Paper Cup Printing Machine – RK F 1000 / 4 Colour Flexo Rotary

A paper cup printing machine is a roll-to-roll flexographic press that prints the artwork for paper cup blanks on wide reels of cup board (typically 170 to 300 GSM PE-coated board). The printed reel is then rewound and passed to a die-cutting (punching) machine that cuts the blanks, and from there to the cup forming machine.

The RK F 1000 is built on RK's flexo rotary platform, widened to 1000 mm. Four printing units with ceramic anilox rollers and an individual motorized anilox system print the artwork; IR hot air dryers dry the water-based ink; and the web guide and tension controllers keep the wide, heavy board running straight.

Four Colour Printing on a 1000 mm Web

Four flexo units cover the logo, artwork and text of most cup designs, across a 950 mm print width – several blanks across the web.

IR Lamp Hot Air Dryers on Every Unit

Cup board is printed with water-based ink and needs heat and airflow to dry. Each unit has an IR lamp based hot air dryer so every colour is dry before the next one prints and before rewinding.

Pneumatic Reel Loading and Unloading

Cup board reels are heavy. Air pneumatic systems on both the unwinding and rewinding units load and unload the reels without manual lifting.

Ultrasonic Web Guide and Load-Cell Tension Control

The unwinding unit carries an imported ultrasonic electronic web guide, a splicing table and paper holder for paper joining, and an imported auto electronic tension controller with load cell feedback. The rewinding unit has the same tension control. A 1000 mm board web needs this control to stay flat and in register.

Individual Motorized Anilox and Dial Gauge Registration

Each printing unit has its own motorized anilox roll system, adopts 360° regulation and carries a dial gauge for registration.

7.5 HP Variable Speed Main Drive

A 7.5 HP 3 phase AC variable speed main motor drives the wide web at up to 50 m/min.

The cup board reel (up to 600 mm diameter) is loaded on the unwinding unit with the pneumatic loading system. The ultrasonic web guide keeps the 1000 mm web centred and the load-cell tension controller holds it at a steady tension.

The web passes through the four printing units. At each unit a ceramic anilox roller meters water-based ink onto the plate, the plate prints the cup artwork – laid out several blanks across the web – and the web passes through that unit's IR hot air dryer before the next colour. Registration is trimmed with the dial gauges at each unit.

After the fourth colour, the printed web winds on the rewinding unit (up to 450 mm diameter) under its own tension control, and the finished reel is unloaded pneumatically. The printed reel then goes to the blank punching machine and on to the cup forming line.

Paper cup blanks

tea, coffee and cold drink cups in all standard sizes.

Ice cream cup and tub blanks

printed board for cups and lids.

Paper bowl and container blanks

food service packaging.

Custom branded cups

short runs for cafés, events and brands.

Wide paper printing

general four colour printing on paper reels up to 1000 mm.

The machine is configured for the PE-coated cup board and paperboard stocks used in paper cup manufacturing, printed with water-based ink and dried by IR hot air. Anilox rollers and printing cylinders are supplied to your requirement, so share your board GSM, coating and artwork with RK before the specification is fixed.

• Vertical Tower Machine (RK F 320 series)RK's tower type label printing range.
• Offline Roll to Sheet Cutting Machine 1300 mmfor converting printed reels to sheets.
• Wide Web Hybrid Flexo Printing MachineRK's full servo press for film and packaging, with a 630 mm paper width and 620 mm print width.

RK Label Printing Machinery Pvt. Ltd. has manufactured printing and converting machinery in Ahmedabad, Gujarat since 1995, operates three manufacturing units and supplies customers in 23+ countries. The paper cup printing machine uses the same proven components as RK's label presses – imported ultrasonic web guide, load-cell tension control, ceramic anilox with motorized drive – scaled to a 1000 mm web, and is configured to the customer's board and cup sizes rather than sold as a fixed model.

• Colours: four covers most cup artwork; discuss your designs with RK if you need more.
• Web width: 1000 mm paper width (950 mm print). Check how many blanks across you want to run for your cup sizes.
• Board: confirm GSM and PE coating so anilox and drying are matched.
• Repeat: the print length is 430 mm – check your blank layout against it.
• Downstream: plan the blank punching and cup forming machines alongside the press.
• Space: 7.5 ft high, 5 ft wide, 15 ft long, plus reel handling area.

The price of a paper cup printing machine depends on the colour count, web width, drying arrangement, reel handling, anilox and cylinder sets and options. Prices are quoted ex-works Ahmedabad with GST at 18% applicable; engineer transport and stay for installation and training at your site are borne by the customer. Share your board specification, cup sizes, colour count and monthly volume with RK and the engineering team will recommend a configuration and quote against it.