How the LINEBOX-03 packaging line works

The LINEBOX-03 packaging line starts with the AUTOBOX10 case erector, which forms 10–15 boxes a minute, up to 720 an hour. Cartons can be 200–500 mm long, 200–400 mm wide and 150–350 mm high.

After forming, boxes move along the RC2M-D motor-driven roller conveyor at 18 m/min to the 1000 mm RC1M passive roller section, where they are filled. The RUBBER box taper then closes the cartons using tape 48–60 mm wide, either BOPP or Kraft. The line uses PLC control and runs on a 220 V, 50 Hz single-phase supply.

The AUTOBOX10 case erector starts by drawing a flat cardboard blank from its magazine. It opens the blank, folds the bottom flaps into position, and applies tape to seal the bottom. The open box is then placed onto the conveyor, ready for filling. If a blank is damp or bent, the erector may fail to open it properly, so always use dry, flat corrugated board. Blanks stored off damp floors stay dry and flat.

The RC1M passive section is where the packer stands to fill each box. The line is designed so that it waits for the packer to finish filling, not the other way around. If the filling takes longer than forming, boxes will queue at this section, so set the erector’s pace to the people who fill the boxes, or add a packer.

Once filled, the box enters the RUBBER box taper, which folds the top flaps and tapes the box closed. The flap folder is pneumatic, so the taper needs compressed air as well as the 220 V supply, and so does the erector. The line runs one carton size at a time. Changing the carton size means recalling the size on the erector, which stores up to 10 carton sizes, and setting the conveyor guides and the taper to the new size.

End of line packaging and what comes next

A packing line is part of end of line packaging: everything after the product is made, from boxing and closing to marking, stacking on a pallet, strapping and wrapping.

End of line packaging equipment such as these packing lines covers the first of those steps: boxing and closing, or wrapping in film.

After the box is closed or the product is wrapped, the next steps usually follow a set order. First, each closed box is marked with a code or label. This can be done with a thermal inkjet printer, which prints a date or batch code directly onto the box, or with a labeling machine that applies a printed label. Both types of marking machines are available in the shop and can be added after the packing line.

Boxes are then stacked on pallets by hand after they leave the line. It is important to plan for a table or a conveyor at the end of the line where closed boxes can collect before stacking. At an output of up to 720 boxes an hour, the people stacking boxes on pallets must keep the same pace. If not, boxes will pile up at the end of the line and risk being damaged or mixed up.

Once the pallet is full, a pallet wrapping machine or hand film holds the boxes together for transport. Strapping is added for heavy boxes, to hold the load down on the pallet. Wrapping and strapping are the last steps before the pallet is moved to storage or shipping.

Packing line comparison table

The table below gives the machines, the output, the pack sizes and the supply of both lines; for SHRINKCOMBO the supply is on its product page.

To use the comparison table, start from how you pack: goods in boxes point to LINEBOX-03, goods wrapped in shrink film to SHRINKCOMBO. The table shows the output for each line: boxes per minute for LINEBOX-03 and meters per minute for SHRINKCOMBO. You can also compare the pack sizes each line handles.

Carton packing line: sizes, output and tape

The LINEBOX-03 carton packing line handles cartons 200–500 mm long, 200–400 mm wide and 150–350 mm high. It forms up to 720 boxes an hour with the AUTOBOX10 case erector.

The RUBBER box taper closes the cartons with tape 48–60 mm wide, BOPP or Kraft. Used as a case packing line with hand filling, LINEBOX-03 forms, carries and tapes every box the same way.

The LINEBOX-03 runs one carton size at a time, so if you need to pack several sizes in a shift, plan for the time it takes to change the settings at the erector, conveyor and taper. At up to 720 boxes an hour, the line makes a box about every five seconds. Group the orders by carton size where you can, so the line changes size as seldom as possible.

Keep spare rolls at the taper, so a roll change takes a minute and not a search. The length of tape over the front and back of the box can be set from 5 to 50 mm, which lets you adjust the hold for each box type; a longer leg holds the flaps better on heavy boxes.

