Planning a New Factory
or Upgrading Your
Existing Production
Line?

• Board type: 3 ply (single wall), 5 ply (double wall) or 7 ply (triple wall). Heavier products need more plies.
• Reel width: Choose a width that fits your common carton sizes and keeps trim waste low.
• Speed: Compare real running speed on your paper grades, not only the design speed.
• Single facer: Fingerless designs suit higher speeds and lighter papers.
• Utilities: Confirm steam capacity, power, compressed air, floor space and building height.
• Automation: Consider order change, control systems and ease of operation.
• Support: Check training, installation, spare parts and after-sales service. Look at total cost, not only the machine price.

• Decide the business: Board sheets only or finished cartons as well.
• Machines: A corrugator line makes board, followed by converting machines such as flexo printer slotter, die-cutter and folder gluer or stitcher.
• Utilities: Boiler and steam, stable electricity with backup, compressed air and water.
• Space: Dry paper reel store, production hall, finished goods area and room to expand.
• Raw materials: Liner, fluting medium and glue starch from reliable suppliers, stored dry.
• People and approvals: Trained operators and technicians, plus licences and approvals required by local authorities.
• Start in phases: Begin with essential machines and add capacity as orders grow.

• Flexo: Uses plates. Setup takes longer and plates cost money, but cost per carton is low on long runs.
• Digital: No plates and fast changeover. Best for short runs, many designs and quick turnaround.
• Cost: Flexo wins as quantity grows; digital can be attractive for small orders or frequent design changes.
• Quality: Digital handles fine detail and images well; flexo is strong for solid colours and simple graphics at speed.
• In practice: Many factories use flexo for volume orders and digital for short runs and samples.

• 3 ply: General-purpose cartons for light to medium products.
• 5 ply: Stronger board for heavier goods, longer stacking and export packing.
• 7 ply: Very heavy or industrial packing where additional strength is needed.
• Flute type: Finer flutes give better print surface; coarser flutes provide more cushioning and stacking strength.
• Tip: Test a sample with your product. A lighter board may be sufficient and help reduce paper costs.

• Daily: Clean glue units, check steam leaks and steam traps, and inspect reel stands and belts.
• Weekly: Lubricate bearings and chains, inspect double facer belts, and check slitter knife condition.
• Monthly: Inspect corrugating rolls for wear, check air and vacuum filters, and review alignment and tension.
• Keep spares: Stock parts that wear fastest so a small failure does not stop the line.
• Record it: A simple maintenance log helps you spot recurring problems early.

Always follow the machine manufacturer's maintenance instructions and safety procedures.

• Warp: Often moisture or temperature imbalance between the top and bottom liners.
• Weak bonding: Check glue quality and viscosity, preheating and double facer pressure.
• Crushed flutes: Too much pressure on the line or in converting machines.
• Washboarding: Visible flute lines on the surface, usually from paper, glue or pressure settings.
• Fix: Change one setting at a time and note the result. Your technical team can help diagnose recurring issues.