How to Choose a Paper Roll Sheeting Cutting Machine for Your Folding Carton Production Line?

When shopping in a supermarket, you will notice that in addition to the most common plastic packaging, paper-based packaging is becoming increasingly prevalent. For example, toothpaste boxes, biscuit boxes, pharmaceutical boxes, and cosmetic boxes are all made from paper materials.

The production of paper cartons involves multiple processing machines, including paper roll sheeting machines, offset printing machines(flexo printing machine), die-cutting machines, hot foil stamping machines, laminating machines, and folder-gluer machines.

Paper rolls to size sheets cutting are the first step in the entire production line. In many countries, carton manufacturers purchase pre-cut sheets directly from paper mills or paper converters. However, as the performance of sheeting machines becomes more stable and their prices more affordable, more and more companies are choosing to cut paper rolls in-house. This improves production flexibility and reduces raw material inventory.

So, how should a folding carton manufacturers choose a suitable paper roll sheeter cutter machine? The following key factors should be considered:

1. What types of paper does your production line require, and what is the grammage?

For folding carton production, materials such as ivory board, folding box board (FBB), single-sided coated paperboard (C1S), C2S, and SBS are commonly used. The grammage typically ranges from 200–350 gsm. For paper rolls within this range, a dual-roll sheeting machine is the most suitable choice(This model machine can cut two rolls at one time).

When cutting paper rolls of 200–250 gsm, the machine can process two rolls simultaneously. However, when cutting paper above 300 gsm, the machine can only process one roll at a time. This is because the rotary cutting knife of the paper roll cutting sheeting machine can handle a maximum thickness of approximately 550 gsm.

2. The sheeting machine must not leave pressure marks on the paper surface, as this will affect printing quality.

Printing quality is the lifeline of carton boxes manufacturers, and every production step must meet printing requirements. During the paper conveying process, pressure wheels are often used to prevent paper deviation or fluttering. However, excessive pressure can damage the coated surface, creating gloss spots. These defects will lead to printing quality issues after printing.

To avoid this problem, CHM Machinery uses a vacuum suction system to firmly hold the paper onto the conveyor belt, eliminating the risk of surface damage.

3. A decurling system is essential.

High-grammage paper rolls tend to develop curl after long-term storage under tension, especially near the paper core. Curled sheets cannot be smoothly transferred into the conveyor system after cutting, which may cause feeding issues or even blockages in the cutting section. This significantly reduces efficiency and leads to material waste. 

Therefore, a high-quality FBB paper roll sheeting machine must be equipped with a decurling system.

4. Pneumatic slitting knives provide flexibility for edge trimming and multiple size cutting.

Slitting knives are not only used to cut paper into different widths but also to trim uneven edges. Purchased paper rolls may have issues such as moldy or irregular edges. Slitting helps clean up the edges, resulting in neat and high-quality sheets, which improves printing performance.

5. Should you choose a single rotary knife or a double rotary knife system?

Double rotary knife sheeting machines are becoming the mainstream option, but their higher cost can be a concern for many carton manufacturers. If your budget allows and your monthly paper processing volume exceeds 1,000 tons, it is recommended to choose a double rotary knife system. It improves cutting quality and reduces paper waste.

A dedicated article comparing single and double knife systems will be provided separately.

The above five points are essential considerations when selecting a rotary knife sheeting machine. A stable and durable machine ensures a smooth start to your production process.

CHM Machinery’s rotary knife paper roll to size sheets cutting sheeting solutions are designed for the paper, paper converting, and packaging industries. For more information, please contact our sheeting machine expert, Lily.