SHRINKCOMBO as an automated packaging line

The SHRINKCOMBO automated packaging line uses an A450 automatic side sealer and a V4530 shrink tunnel. The side sealer packs products up to 150 mm high at 15 m/min.

The shrink tunnel processes products up to 1400 × 350 × 200 mm at 10 m/min. This packaging line wraps items in film and shrinks it tight around them.

The A450 automatic side sealer wraps each product in folded shrink film, sealing it along the side and across the film between one pack and the next. The V4530 shrink tunnel then uses heat to shrink the film tightly around the product. For example, a box of small items can be wrapped and shrunk as one unit for display or shipping.

The tunnel is the slower of the two machines, so it sets the pace for the whole line, and the sealer’s height limit is the limit for the line. The usual film is POF shrink film, which is clear and shows the product inside the pack. This is useful for goods that need to be seen by the buyer or checked in the warehouse.

What affects the price of an automatic packing line

The price of an automatic packing line depends on the number and type of machines included, the output speed, the box sizes it handles and the control system used.

Current prices for each packing line are shown on the product cards above.

The main running costs are the cartons and tape for LINEBOX-03, or the film for SHRINKCOMBO, as well as electricity and compressed air for the erector and the taper. Wear parts such as tape blades need to be kept sharp and clean to avoid stoppages. For example, a dull blade can leave tape tails or fail to cut the tape, causing jams.

Allow for a strip about 6.1 m long for LINEBOX-03, plus room for the packers working at the line. The time needed to change over to another carton size is also a cost, especially if you pack many sizes in a day. The product cards above have a Get offer button for a quote, and the Add to inquiry button lets you collect several machines into one request if you are planning a line step by step.

A complete packaging line from single machines

The three machines of the LINEBOX-03 packing line, the case erector, the roller conveyor and the box taper (a carton sealer), are also sold separately in the shop.

That way a line can start with one machine, for example a carton sealer, and grow later with more packaging line equipment.

If you are starting with manual packing, begin with the step that takes the most time, such as taping boxes or forming them. Adding a carton sealer first can save time and reduce strain on workers. Later, you can add a case erector and a conveyor to build up to a full line. Each machine from LINEBOX-03 is designed to work with the others, so you can add them one by one as your needs grow.

Plan the length for the entire line, about 6.1 m, even if you only install one machine at first. The RC2M-D conveyor links the machines, and the RC1M passive section gives packers a place to fill boxes. Planning the whole length from the start makes it easier to expand the line without moving equipment later.

When a packing line pays off

A packing line pays off when the same packing task is done many times a day: forming, taping and moving boxes by hand ties up people who could do other work.

The time saved by forming and closing boxes automatically only counts if the filling keeps up, because the people who fill the boxes are part of the line as well.

To see if a line pays off, count the minutes per shift spent forming, taping and carrying boxes by hand, and multiply by the number of people doing this work. Compare this to a line that forms and tapes up to 720 boxes an hour. For example, if three people spend two hours a shift on these tasks, a line could free most of those hours; someone still fills the boxes, feeds the magazine and stacks the pallets.

A machine tapes every box the same way, which reduces the risk of boxes opening during transport. A box that opens in transit can mean a return and extra handling. Manual folding and taping all day can also cause strain on hands and wrists, which a line removes. If you pack many carton sizes in small numbers, frequent changeovers can eat up the time the line saves, so a single carton sealer or a manual station may be a better fit.

Planning the line: sizes, people, space

The first step is to check the largest and smallest box or product the packing line must take. Boxes outside the range of the LINEBOX-03 need a second line or a manual station. The output per hour depends on the slowest machine, so if the case erector or the shrink tunnel is slower than the rest, it sets the pace for the line.

Plan the space and the direction of flow, with room for the people who fill or load, and make sure boxes or film arrive as fast as the line uses them.

Draw the layout of your workspace, marking where the blanks are stored, the side of the erector’s magazine, the filling station, the exit of the taper and the stacking area. For example, place the pallet of blanks close to the erector to reduce walking distance, and keep the stacking area near the exit of the taper for easy palletizing.

