Vertical Cartoning Machine

Vertical Cartoning Machine

Vertical cartoning machine is a secondary packaging machinery that loads products into folding cartons and closes the cartons.

With PLC control & motor drive, it loads biscuits, blister packs, bottles, cosmetics, medicines, pouches, sachets, seeds, tubes, etc., into small boxes from the top.

There are 2 types of vertical rotary cartoners:

1. Continuous Motion
2. Intermittent Motion

We will reveal them in depth and also guide you to dive deep into the horizontal end load cartoner.

Vertical Cartoner

What is a Vertical Cartoner?

A vertical cartoner is a packaging machine, that converts box blanks into closed folding cartons with packed products.

As shown in the photo below, which indicates the vertical cartoning process.

Workflow

No matter what type and model of cartoning machine it is, its workflow includes the following steps:

• Carton Erecting
• Bottom Closing
• Product Loading
• Top Closing
• Closed Carton Outputting

Compatible Carton Styles

The following 5 types are most common.

• Straight Tuck End Box

Its top & bottom tuck flaps are on the same side.

• Reverse Tuck End Box

Similar to a straight tuck end box, only the top & bottom tuck flaps are on different sides.

• Snap Lock Bottom Box

We also call it 123/1 2 3/1-2-3 bottom boxes, one side bottom lock panel inserts into the other side.

• Crash Bottom Box

Crash bottom cartons are also known as auto-bottom or auto-lock bottom boxes.

Its top closes with a tuck flap, while its bottom is self-locking.

• Full/Partial Overlap Seal End Carton

They are usually sealed with hot melt glue and are common in the food & pharma industries.

Applicable Industries

Vertical cartoner is widespread in the following industries.

• Pharmaceutical

Blisters, oral liquids, ampoules, vials, pharmaceutical granules, plasters, ointments, aerosols, etc.;

• Food

Ice cream, egg rolls, bread, coffee sachet, seasoning mix, milk powder, etc.;

• Daily Chemicals

Toothpaste, soap, cosmetics, facial mask, cream, lipstick, mosquito coil, etc.;

• Hardware & Electrical Appliances

Bearings, bulbs, switches, sockets, relays, chargers, etc.;

• Auto Parts

Spark plugs, filters, piston rings, automotive bulbs, automotive electrical appliances, etc.;

• Plastic

Plastic wrap, disposable film gloves, plastic products, etc.;

• Stationery & Entertainment

Pens, staplers, staples, inkpad, glue, correction fluid, playing cards, puzzles, toys, handicrafts, etc.;

• Personal Care

Paper towels, sanitary napkins, pads, cotton pads, etc.

Continuous Motion Top Load Cartoner (Max. 90 CPM)

2 types of vertical cartoners are optional:

• Continuous Motion
• Intermittent Motion

Let’s dive deep into continuous motion top load cartoner first.

Overview

Continuous motion vertical cartoning processes are clear in the photo below.

As you can see from the picture above, the continuous top load cartoning machine has a double-sided product loading area.

A double-sided product loading area can accommodate more workers manually loading products or auxiliary loaders automatically loading different contents into boxes.

Besides, its carton carrier is always in motion, as the video above demonstrates, and the vacuum grabber integrates 3 suction cups for facial cream grabbing & loading, thus a higher speed is achievable.

After the carton blanks are erected and placed on the rotary balcony conveyor, the erected cartons follow the conveyor rotation to the closed carton outlet without any pause in the middle.

Features

Customized loader for different products & package style;

Complete carton erecting, bottom sealing, tape roll end loading, and top sealing in one stop;

Simple structure, convenient carton size changeover & machine maintenance;

Touch screen HMI, easy parameters setting & operation control, remote control compatible;

Real-time status monitoring, automatic shutdown for failed/abnormal loading;

HCFA PLC control to ensure stable & smooth operation;

Sick photoelectric eye detection prevents empty cartoning;

High-quality electrical components screened layer by layer;

Safety cover protects the operator.

