A printing platform includes a printing engine with one or more printheads arranged such that the ink drops are jetted vertically upwards against the action of gravity; and a substrate transportation system where the normal to the surface in contact with the substrate is parallel and with opposite direction to the travelling direction of the jetted ink drops. It is necessary to counteract the weight of the substrate during the printing process to avoid it from falling under the action of gravity. This is achieved through any of a mechanical element that interferes with the falling of the substrate and that keeps it in place; or a system that generates adhesion forces between the element that transmits the motion to the substrate, typically a conveyor belt, and the substrate through the action of electrostatic forces, an air pressure differential between both faces of the substrate, or any other suitable mechanism.

The invention relates to a method of creasing sheets (12) by using a creasing tool (14, 20, 21) cooperating with a counter element (22, 23), comprising the following steps: a creasing plate blank (24′) is provided with at least one creasing projection (26) by plastically deforming the material of the blank (24′) so as to form a creasing plate (24), the creasing plate (24) is mounted to a creasing tool (14, 20, 21), sheets (12) to be provided with at least one crease are advanced through a gap between the creasing tool (14, 20, 21) and the counter element (22, 23).

A converting assembly performs a plurality of conversion functions on sheet material to convert the sheet material into packaging templates. The converting assembly includes a plurality of tool rollers. Each of the tool rollers has one or more conversion tools thereon. The one or more conversion tools on an individual tool roller are configured to perform a subset of the plurality of conversion functions that convert the sheet material into packaging templates.

A creasing machine includes a creasing tool, a counter element cooperating with the creasing tool, and a transportation system for advancing sheets through a creasing area between the creasing tool and the counter element, wherein the creasing tool has a creasing plate provided with at least one creasing projection, and wherein the creasing projection on the creasing plate is constituted by a plurality of small, plastically deformed areas which merge into each other so as to form the creasing projection.

A converting machine is used to convert sheet material into packaging templates for assembly into boxes or other packaging. The converting machine includes a converting assembly that performs transverse conversion functions and longitudinal conversion functions on the sheet material to create the packaging templates. A fanfold crease sensing mechanism detects the presence and location of fanfold creases in the sheet material. Based on the location of the fanfold creases, the fanfold creases are either cut out of the sheet material, or the sheet material is cut to adjust the position of the fanfold crease in a packaging template.

A corrugated plastic box and a method for manufacturing a corrugated plastic box from a blank are provided. The method includes the steps of forming rounded edge seals on the perimeter edges of the blank, pre-sealing portions of the blank to form a plurality of areas in which major and minor flap slots and a glue tab are desired, ultrasonically scoring the blank to form a plurality of flap score lines, and cutting the blank through the plurality of pre-sealed flap slots and glue tab, leaving a sealed edge.

A corrugated plastic box and a method for manufacturing a corrugated plastic box from a blank are provided. The method includes the steps of forming rounded edge seals on the perimeter edges of the blank, pre-sealing portions of the blank—including providing air vents to allow trapped air to escape during the pre-sealing process—to form a plurality of areas in which major and minor flap slots and a glue tab are desired, ultrasonically scoring the blank to form a plurality of flap score lines, and cutting the blank through the plurality of pre-sealed flap slots and glue tab, leaving a sealed edge.

A box formed from a plastic corrugated material with soft score lines is provided. The soft score lines are formed to enable the top flaps of the box to lay substantially flat against the outer surface of the box when folded to an open position.

A printing platform includes a printing engine with one or more printheads arranged such that the ink drops are jetted vertically upwards against the action of gravity; and a substrate transportation system where the normal to the surface in contact with the substrate is parallel and with opposite direction to the travelling direction of the jetted ink drops. It is necessary to counteract the weight of the substrate during the printing process to avoid it from falling under the action of gravity. This is achieved through any of a mechanical element that interferes with the falling of the substrate and that keeps it in place; or a system that generates adhesion forces between the element that transmits the motion to the substrate, typically a conveyor belt, and the substrate through the action of electrostatic forces, an air pressure differential between both faces of the substrate, or any other suitable mechanism.

A creasing unit for creating fold lines in cardboard, comprising two crease rollers (110, 112), each crease roller having a circumferential protrusion (114, 116) adapted for indenting cardboard to create a fold line, wherein the crease rollers (110, 112) are rotatably mounted next to each other such that each crease roller (110, 112) can rotate about its own centre axis (122, 124) and each crease roller (110, 112) is movable between at least a first position for creating a fold line and a second position for either allowing cardboard to pass the respective crease roller (110, 112) without being indented by the respective crease roller or for creating an additional indented line being less deep than the fold line.