Application solution

Flexo Printer for Paper Cup

Cup lines printing on PE-coated board need stack flexo torque and quick plate changes for seasonal SKU spikes.

Substrate
PE-coated cup board

Specified for paper cups and lids, not a generic film preset.

Width band
700–900mm

Web width used in the selection steps on this page.

Line speed
180–250m/min

Typical running band for this application, not a catalog maximum.

Paper Cup specifics

Substrate, width, and order pattern

Substrate

Cup stock is PE- or PLA-coated board, not film. Ink has to dry on an absorbent, food-contact surface without softening the coating or marking the nest. Water-based or low-migration inks are the usual starting point.

Web width

Cup blanks sit in a narrow width band, typically 700–900 mm, with a large repeat for the cup wall. Lid stock is a separate, shorter repeat on the same plant. Width changes are rare; plate changes for seasonal artwork are constant.

Typical orders

Orders spike around seasons and QSR promotions. A line may hold one cup diameter for weeks, then swap artwork daily. Quote color count, cup diameter, and coating type together. Speed matters less than clean startup waste on coated board.

Plant example

Cup plants that outgrow a 4-color stack usually add dryer length and a servo Honor before they consider a wide-web CI, because the blank width never reaches film-line territory.

AI Selector

LISHG AI Press Selector

Honor Series

Your production profile

Adjust application, substrate, width, speed, budget, and automation — the selector ranks live Master, King, and Honor series and updates the recommendation on the right.

Material: PE-coated cup boardSpeed: 180–250m/minWidth: 700–900mm
Why this machine

Honor Series

Based on your profile: paper cups and lids · PE-coated cup board · 700–900mm · 180–250m/min

stack flexo
Process match

Honor Series is the strongest fit for paper cups and lids because Best fit when the job mix is paper bags, non-woven bags, or thick paper sack, and the buyer values access, cost control, and smaller batches. At your target speed of 180–250m/min, this platform keeps register stable, startup waste low, and changeovers practical for repeat jobs.

Material fit

You selected PE-coated cup board. Honor Series is engineered for coated paper, kraft paper, non-woven fabric. Core substrate window: coated paper, kraft paper, non-woven fabric. This reduces tension surprises and ink-transfer issues on your primary material.

Production envelope

Width target 700–900mm and speed 180–250m/min sit inside the Honor Series envelope (600-1200mm, 100-200m/min). Budget Mid to high range and High automation align with medium-automation workflows at this output level.

Strengths & tradeoffs

Key advantages: Lower entry cost; easy station access; strong for paper bags and thick sacks. Tradeoff to confirm: Not the first choice for very thin plastic film at top speed. If your mix shifts toward ultra-thin film at 400–500 m/min, compare with another LISHG line before finalizing.

Lower entry costeasy station accessstrong for paper bags and thick sacks
Application-fit comparison

Machine family matrix

Compare the main press families for this application and choose a better-fit path for your production goals.

Key SpecificationsMasterKingHonor
Best fitRarely the first cup-line choiceOnly if the plant also runs film lidsDefault for PE-coated cup walls and lids
Speed focusNot cup-blank focusedFilm lids only180–250 m/min board
AutomationOver-specifiedShared film/lid plantsServo stack + dryers
Decision valueSkip unless film share is highDual film + lid plantsBest cup/lid ROI
Recommended route

Paper Cup selection path

Cup plants should stay on stack flexo sized to blank width and coating type. Honor Servo is the usual upgrade path; wide-web CI only helps if the same plant also prints film lids.