News release | August 2026

ZRAY has announced that its full case former range is now certified for reliable operation with 100% recycled corrugated boards. The certification follows 12 months of testing across recycled linerboard grades from five mills, and it includes a pre-tuned recipe library that lets customers switch to recycled board without a trial-and-error commissioning period.

Why 100% Recycled Board Is a Machine Problem

Recycled corrugated is the right environmental choice, but it behaves differently from virgin-fiber board on an automatic case former:

• Lower and more variable stiffness. Recycled board is 15–30% less stiff at the same grammage, and the variance between batches is wider. Flap creases are less crisp, so folding needs a gentler, more controlled force profile.
• Higher caliper variance. Recycled linerboard can vary ±0.3 mm in caliper between batches, affecting feed gap, folding geometry, and tape/glue sealing pressure.
• Crease splitting risk. Over-creased recycled blanks split at the crease line under aggressive folding, weakening the case’s stacking strength.
• Dust and fibers. Recycled board sheds more dust and loose fibers, which can accumulate on vacuum cups, sensors, and glue nozzles.

What ZRAY Changed to Run Recycled Board Reliably

1. Board-Adaptive Folding Profiles

The case formers now include a recycled-board folding mode in the recipe library:

• Lower folding force with slower ramp onto the crease (protects weak creases).
• Longer dwell time at the fold point, letting the board take the crease without splitting.
• Per-batch caliper compensation: the feed gate’s optical sensor measures blank thickness every 50th blank and adjusts the folding geometry automatically if the board runs out of tolerance.

2. Dust Management

• Vacuum cups with self-cleaning geometry and an auto-purge cycle every 1,000 picks, blowing dust out of the cup.
• Sealed sensors in the feed and forming area, with positive-pressure air purge on critical photo-eyes — dust accumulation no longer causes false triggers.
• Easy-access glue nozzle cleaning (for hot-melt versions): the nozzle bank swings out for cleaning in under 5 minutes, instead of the 20–30 minute disassembly typical on older machines.

3. Sealing Tuned for Recycled Board

• Tape versions: tape pressure is increased 15% for recycled board (rougher surface needs more wet-out pressure), with the pattern stored in the recycled-board recipe.
• Hot-melt versions: glue temperature profile adjusted to avoid over-wetting thin recycled linerboard; the bead pattern switches to the edge-reinforced stitch variant for better load transfer on weaker board.

Test Results Across Five Mills

ZRAY tested 100% recycled linerboard grades (B and C flute, single-wall) from five mills, 20,000+ cycles per mill:

Certification and Support

• Every new case former ships with a recycled-board compatibility certificate and the pre-tuned recipe library covering the tested board grades.
• Customers switching to recycled board receive a free recipe-tuning session (remote or on-site) with ZRAY engineers, including a sample-based board test for their specific grade.
• The certification covers the full range: single-piece case erector, three-piece case erector, and double-head high-speed case former.

Why It Matters for Your Sustainability Goals

Many retailers and brands now require suppliers to report packaging recycled content. Running 100% recycled board on the case former is often the last technical hurdle — the rest of the supply chain already handles recycled corrugated. With the certified machines and recipes, the switch is a specification change, not a commissioning project.

If your sustainability program targets higher recycled content in primary packaging, ask ZRAY for the recycled-board compatibility certificate and a recipe trial on your actual board. Request the recycled-board test pack or message us on WhatsApp at +86 13681839278.