Parameters

Item	Continuous Motion Vertical Rotary Cartoner
Speed	Max. 90 CPM
Carton Size	Customizable
Carton Thickness	250-400gsm
Power	3Kw
Air Pressure	0.6-0.8 Mpa | 6-8 Bar | 87-116 Psi
Air Consumption	150L-200L/min
Voltage	110/220/380V, 50/60Hz
Dimension	3808mm x 2285mm x 1900mm

Intermittent Motion Vertical Cartoner (40-60 CPM)

Workflow

Now it’s the turn of the intermittent top load cartoner.

The cam indexer drives the starwheel and keeps it rotating 360 degrees.

As the indexer switches between motion & motionlessness, the star wheel that carries the carton also pauses its rotation for each product loading.

After product loading is complete, the star wheel rotates again, realizing step-by-step vertical cartoning.

Such a machine includes 12 stations, 9 working stations, and 3 reserved stations (7#, 10#, 12#).

These 9 working stations are:

• Erect the carton blank to the starwheel
• Fold the bottom dust flaps
• Fold the bottom closing panel
• Insert the bottom tuck flap
• Top load product
• Fold the top dust flaps
• Fold the top closing panel
• Insert the top tuck flap
• Output closed carton

After setting parameters on the touch screen, press the “Start” button.

Then, the machine runs step by step as described above.

Manual or automatic product loading is optional for your choice.

If you choose automatic loading, we will customize a suitable loader according to your product shapes, types, and primary packaging styles……

Its blank magazine could pre-store max. 600 pcs carton blanks (depends on blank thickness), then you don’t need to add blanks frequently.

Besides, you can loosen the blank magazine’s fixing screws, then you’re able to place carton blanks of different widths & heights.

Pros

Horizontal cartoner machines are relatively more popular.

However, they couldn’t box all products, such as scattered screws, hardware, granules, and liquid bags.

At this time, the vertical cartoning equipment is a good choice.

SiroSilo top load cartoner is worthy of your trust with high standards.

It is equipped with famous components, such as Festo, Schneider, Siemens, etc.

Moreover, it integrates an air tank and a low air pressure alarm, air tank works as a backup air source, it ensures stable air pressure;

The alarm reminds the operator to deal with low air pressure problems.

Code printer, leaflet inserter, or hot melt adhesive applicator are optional.

All because of the following features, the vertical rotary cartoner has captured the hearts of many clients.

• Compact footprint, simple operation & maintenance;
• Graphic touch screen HMI, PLC control, high precision;
• Photoelectric eye detects empty packing, maximizes material savings;
• Custom molds for cartons of different sizes;
• Robust stainless steel frame;
• Overload protection drive motor, safer & reliable;
• Optional safety cover protects the operator;
• Linkable with multi head weigher, metal detector, checkweigher, case erector, bag inserter, case packer, cobot palletizer, etc.;
• Custom carton feeders & product loaders for your choice;
• Optional hot melt adhesive applicator.

Configurations

Item	Brand	Place of Origin
PLC	Siemens	Germany
Frequency Converter	DANFOSS	Denmark
Cam Indexer	Dongyang	China
Micro Gear Reducer	Ruida	China
Air Cylinder	Festo/AirTAC	Germany/Taiwan
Proximity Switch/Photoelectric Sensor	Omron	Japan
Touch Screen	Siemens	Germany
Breaker	Schneider	France
Contactor	PNEULEAD	USA
Start/Stop Buttons	Schneider	France

Continuous V.S. Intermittent Motion

Continuous Motion	Intermittent Motion
Work continuously without pause, max. speed 1000 CPM.	Its starwheel switches between motion & motionlessness, one switch is a cartoning cycle, max. speed 40 CPM.
Superb stability under high speed.	Poor stability when the speed exceeds 40 CPM.
Choice of large enterprises & group companies.	A favorite of small, medium, and micro enterprises.