The working height of LINEBOX-03 is 650 mm; the packers stand next to the conveyor, so plan how goods reach the filling place, whether from a pallet, a table or another conveyor. Make sure there is enough space for packers to work without blocking the line. For example, if two people fill boxes, leave room on both sides of the conveyor for them to move and handle products safely.

Blanks arrive on pallets, so keep one pallet next to the erector. Keep a walkway along the line and make sure the emergency stops are easy to reach. Plan where the pallet of blanks and the pallet of finished boxes are changed, so a pallet truck or forklift reaches both without crossing the line. Keep the air line and the cables off the floor where people walk.

Tape options for box lines

The RUBBER box taper on the LINEBOX-03 uses tape 48–60 mm wide. You can use BOPP tape, which is plastic, or Kraft tape, which is paper. Kraft tape goes into paper recycling with the box.

BOPP tape is available with different adhesives. Acrylic tape keeps its hold on boxes that go into cold storage; hot-melt tape grips faster on cardboard. Both are applied at room temperature. The RUBBER box taper works with self-adhesive tape, but water-activated gummed paper tape needs a different dispenser. Tape 48 mm wide fits most boxes, while 60 mm tape is better for heavier or larger cartons.

Store tape at room temperature, as cold tape does not stick well. For example, if tape is stored in an unheated warehouse, it may not grip the box properly and can lead to boxes opening in transit. Before you order a large stock of tape, run a few rolls on the line: the tape must unwind evenly and hold on your cartons.

Box or film: what each protects against

A shrink film pack holds products together and keeps out dust. The SHRINKCOMBO wraps and shrinks film tight around the product. A box, as on the LINEBOX-03, protects against knocks and can be stacked for storage or shipment. Which line you need follows from how the product is sold and shipped: film to bundle several items and keep them visible and clean, a box for stacking and transport.

A box can carry weight and be stacked high on a pallet, making it suitable for storage and shipping. Shrink film holds several products together as one unit and keeps them visible. Many packers use both: for example, small items are first wrapped in film for dust protection and then packed into boxes for impact protection and stacking.

Film uses less material than a box for the same product, but it does not protect against knocks or stacking pressure. Cardboard closed with Kraft tape can go to paper recycling, and film can go to plastic recycling where it is collected.

Checklist before you order

Before you order, check the box or product sizes, the output per hour, the space and the direction of flow, the people at the line, the supply of boxes or film, and what happens after the line, such as pallets, strapping or wrapping. The comparison table above shows the pack sizes and the output of both lines.

Start by listing the carton sizes you pack and how many boxes of each you need per day. LINEBOX-03 handles cartons from 200 × 200 × 150 mm up to 500 × 400 × 350 mm, so check that your sizes fit this range. Compare the boxes you need per hour with the 720 an hour of the LINEBOX-03. If you need more boxes an hour, plan a second line; if you need more a day, a second shift.

The line needs single-phase sockets and compressed air: the erector and the taper’s flap folder are both pneumatic. Plan about 6.1 m of length for the line, plus room for packers and pallets at both ends. Make sure you have dry, flat blanks of corrugated board, tape for the erector and the taper, and film for SHRINKCOMBO if you use shrink wrapping. Decide who will fill the boxes and who will keep the magazine of the erector full during production.

Questions about packing lines

How many boxes an hour does the LINEBOX-03 packing line make?

The AUTOBOX10 case erector forms 10–15 boxes a minute; the maker rates the line at up to 720 boxes an hour.

Which carton sizes does the LINEBOX-03 packing line handle?

The LINEBOX-03 handles cartons 200–500 mm long, 200–400 mm wide and 150–350 mm high.

How long is the LINEBOX-03 packing line?

The LINEBOX-03 packing line is about 6.1 m long with a working height of 650 mm.

Which power supply does the LINEBOX-03 packing line need?

The LINEBOX-03 packing line runs on a 220 V, 50 Hz single-phase supply. The case erector and the box taper also need compressed air.