Comprehensive Maintenance Guide for Plastic Cup Making Machines

Plastic Cup Machine Maintenance Guide

In the highly competitive packaging industry, every minute of downtime means loss. The key to long-lasting stable operating performance and excellent product quality lies in scientific and professional maintenance! As your trusted second-hand plastic machinery and technical service partner, we are well aware of the importance of maintenance. This detailed guide will help you maximize the value of your equipment and ensure efficient operation of your production line!

Why cup machine maintenance is the “insurance policy" for your investment?

• Eliminate unexpected downtime: Regular maintenance can significantly reduce the risk of sudden failures and avoid order delays and cost losses caused by production interruptions.
• Extend service life: Well-maintained second-hand equipment can perform as well as new equipment! Effectively fight wear and aging, making your investment return cycle longer.
• Ensure stable quality: Clean molds, precise temperature control and pressure systems are the key to producing plastic cups with standard size and perfect appearance (including PP, PS, PET, PVC and other materials).
• Reduce operating costs: The cost of preventive maintenance is much lower than overhaul. Good lubrication and hydraulic system maintenance can improve energy efficiency and save energy.

Plastic cup making machine three-level maintenance practical manual

Level 1: Daily care - Operators do it as they please (10-15 minutes)

• "Look, smell, ask and feel" before starting: Before starting, quickly visually check all parts of the machine (especially the mold area, drive belt, hydraulic pipe joints) for obvious looseness, wear, oil stains (signs of leakage) or foreign matter.
• Deep cleaning is essential: After production, be sure to thoroughly clean the plastic residues, oil stains and dust on the molding area, feeding system and conveyor belt. Use neutral detergent to avoid corrosion of equipment or affecting the performance of biodegradable materials. (Tip: Use a soft brush or cotton swab for complex gaps!)
• Lubrication drips cannot stop: According to the instructions of the equipment manual, add appropriate lubricating oil/grease to the designated moving parts (such as guide rails and connecting rods) to reduce friction damage. Check whether the central lubrication system is supplying oil normally.
• Take a look at the key parameters: Record the hydraulic oil temperature (ideal range: 45℃-50℃), whether the oil level is normal, and whether there are abnormal fluctuations in the system pressure.
• Make good handover records: Fill out the inspection form truthfully and record abnormal conditions for easy tracking.

Level 2: Scheduled Maintenance - Operator-led, Technician-assisted (weekly/monthly)

• In-depth cleaning and inspection: Remove key protective covers, clean or replace oil filters and felt in the oil circuit to prevent blockage and poor oil supply. Thoroughly clean the surface of the cooler to ensure heat dissipation efficiency (deeply clean the interior at least once a year).
• Hydraulic oil is "blood": Strictly check the quality of hydraulic oil every month! If the color becomes darker (black-brown), turbid, or contains impurities such as metal chips or odor, it must be filtered or replaced immediately! Follow the manufacturer's recommended oil and oil change cycle (usually once a year).
• Tightening and calibration: Thoroughly check and tighten loose bolts and electrical terminals. Calibrate temperature controllers and pressure gauges to ensure accurate process parameters.
• Evaluation of key component status: Check whether the mold surface is damaged, whether the sealing ring is aged and loses elasticity, and the wear condition of moving parts (such as machine hinges and coring columns)

Level 3: Professional maintenance - handed over to our technical experts (semi-annual/annual or on demand)

• Comprehensive "physical examination" and repair: Partial or deep disassembly inspection of the equipment, and professional engineers will evaluate the status of core components (such as hydraulic pumps, cylinder seals, wear of melt screws/barrels, check ring function, and electrical control systems).
• Replacement of worn parts: Replace bearings, seals, worn screws/bolts, aging hoses/wires that have reached their service life. (Special note: Processing glass fiber reinforced materials will greatly accelerate wear!)
• Accuracy recovery and optimization: Detect and adjust the parallelism of the template and the verticality of the coring column to restore the basic accuracy of the equipment. Upgrade the equipment control software (if any) to improve performance stability.
• Establishment of in-depth maintenance files: Provide detailed maintenance reports and suggestions to improve the equipment life cycle files.

Cup making machine maintenance "minefield" warning

• Ignore abnormalities: Small abnormal noises, micro-leakage, and unstable pressure are the equipment "calling for help"! Delaying and not handling will eventually lead to disasters.
• Abuse of oil/cleaners: Wrong or mixed types of hydraulic oil and lubricating oil, inferior/corrosive cleaners will seriously damage the system! Must be selected strictly according to the manual.
• Violent cleaning/operation: It is strictly forbidden to use hard objects such as steel wool to scratch the surface of the equipment/mold to avoid collision with precision parts. It is strictly forbidden to operate the equipment under overload (clamping force, injection pressure).
• Ignore operator training: The operator is the first line of defense for maintenance! It is necessary to ensure that they are proficient in the "three good" (good management, good use, and good repair) and "four skills" (know how to use, maintain, check, and troubleshoot minor faults)

A maintenance guide is the cornerstone of your equipment's efficient operation; choosing our service is your guarantee for worry-free production! Contact us now to get your own cup making machine maintenance plan or purchase professionally certified high-quality second-hand equipment!