printed image and text is excellent. Obviously not as good as the printing quality of pre-printed equipment . Especially it is not suitable for printing products with fine dots and color , so this kind of machine is generally only suitable for medium and low carton products with relatively thick printing layout.

 

2. The Basic Principle of Choosing a Carton Printing Machine

The purchase of a carton printing machine should proceed from the principles of economy, technology and applicability. In order to better improve the economic efficiency of enterprises. The so-called economy. That is, the investment in equipment should be small. The equipment utilizes a large space. The number of operators used by the machine is less. The production cost should be low, which is the basis for improving economic efficiency. From a technical point of view. For products with relatively fixed layout, large printing quantity, large printing area and thick ink layer, gravure printing machine should be used for printing. It is beneficial to improve the printing quality and production efficiency of facial paper. For products with rich printing layouts, layouts with large graphics and text printing areas, products with layouts made of dots, and products with variable printing quantities in each batch. Optional offset printing presses for printing.

For surface paper materials with relatively rough surfaces, the requirements for simple line printing and ink color are not strict. Partial text or patterns on the layout need to be changed frequently or require multiple reprints, and carton products with simple and rough die-cutting and indentation layouts. Optional flexographic printing slotting machine can be used for direct printing and on-line slitting, corner cutting, slotting and creasing of corrugated cardboard.

Applicability is to require the type of printing machine you choose to be suitable for the characteristics of the factory’s product structure. For example, for carton products with various structures, factories with large production scale can have gravure, lithographic and flexographic printing machines at the same time, so that the comprehensive utilization of equipment, production efficiency and printing quality of products can be improved. Greater improvements can be achieved.

Generally speaking, when purchasing a printing machine for a carton factory, it is necessary to clarify the production direction of the factory. That is to say, before purchasing a machine, it must first clarify its product characteristics. And to accurately understand the performance and characteristics of various printing presses. Only in this way can we correctly decide which model to choose and which auxiliary equipment or devices to configure so that the purchased equipment can fully play its due role.

3. Several Elements That Should Be Understood and Mastered When Purchasing a Printing Machine

The correct selection of printing machines is related to the production efficiency of the factory and the normal performance of product quality. After all, equipment procurement is different from raw materials. Once the machine is put into use, it generally cannot be returned. If you do not have an accurate understanding of market conditions. Blind IQ purchased printing equipment, and after using it for a period of time, it was too late to discover the disadvantages of the machine and the characteristics that were not suitable for the products of this factory. Therefore, the purchase of printing machines must be cautious. First carefully examine the market conditions, and keep abreast of and master the latest technological developments. It is necessary to know what kind of printing machine is needed for what kind of product, which is conducive to improving production efficiency and quality. Conducive to reducing consumption and production costs This is the most important factor that should be considered. Therefore, the author believes that the purchase of printing machines should pay attention to the following aspects.

3.1 To Understand the Performance and Use of the Machine

It is very important to understand the performance and use of the printing machine. The purchasing knowledge is also related to whether the selected printing machine is suitable for the product characteristics of the factory and the key link to ensure the realization of low investment and high output. Before purchasing equipment, it is necessary to carry out careful investigation and understanding through careful consultation and in-depth market research, so as to accurately understand the actual performance and exact use of the EPN machine: market research is not only to simply go to the equipment manufacturer to investigate and understand, but also to go to Relevant carton factory printing equipment manufacturers to understand the actual performance and situation of the printing machine, such a more accurate understanding can better avoid one-sidedness and blindness in procurement.

3.2 To Understand the Technical Performance of the Printing Press

All kinds of printing machines have requirements for technical performance and scope of application. Therefore, when purchasing, it is necessary to understand the technical requirements related to printing machines, so that they can be reasonably selected and accepted according to the standard requirements, so that the selected printing machines are more reliable. Well meet the performance and production requirements of Hefutai equipment. The technical requirements of the printing machine mainly include the specifications of the machine, the maximum and minimum printing format. Printing material thickness, overprint accuracy, machine speed, motor power, etc. must be clearly grasped.

Performance Parameter Description Importance / Impact
Printing Speed The speed at which the press can produce printed materials, typically measured in impressions per hour (IPH) or sheets per hour (SPH). Determines production capacity and efficiency.
Print Quality Assesses the sharpness, color accuracy, and resolution of printed images. Directly influences the end product’s appearance and customer satisfaction.
Format Size The maximum sheet size the press can handle. Determines the range of print projects the machine can undertake.
Substrate Compatibility Types of paper or other materials the press can print on (e.g., gloss, matte, cardstock). Expands the range of print products the machine can produce.
Ink Compatibility Types of ink the press can use (e.g., UV, water-based, solvent-based). Influences print quality, drying times, and environmental factors.
Drying Capabilities The mechanism to dry ink, such as UV curing, air drying, etc. Affects production speed and print quality.
Automation Features Automatic functions like plate changing, wash-up, or color calibration. Reduces manual interventions and improves consistency and efficiency.
Operational Efficiency Measures related to energy consumption, waste production, and maintenance needs. Influences operational costs and the press’s environmental footprint.
Connectivity & Integration How the press can connect to digital systems or other equipment for streamlined operations. Enhances workflow efficiency and real-time monitoring.
Durability & Lifespan Expected operational life of the press and its resistance to wear and tear. Influences long-term ROI and maintenance costs.

