How to Bale Cardboard Boxes

A good cardboard baling process boosts workplace efficiency and helps sustainability efforts. This guide covers cardboard baling in detail. It includes instructions, safety tips, and maintenance advice. It also explains how recycling cardboard benefits the environment.

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Understanding Cardboard Balers: Types and Applications

Cardboard balers have different designs. The most common are vertical and horizontal configurations. Before diving into the baling process, it’s essential to understand these differences.

Vertical vs. Horizontal Balers

Vertical balers have an upright design. You load materials from the top and compress them downward. These units are perfect for small to medium-sized businesses. They work great in retail stores, supermarkets, and small factories. They save space. They typically produce bales weighing approximately 660 lbs (300 kg).

Horizontal balers work in a horizontal position. They are great for handling high volumes. They provide more automation choices and can manage bigger amounts of cardboard. However, they need more floor space.

Bale Sizes and Weights

The dimensions and weight of cardboard bales vary depending on the baler type:

• Small vertical balers produce bales weighing between 67-176 lbs (30-80 kg)
• Medium-sized bales from vertical balers usually measure 47.2 x 31.5 x 31.5 inches (120 x 80 x 80 cm). They typically weigh about 660 lbs (300 kg).
• Larger balers produce heavier, more densely packed bales suitable for industrial recycling operations

Essential Safety Precautions

Safety should be the top priority when operating cardboard balers. These powerful machines can cause serious injuries if proper procedures aren’t followed.

Operator Requirements and Training

• Only trained workers aged 18 and older should use baling equipment.
• Operators should thoroughly understand the manufacturer’s instructions specific to their baler model
• Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling baling wire. This includes safety boots, eye protection, hearing protection, and safety gloves.

Pre-Operation Safety Checks

Before operating a baler, conduct these essential safety checks:

Test all safety mechanisms including emergency stop buttons and safety gates

Ensure the chamber door closes and locks correctly

Verify that raising the safety gate during operation stops the ram movement immediately

Check that the baler stops operating when the gate is lifted off its ramp during the automatic cycle

If any safety feature fails these checks, do not use the baler and have it serviced by authorized personnel.

Detailed Step-by-Step Baling Process

Step 1: Prepare the Baler

Place two flat pieces of cardboard behind the baler. Fold them to fit across the bottom of the chamber. This helps stop uneven cardboard from blocking the wire paths. This gives you a clean surface to start your bale. It also protects the ejector chains at the chamber’s bottom.

Ensure the ejector chains are untwisted. They should fit snugly in the grooves of the baler chamber floor. Then, close and lock the main door by tightening the hand wheel lock.

Step 2: Load and Compress the Material

Open the safety gate and load flattened cardboard into the chamber. For optimal efficiency, flatten boxes as much as possible before loading. Spread the material evenly in the chamber. This helps with uniform compression and stops side-loading damage.

Close the safety gate fully to activate the ram safety switch. Then, turn the key switch to ON. Finally, press the DOWN button to begin the compression cycle. The ram moves down, compressing the material. It will then reverse when it hits full down-stroke pressure.

Step 3: Preparing for Wire Insertion

Keep loading and compressing cardboard until the full bale light comes on. You can also stop when the alignment arrows on the ram face and sidewall match. At this point, the machine will stop with the ram against the compressed bale.

To compact more, add a flat piece of cardboard on the bale. Then, lower the safety gate. Turn the key switch to ON. Set the up-down switch to DOWN. Finally, press the start button. This creates a flat surface for wire insertion.

Step 4: Accessing the Bale Chamber

Turn off the baler and remove the key for safety. Unlock the baler door by spinning the wheel to release the controls. Open the chamber door past 90 degrees. With the door open, the machine can only run in manual mode if needed.

Step 5: Clearing Wire Paths and Installing Wires

Carefully use a rod to check for blockages in the wire slots. Avoid the holes at the top where chains are visible at the bottom. Clear any obstructions to create clean paths for the baling wire.

