CRYSTAL^®
AIRBOX 

Carton Manufacture

The basic carton production through the printing and cutting operations is the same as conventional converting plant. However, the Crystal® Airbox requires a patch to be applied in register to the inside surface of the carton, achieved through a window patching operation. Crystal have been working with Kohmann GmbH and Heiber & Schröder of Germany, who have modified patching equipment to lay a paper membrane rather than the normal acetate as the patch substrate, resulting in chain driven machinery specific for this operation.

The patch strips are cut from reels of paper to the correct length and applied as a conventional patch. Single, double or, in larger run applications, triple streaming can be implemented, making high speed manufacture possible.

Carton Erecting and Filling

Application of Crystal® Airbox leads to a review on the way cartons are filled. The traditional bag-in-box filling line can have several vertical form fill sealers receiving product from one multi-head weighing unit. The filled bags are then horizontally inserted into the carton. The Crystal® Airbox concept of direct filling eliminates both the needs for vffs machinery and end loading with product being vertically loaded into the carton directly from the multi-head weigher. Furthermore application of vibrating plates makes it possible to fill cartons more efficiently.

Most of the world leading filling machine builders are convinced that machine adjustments for Crystal® Airbox can be carried through both quickly and at reasonable costs.

This potential to increase line filling speed will not be restricted to the speed at which cartons can be glued, for working closely with Nordson on this aspect of the project has resulted in the production of high speed glue applicators to lay down the glue pattern demanded.

Utilizing their mini-bead hot melt guns a configuration of fine-line beads can be delivered to form a glue neat pattern that passes through the holes, the essential element in the design, allowing the total seal to be effected.

Working with Beardow Adams in developing hot melt glues suitable for this high speed application has led to a successful production of totally sealed cartons on a test rig.

In practice line gluing speeds in excess of 450 feet per minute can be anticipated.