 

3.3 Choose a printing machine with the right price

The price of the printing press determines the cost of production. It is necessary to get out of the misunderstanding of “the price of a good printing machine must be high” and “there is no good product if it is cheap.” In fact, due to differences in production management level, production scale and production regional economy, there will be certain price differences for printing machines of the same type. Even some factories produce printing presses with advanced performance. And the price is lower than the general performance printing machines of other factories. Therefore, we must pay attention to understanding , examining and comparing in many aspects when purchasing . So that the production capacity of the selected printing machine and the printing quality of the product are better guaranteed. The price of the machine is reasonable.

3.4 Determine the type and quantity of printing machines to be purchased according to the actual situation of the factory

It is necessary to reasonably determine the configuration of the purchased machine. The so-called machine configuration refers to some production functions and devices on the structure of the printing press, such as the number of printing units. Coating, die-cutting, hot stamping and other units or devices configured online. The configuration of the machine should take into account the characteristics of the production process. In terms of flexographic printing process characteristics.

It is significantly different from lithography and gravure printing processes, such as plate and gravure printing processes. For products with both solid and small text, lines and textures on the same color plate, as long as one printing plate is made and one color group is used, the printing quality requirements can be met, while if the flexographic process is used, one The layout is split into two plates and printed with two color groups.

Only in this way can we better overcome quality problems such as pasting plates that are prone to occur in the process . Therefore, if you choose the flexographic printing method for this product, you must consider the reasonable allocation of the number of color groups. Such as printing pre-printed carton face paper, cartons and other packaging materials. Coating die-cutting, hot stamping and other processes are often indispensable, so it is necessary to consider the configuration of drying devices and units with corresponding functions.

3.5 Reasonable selection of machine specifications

The specifications of the printing machine are related to the size of the printing format. The large printing area of the machine means high production efficiency. The width of the unfolded size of large and medium-sized carton products is generally above 1 000 mm, so the printing width of the purchased machine should also be above 1 00 Omin to meet the production requirements of carton products. This is one of the aspects. On the other hand, the business competition in the carton industry is quite fierce now. The meager profit situation of printing has become increasingly prominent. Some printing manufacturers will increase the goal of printing profits. Aim at improving the printing format. right

Some products with a large quantity often have to be printed by using a large version. To reduce production consumption and production costs. Improve printing efficiency and production efficiency. If the pre-printed carton products that mainly print beverages and beer are generally printed in large quantities, you may consider purchasing a large printing machine for printing. Therefore, the author believes that in the case of relatively saturated production, the output can only be completed with two medium-sized printing machines. As long as it can be done with a large printing press, it is better to consider purchasing a large printing press. The product specifications of factories mainly printing cartons are relatively large. The purchase of large printing machines has greater development and utilization space, which is conducive to improving production efficiency.

3.6 To choose a good supplier

Choosing a good supplier is an important link in the procurement control of printing equipment. Printing equipment with good performance can improve the production efficiency and product quality of cartons. are all critical. The purchase control of printing equipment should be carried out under the condition of relatively suitable price on the basis of guarantee of machine performance and printing adaptability, so that the printing quality and production cost of the product can be better balanced. Therefore, when choosing a printing equipment supplier, it is necessary to consider choosing a manufacturer with relatively large production capacity and scale, strong manufacturing technology, good product quality, and thoughtful after-sales service.

This is very important, and will play a certain role in guaranteeing the continuity of production and the stability of quality in the future. Imported printing presses are superior in terms of performance and advancement. However, they are relatively expensive, and if the equipment is damaged, there are also big problems in terms of spare parts supply and price. After some parts of the imported printing machines of some factories are damaged, there are certain disadvantages that have to be replaced by other parts or self-processed parts due to the supply or price of the parts, so the author thinks that. Products that can be printed with domestic printing machines.

It is best to choose a domestic printing machine for printing. In fact, the printing presses produced by some domestic printing press manufacturers are in terms of technical performance. Production adaptability, after-sales service and other aspects have also been greatly improved and performed well, and the price of domestic printing machines is much lower than that of similar imported machines. Accessories are also readily available.

4. Summary

The printing machine is the main equipment for carton printing production. It is related to the production cost of carton products and the processing quality of printed matter. Choosing a good printing machine can reduce production costs, improve product quality and production efficiency, and improve the competitiveness of factories. is of great significance.

Therefore, when purchasing a printing machine, you must take a pragmatic and cautious attitude, do a good job of market research and inspection, and through careful equipment market analysis and machine application analysis , finally determine the direction of printing equipment procurement.

In order to better avoid detours in the equipment procurement process, and truly make the best use of everything. It is an important condition for the factory to create economic benefits to make the purchased printing machine fully play its due role.

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