For vertical balers handling cardboard, 12-14 gauge wire is typically recommended. Slide the baling wire into the front slots of the ram. Then, feed it through to the slots on the bottom floor of the baler. A minimum of 4 baling wires should be used to properly secure the bale.

Step 6: Securing the Baling Wire

Feed the wires through the bottom and back to the top. Then, secure each wire by putting one end through the hole at the other end. Pull the cable to remove slack. Then, braid or twist each wire connection 4-5 times. This helps keep it secure during bale ejection and transport.

Step 7: Preparing for Bale Ejection

Go behind the baler and attach the ejector chains to the red platen brackets on the ram. Ensure the chains are properly hooked and not twisted.

Position a pallet and pallet jack in front of the baler chamber opening to receive the bale when ejected. The pallet should be centered to properly catch the bale as it comes out.

Step 8: Ejecting the Bale

Stand clear of the opening and to the side of the power unit. Set the up/down switch to UP position and press the button to eject the bale. Some balers with international safety packages require pressing both eject buttons simultaneously.

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As the ram rises, it will push the bale forward onto the awaiting pallet. Don’t stand right in front of the baler while it’s working. The bale can shoot out with a lot of force.

Step 9: Bale Removal and Baler Reset

Move the completed bale on the pallet to a designated storage area that doesn’t block access ways. Put two new cardboard pieces on the baler floor. Fold the bottom edges a bit so they fit when the door closes.

Go to the back of the baler. Take off the ejector chains from the platen brackets. Then, hang them on their storage pegs. This step is crucial - ensure chains are removed before loading new material.

Step 10: Resetting for the Next Bale

Close the main chamber door and tighten the door wheel lock to secure it. The baler is now ready for the next load of cardboard.

Troubleshooting Common Baler Problems

Even well-maintained balers can experience operational issues. Here are solutions to common problems:

Baler Won’t Turn On

If your baler doesn’t power up, check:

• Power connection and functionality of the outlet
• Circuit breaker or fuse box for tripped breakers
• Key switch position (should be in “ON” position)
• Control panel for error messages
• Safety features like gate closure and door locks

Slow or Struggling to Compact

For compression issues:

• Check for blockages or jams in the compaction chamber
• Ensure cardboard is being fed evenly and is the proper size
• Verify there’s sufficient material in the baler for proper compaction
• Inspect hydraulic fluid levels and pressure

Bale Ejection Problems

If the baler won’t eject bales:

• Inspect the ejection ram for damage
• Check hydraulic hoses, fittings, and seals for leaks
• Ensure bale straps are properly secured and not obstructing ejection
• Lubricate the ejection system according to manufacturer guidelines

Maintenance for Optimal Performance

Regular maintenance extends baler lifespan and ensures efficient operation:

Daily Maintenance Tasks

• Perform visual inspections for wear or damage
• Test safety mechanisms like emergency stops and safety gates
• Remove debris and buildup from the baler chamber

Weekly Maintenance Tasks

• Apply lubricant to moving parts including chains and bearings
• Check and tighten any loose bolts and electrical connections
• Monitor hydraulic fluid levels and check for leaks

Monthly and Quarterly Maintenance

• Inspect belts, chains, and hydraulic pressure
• Check electrical components including switches and sensors
• Replace hydraulic and air filters quarterly
• Inspect the baler frame and welds for cracks or stress signs

Environmental and Economic Benefits

Environmental Impact

Cardboard baling contributes significantly to environmental conservation:

• Reduces landfill waste and the associated methane emissions that accelerate climate change
• Recycling cardboard saves energy. It uses 50% less energy than making it from raw materials.
• Conserves natural resources by keeping materials in the recycling loop
• Reduces transportation emissions by enabling more efficient shipping of compressed materials

Economic Advantages

Implementing cardboard baling practices offers substantial financial benefits:

Quality baling machines can provide years of reliable service life if they’re maintained and serviced regularly. You wouldn’t drive a car for years without a service; why risk the health of your baler equipment?

