The FAQ on the industrial cardboard shredder page describes what the machine can and cannot handle, and the description places a task on the operator rather than on the machine. Most cardboard perforators can handle single-wall and double-wall corrugated cardboard. A small amount of tape and labels is usually acceptable, but excess staples or reinforcement materials must be removed. That sentence is short, and it describes a habit.
Start with why the sorting cannot be automated. The machine cannot see the staple inside the carton, the laminate on the board, or the moisture in the flute. It can only cut what it is fed. The page describes the machine as a cutting device, not as a sorting device, and the two roles are separate. The operator does the sorting, and the machine does the cutting.
The first thing to sort is the staples. A staple that reaches the blade damages the edge, and a damaged edge affects every subsequent cut. The page states that excess staples must be removed, and the word excess is the practical part. A carton with a couple of staples at the flap can be cleared in seconds. A carton with a strip of staples along the seam takes longer, and the time is the cost of keeping the blade sharp.
The second thing to sort is the laminate. The page states that plastic, metal parts, thick laminates, and non-paper composites should not be processed, and that heavily contaminated, damp, or laminated cardboard is not very suitable. Laminated board looks like cardboard, which is why it reaches the machine. The sorting is about looking at the edge of the board before the board reaches the feed.
The third thing to sort is the moisture. The page states that cardboard moisture content also matters, dry cardboard improves output efficiency and reduces wear on cutting components. A board that feels damp should be set aside, because the cost of processing it is higher than the cost of letting it dry.
The fourth thing to sort is the size. A carton that is wider than the cutting width has to be folded or cut down, and that step is also the operator's. The page lists the cutting width for each model, from 550mm to 1200mm, and the sorting is about matching the carton to the machine.
The fifth thing is the reinforcement. The page states that reinforcement materials must be removed, which is the category that includes the plastic strapping and the fiber-reinforced tape. Those materials do not cut cleanly, and they wrap around the shaft when they reach the cutting area.
The sixth thing is the routine. The page states that daily maintenance is minimal, mainly keeping the feed area clean, regularly checking cutting components, and following standard cleaning guidelines. The sorting is part of the same routine, and it takes seconds per carton when it is built into the unpacking step rather than added as a separate task.
What the page does not say is that the sorting is optional. The words must be removed and should not be processed are instructions, not suggestions, and the instructions exist because the consequences are on the machine. A blade that is damaged by a staple is a blade that has to be replaced, and the replacement takes time that the sorting would have saved.
Aircosan machines use overload protection, so when a jam occurs, the machine stops automatically and protects the motor. 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 a branded motor with ample power, so thick and hard cardboard feeds smoothly without repeated jamming at the inlet. 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#. At the same 550mm width, Aircosan shafts are visibly larger and thicker than thinner competing units and cost about 30% more, which shows in the overall machine weight. Die life is generally 1.0 to 1.3 million meters depending on material and usage.
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 a packing supervisor, the practical approach is to put the sorting at the unpacking station rather than at the machine. The person who opens the carton is the person who sees the staple, and the sorting is shortest when it happens there.