Design of a carton box orientation changing machine for an industrial cologne packing process

Abstract

The cologne packing process presents considerable challenges due to the flammable nature of the liquid and the fragility of the glass bottles. Cologne packing typically involves two primary stages: packing individual cologne bottles into carton boxes and subsequently packing carton box stacks into corrugated boxes. This research specifically addresses the second stage, focusing on the design of a simple, efficient carton box orientation changing machine that can be integrated into existing automated packing lines. The proposed mechanism is capable of changing the orientation of carton boxes at a rate of 60 pieces per minute without causing bubble formation inside the cologne bottles. It is designed to handle three common bottle sizes: 50 ml, 100 ml, and 200 ml and change the orientation of carton boxes by 90 degrees. Currently available systems face persistent challenges related to product quality and operational efficiency, particularly in the carton box orientation changing process. Frequent misalignment, jams and manual handling reduce product quality and throughput, while rigid mechanisms cause high maintenance and downtime. Moreover, limited adaptability to varying carton sizes restricts their use in flexible production environments. These shortcomings highlight the need for a more efficient, reliable, and adaptable design solution. Existing mechanisms frequently damage carton boxes or deform the packaging and form bubbles inside the bottle, leading to increased product rejection rates and reduced customer satisfaction. This paper provides a comprehensive review and critical evaluation of current orientation changing methods, identifying their key limitations. The newly proposed mechanism offers a solution that minimizes physical damage to the packaging, enhances the overall quality of the packed product, and improves system efficiency. Furthermore, integrating this mechanism into the existing packing lines has the potential to replace three manual labor positions, contributing to labor cost reduction and process optimization.