An automatic baler can handle a large load of recyclable waste without much manual labor to prepare and tear down loads. Balers improve baling rates, which allows you to achieve recycling targets and make more money. Automatic balers also bundle waste tightly, which keeps them compact and more organized while keeping the warehouse neat. Compacting bales using either a horizontal or vertical baler and securing them with bale ties streamlines the recycling process, saving time and money in the long run by reducing the volume of recyclable materials, transportation costs, and the use of warehouse space.

“Baling systems provide more productivity and profitability,” says Michael Schwinn, Vice President – Sales & Marketing – at American Baler Co., Bellevue, OH. “Handling recycling materials is typically handling the scrap end of the product or the packaging process. Balers are the most effective method of handling waste material. Automatic [horizontal] balers can be 10 times more efficient than compactors or vertical balers.”

Finding a baler for the size and scope of your recycling operation isn’t always easy, but Mid America Paper Recycling can help businesses review their current recycling processes and suggest baling equipment, such as systems from American Baler, which can maximize their total expense and revenue. 

Jerry Fick of Great Lakes Recycling Services, a Grant Park, IL-based waste management services firm that also services and sells new and used recycling equipment, recommends regularly and properly maintaining the equipment to prolong its useful life. “If buying a new baler, be sure to look for one that can process your expected volumes. Running large volumes of recyclable waste creates the need for high-performing horizontal baling equipment.”

“Higher waste volumes often justify the investment in a baler because there’s better cost per use,” Schwinn explains. “The more production needs you have, the more important it is that all system components be synchronized. Higher valued labor typically means you can justify a system with automatic tying. Materials that are difficult to bale, such as large cardboard pieces, require a larger infeed, an infeed conveyor, or a pre-shredder. But regardless of the volumes and waste sizes, buyers want to ensure the material is easy to load into the baler and the bales can be easily tied (manually or automatically).”

Schwinn adds that producing heavier bales saves on baling wire costs. “Wire costs can be one-third higher if you’re making a 1,200-pound bale versus a 1,600-pound bale and you bale 200 tons a month. The same applies to smaller vertical balers but those must factor in both baling wire and the added labor costs of manually tying off the baler more.”

Care and cleaning

Both experts advise learning about the machine’s safety features and about the machine’s computerization (if applicable) and human-machine interfaces. Keeping the baler well maintained is vital, Fick adds. “Remember to follow the manufacturer’s manual that came with the machine and hire an experienced repair technician or mechanic when repairs are necessary. It’s a good idea to perform a daily cleaning routine of the system and stay on a recommended schedule.”

Schwinn agrees. “We suggest that customers perform daily and monthly checkups. Making repairs or adjustments should be the first level of service. Find out how easy it is to keep systems with automatic bale tying cleaned and aligned and find out how easy it is to purchase parts.”

Keeping the equipment optimized means keeping it clean, he notes. “Keeping a clean work area is safer and more productive. A clean baler helps you observe the start of a potential problem. A drip of oil at the power unit might easily indicate the need to check fittings and tighten a hose fitting, for example. If a power unit has material and dust covering it for weeks, you might never see the drip until it becomes a major problem.”

Schwinn says that today, customers look at scrap-handling equipment differently than they did pre-COVID. Despite issues with the supply chain, the changing market conditions for recyclable materials, less in-house labor, and other recycling concerns, “customers want equipment that assures scrap is handled just once and most efficiently. Fewer bales mean greater production per employee. Companies are replacing older baling equipment because if they don’t, they fear they might lose a valuable maintenance technician. Automatically baling your waste materials will provide you with top value for the material, regardless of commodity price swings.”

If purchasing new baling equipment, plan ahead, the experts advise. With high demand for hydraulic and electrical components, lead times on baling equipment purchases are usually about 40 weeks, depending on the manufacturer.

No doubt, baling equipment helps many recyclers increase their revenue, Fick states. “A baler is a wise investment. Balers make the materials ready for the market.”

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