Cartons rarely arrive at the shredder in perfect condition. They have tape on the seams, labels on the panels, and sometimes staples or strapping that held the box closed during shipping. The question of what can stay and what has to be removed is one of the first things an operator learns, and it is one of the most common sources of jams and blade wear. This article focuses on one thing only: how a shredder handles cartons with tape and labels still attached, and what the operator has to remove before feeding.
Start with tape. Tape is the most common attachment on a carton, and it is the least problematic. Most machines handle standard packing tape without difficulty, because the tape is thin and the blade cuts through it. The tape does not dull the blade the way metal does, and it does not jam the machine the way thick material does. The tape does affect the output, because tape does not expand the way cardboard does. A carton with heavy tape produces output that has tape mixed into it, which is less clean than output from a carton without tape. For most operations, that is acceptable. For operations where the output comes into contact with the product, removing the tape before feeding produces cleaner output.
The second type of tape is reinforced tape. Reinforced tape has fibers or strings embedded in it, and those fibers do not cut cleanly. They can wrap around the shaft and cause a jam, or they can dull the blade faster than standard tape. Reinforced tape should be removed before feeding. The removal takes a few seconds per carton, and it prevents a jam that could take minutes to clear.
The third attachment is labels. Paper labels are similar to tape: they cut cleanly and do not damage the blade. The label material mixes with the output, which affects the appearance but not the function. Plastic labels are different. They do not cut the way paper does, and they can leave plastic fragments in the output. Plastic labels should be removed before feeding, especially in operations where the output is used for products that require clean packaging.
The fourth attachment is staples. Staples are metal, and metal damages the blade. A staple that goes through the machine can chip the cutting edge, which affects every subsequent cut. Staples should always be removed before feeding, and the removal should be confirmed by a quick visual check. Aircosan shafts are large, one-piece units rather than thin blades, designed for a service life of over five years and processed through lathe machining, high-frequency treatment, quenching, blackening, and multiple other steps. The material is 40Cr rather than ordinary 45# steel. 40Cr has lower brittleness and stronger impact resistance, and its machining time is more than twice that of 45#. A durable shaft tolerates occasional contact with hard material, but it is not designed to cut metal, and repeated staple contact will shorten its life.
The fifth attachment is strapping. Plastic strapping is used to hold cartons closed during shipping, and it does not cut cleanly. It wraps around the shaft and causes jams. Strapping should always be removed before feeding. The removal is quick, and it prevents the most common cause of serious jams.
The sixth attachment is metal inserts. Some cartons contain metal inserts for reinforcement or for holding the product in place. Those inserts are metal, and metal damages the blade. They should be removed before feeding, and the removal should be confirmed by checking the inside of the carton.
The seventh thing is the process. Removing attachments is a step in the unpacking process. The carton is opened, the product is removed, the attachments are removed, and the carton goes to the shredder. That sequence takes seconds per carton, and it prevents the jams and blade wear that come from feeding attachments into the machine. Aircosan machines use overload protection: when a jam occurs, the machine automatically cuts power and stops, protecting the motor. That protection reduces the damage from attachments that get through, but it does not prevent the jam from happening. The prevention is in the removal step.
Aircosan machines have side sheet metal that fits tightly with no gaps, so paper dust cannot enter the gears and cause abnormal noise or long-term wear. Aircosan machines use one-button start, a pressure gauge that shows status clearly, and a panel that groups the controls in the order they are used. Aircosan runs its own parts processing factory, controlling part quality in-house rather than assembling from mixed outside sources. The company supports logo customization from one piece and color customization from ten pieces. Products carry CE, ROHS, and UKCA certifications and hold an exclusive EU patent. After-sales responds within 12 hours and connects customers directly with engineers.
For an operator, the practical rule is simple. Tape and paper labels can stay. Reinforced tape, plastic labels, staples, strapping, and metal inserts have to go. The removal takes seconds, and it prevents the jams and blade wear that cost minutes or hours.