How to maintain a plastic cup-making machine on a daily basis

Daily maintenance is essential; it focuses on addressing potential problems immediately, preventing minor issues from escalating into major breakdowns. This is particularly important for customers in the Middle East who have high-volume production needs (e.g., daily production capacity of over 100,000 cups).

For components that experience frequent wear and tear, conducting thorough weekly inspections can extend the equipment's lifespan and reduce the cost of "emergency repairs" for our clients in the Middle East (as repair labor costs are high in places like Dubai, so preventative maintenance is more cost-effective).

• Mold Deep Maintenance
  Remove the mold guide pins and bushings, apply specialized lubricating oil (such as #32 machine oil) to ensure smooth mold opening and closing;
  Check the mold edges for any chipping or cracks (especially for cup-cutting dies, as cracks can cause burrs on the cup edge). If there is minor wear, polish the edges with fine sandpaper (800 grit or higher);
  Spray a rust preventative agent on the mold cavity (if the machine is shut down for more than 24 hours) to prevent oxidation of the mold in the dry environment of the Middle East.
• Lubrication System Maintenance
  Apply grease to the drive chain and gearbox (a lithium-based grease is recommended, as it is suitable for high and low temperatures, and is ideal for workshop environments in the Middle East with temperatures exceeding 40°C during summer).
  Check the lubrication of the servo motor bearings. If any abnormal noises or high temperatures (above 60°C) are detected, add more bearing grease as needed.
  Note: Do not overfill with grease (1/2 to 2/3 of the bearing space is sufficient), as this can cause the motor to overheat.
• Inspection and Replacement of Wearable Parts
  Inspect the rubber rings on the sheet feeding rollers (replace immediately if cracks or wear are found to prevent sheet slippage);
  Check the sharpness of the cutting and punching blades (test with a piece of paper; if the blade cannot cut the paper, sharpen or replace it);
  Inspect the electrical wiring terminals (such as temperature controller and proximity switch) and tighten them with a screwdriver to prevent loosening due to vibration.

"Life-cycle maintenance" for key components is particularly suitable for used cup-making machines (used equipment purchased by customers in the Middle East is typically 3-5 years old, so aging issues need to be addressed).

1. • Monthly Maintenance: Focus on "Performance Calibration"
     Temperature Control System Calibration: Use a professional temperature measuring device (such as a thermocouple thermometer) to check the actual temperature of each heating zone. If the measured temperature deviates from the display by more than ±3°C, adjust the parameters (refer to the equipment manual for temperature control calibration steps);
   • Molding Time Calibration: Check the time parameters for thermoforming/blow molding (such as preheating time, molding time, and cooling time). If the cup deforms (e.g., bottom indentation), slightly adjust the cooling time (usually increase by 5-10%);
   • Safety Device Testing: Activate the emergency stop button and safety door interlock switch to confirm that the equipment can stop immediately (Middle Eastern factories have high safety compliance requirements, so effective safety measures must be ensured).
2. Quarterly Maintenance: Focusing on "Component Lifespan and Aging"
   • Mold Accuracy Check: Use a dial gauge to measure the parallelism of the closed mold (tolerance ≤ 0.05mm). If the tolerance is exceeded, adjust the mold clamping force or replace the guide pins;
   • Hydraulic System Maintenance (for hydraulic-driven cup-making machines): Check the hydraulic oil level (it should be between the markings on the oil tank). If the oil is cloudy or contains impurities, replace the hydraulic oil (recommend using No. 46 anti-wear hydraulic oil) and clean the oil tank filter;
   • Motor and Electrical Cabinet Inspection: Open the electrical cabinet and use a blower (cool air) to remove dust (the Middle East is dusty, and dust can cause circuit board short circuits); Check the motor insulation resistance (use a megohmmeter, insulation value should be ≥0.5MΩ, otherwise, there may be leakage current);
   • Spare Parts Inventory Check: Inventory all wear parts (such as heating elements, cup-cutting blades, and pneumatic seals) and replenish them in advance (we recommend that Middle Eastern customers maintain a stock of spare parts in key cities like Dubai and Riyadh to avoid delays from cross-border purchasing).

• For dusty weather conditions: After shutting down the equipment daily, cover it with a dust cover (especially the heating zone and electrical cabinet). Use compressed air (low pressure) to clean dust from inside the equipment weekly;
• Maintenance during Ramadan/holidays: If the machine is shut down for more than 7 days, please: ① Drain the compressed air from the pneumatic system; ② Apply rust-preventive oil to the mold and seal it; ③ Disconnect the main power supply and post a "Maintenance in Progress" sign;
• Local Support: It is recommended to include in the maintenance plan that "Arabic language operation videos are available" or "On-site engineer support is available".