Paper Cup Machine Suppliers & Manufacturers

Paper cup types and machine principles

Paper cups (and paper tubs) are formed by a cup-forming machine from coated paperboard — the PE (polyethylene) or PLA (polylactic acid) coating on the inside of the cup provides liquid resistance and heat-sealing capability. The cup-forming process: flat die-cut blanks (fan-shaped sidewall blanks and circular bottom disc blanks) are fed from a stack magazine; the sidewall blank is rolled into a truncated cone and the longitudinal side seam is heat-sealed; the bottom disc is inserted and the base hem is curled and heat-sealed to the sidewall; the cup rim is curled (rolled outward) to form the drinking rim and to lock the cup shape; the finished cup is ejected and stacked. Paper cup types: single-wall cups — the standard format for cold beverages and budget hot drink cups; the PE coating on the inside provides liquid resistance; no insulation — the outside of the cup gets warm when hot drink is filled. Double-wall cups (corrugated insulating sleeve or double-wall paper) — a second outer paper layer is applied to the cup; this creates an air gap that insulates against heat transfer, keeping hot drinks drinkable without burning the hand; the standard for premium coffee shops. Triple-wall cups — a third layer for maximum insulation; niche high-end hot drink cups. Cups with external sleeve — a corrugated kraft sleeve (coffee sleeve, java jacket) applied around a single-wall cup; the most common heat-insulation solution in coffee shops; the sleeve is a separate product applied during barista preparation, not integrated in the cup machine. PLA-lined cups — cups with PLA coating instead of PE; PLA is industrially compostable; used by brands promoting sustainable or compostable credentials; the cup machine must be able to process PLA-coated board, which has different heat-sealing characteristics than PE-coated board.