Products Packable

The following products & pack styles are suitable for top load cartoners.

Bottle

Pouch

Sachet

Tube

Vial

Rows of vials arrive at the cartoning station after being sorted by the lane divider, and then a Yamaha robot picks up two rows of 10 vials and loads them into the carton.

If you need to pack individual vials into cartons and target fast speeds, consider the continuous motion end load cartoner in the video below.

If your product is special, contact us to discuss customization possibilities.

Email: info@sirosilo.com

WhatsApp: +8617312124727

Manufacturers

The cartoner machine is common in packaging food, medicines, cosmetics, and daily necessities.

Because of this, there are many cartoner machine manufacturers around the world.

The list below includes the most famous players in this niche.

• acg
• bergami
• bosch/syntegon
• bradman lake
• cam
• clybourn
• dividella
• econocorp
• hoonga
• ima
• iwk
• mgs
• marchesini
• ra jones
• romaco
• tishma
• uhlmann
• ……

They have been in this niche for many years, and their cartoner quality is top of the world.

Price

A new Chinese intermittent motion vertical cartoner costs between US$15,000 and 30,000.

For comparison, we also found the prices of used continuous motion vertical cartoners from European or American brands, please check the photo below for reference.

Operation Guidance

A vertical rotary cartoning machine relies on its 360° rotation starwheel, one cycle equals one cartoning completion.

To better understand its operation, please watch the following video for reference.

Vertical Cartoner Choice

You’d better purchase a vertical rotary cartoner that suits your packaging line.

So, what factors should you focus on?

Box Styles

The following four folding carton styles are the most common:

• Tuck End
• 123//1-2-3/Snap Lock Bottom
• Auto/Auto-lock Bottom
• Full/Partial Overlap Seal End Box

After confirming your carton style for your supplier, they can recommend a suitable model to you swifter.

Carton Sizes

Compatible box size (L x W x H/D) is an important parameter.

All your box sizes should be compatible with your desired machine.

If your box size is out of range, please select a suitable supplier to customize your dreamy cartoning solution.

Box Design & Material

Folding cartons must be pre-creased (deep creasing line) during production at the factory, and the erecting directions of all your boxes must be consistent.

Some cartons are produced from recycled materials, and such cartons’ quality is poor, which will affect the blank opening & cartoning effects.

We recommend you produce cartons from pulp as much as possible.

Product & Package

For the following situations, we recommend you choose a top load cartoner.

• Your products & packages are diverse, cartons come in multiple sizes, and size differences between each box are a bit large;
• A compact vertical rotary cartoner is better for you if your site space is small;
• Your product or material is relatively loose and free-flowing, such as powdered or granular items.

Speed

If your cartoner works alone, you must make sure its speed can match your daily throughput requirements;

For cartoning machines integrated into a packaging line, their speed must match the upstream & downstream equipment.

The faster the machine, the higher the price, please carefully choose the suitable speed based on your future focus.

Size Changeover

For cartoning machines that are compatible with several sizes, size changeover is an unavoidable issue.

Size switching will cause some downtime.

Different cartoning machines consume different size switching times due to different product loaders, please confirm it with the supplier in advance.

Combination & Integration

As a secondary packaging machine, the cartoning equipment is usually in the middle of the packaging line.

It may connect an upstream FFS machine or tube filler and combine a downstream checkweigher, labeler, heat shrink film tunnel, or case packer.

Please make sure your preferred cartoner can communicate with upstream & downstream equipment.

Your supplier should have extensive experience in packaging line integration.

Footprint

The footprint is also an unavoidable factor in any packaging line design.

Before purchasing cartooning equipment, please plan your production line, and measure the length & width of available space.

To facilitate machine maintenance, the measured length & width should be 0.6-1m larger than the machine length & width.

Operator Ability

Cartoner operation & maintenance require certain craftsmanship.

An outstanding operator can help you increase productivity and reduce machine failure rates & downtime.

We suggest you pay attention to training some high-quality operators or pay a higher price to hire one.

Safety

The complex cartoner integrates a variety of hard metal fittings, and accidents may occur due to improper operation.

Therefore, the cartoner usually has an emergency stop switch.

Some cartoners can also add protective doors and a built-in safety switch.

If the protective door opens in production, the machine automatically stops to protect the operator.

Email: info@sirosilo.com

WhatsApp: +8617312124727

Horizontal Cartoner

What is Horizontal Cartoner?

Horizontal cartoners convert the carton blanks into closed cartons with packed products.

It completes a series of steps such as box blank picking-up, box erecting, box bottom closing, product side loading, box top closing, and closed carton outputting in one stop.

Working Principle

Whether it is a vertical or horizontal cartoning machine, its working principle involves the following steps:

• Box Blank Grabbing & Opening
• Carton Erecting
• Box Folding
• Product Filling
• Carton Closing

As for the horizontal cartoning machine, the product & carton are respectively located on two synchronous conveyors driven by servo motors.

The chains underneath these conveyors rotate along the product flow direction.

Those steps mentioned above are completed during each chain rotation cycle.

Regarding the following photo, you can better understand the horizontal cartoning process.

Hot Sale

The following cartoning equipment is popular.

Biscuit

The video below was shot for an Egyptian customer, testing a stick biscuit cartoning line consisting of a horizontal flow wrapper and a side load cartoner.

Bottle

A customer in Guangdong Province, China, approached SiroSilo for a fully automatic facial cream bottle cartoner in July 2023.

After the machine ran successfully at the customer’s facility, we shot the following promotional video with the customer’s permission.

Food

Foods packaged with cartoning machines include snack pouch bags, frozen food wraps, coffee sachets, biscuit pouches, bagged mooncakes, etc.

The video below presents a customized cartoning line for wrapped pizzas.

Pharmaceutical

Most of the blister packs in the pharmaceutical industry are sold in cartons, and the blister cartoner packs the blisters into the carton, it usually works in conjunction with a blister vacuum forming machine or a blister thermoforming machine.

Pizza

Because frozen pizza is easy to dissolve at room temperature, the speed of the pizza cartoner should be as fast as possible, then it is convenient to send the packaged pizza box to the cold storage quickly.

Pouch

On August 16, 2016, a pouch cartoning machine for a Malaysian customer was tested before delivery.

We collected mooncake pouches to put into the bucket conveyor.

Then we shared the following test video with the customer for confirmation.

Sachet

These products packed in sachets include:

• Coffee
• Condiments
• Cream
• Detergent
• Ketchup
• Lubricant
• Mouth Freshener
• Milk Powder
• Nutrition Powder
• Oil
• Sauce
• Shampoo
• Sugar
• Tea

Soap

The German company IWK has released a continuous motion soap cartoning machine, whose speed is up to 1000+ CPM, a speed that makes our Chinese suppliers worship.

SiroSilo soap cartoner could reach 200-300 CPM.

Toothpaste

The toothpaste cartoning machine is popular in the daily chemical industry.

It is suitable for secondary packaging of conditioners, facial cleansers, electric toothbrushes, hair dyeing creams, ointments, razors, and other tubular products.

Horizontal Cartoning Machine Price

Cartoning machines’ price depends on their type, cartoning speed, brand, etc.

The cheapest European or American cartoning equipment costs RMB300,000 (USD$46,875.00), and the high-end one costs USD$234,375.00-USD$250,000.00.

No doubt, the price of our Chinese cartoner equipment is more competitive, contact us to get a quote for comparison.

You have browsed this far, so why not contact us to enjoy worry-free sourcing like our American customer Mr. Bob?

Email: info@sirosilo.com

WhatsApp: +8617312124727