Plastic cups — for milk tea, coffee, cold drinks, yogurt and portion packs — run in billions of units, and the production line is one of the most automated in packaging: sheet in, thermoformed cups out, printed and counted. This guide walks the complete chain machine by machine and shows the proven configurations.
The Process Flow at a Glance
1. Sheet preparation — PP or PS sheet (0.3–2.0 mm), either bought as rolls or produced in-house on a sheet extruder
2. Thermoforming — the forming machine heats the sheet and vacuums/presses it into cup cavities
3. Punching & trimming — the forming stack cuts the cups from the web
4. Printing — dry offset printing on the finished cups (up to 6 colors)
5. Counting & packing — automatic counting, staking and bagging
Lids run on a parallel line: dedicated lid forming machines produce PP/PS lids matched to the cup rim.
Machine by Machine
1. Sheet — Roll Stock or Extruder
Two sourcing modes:
- Buy PP/PS sheet rolls — fastest entry, no extruder investment
- Produce your own sheet on a sheet extruder — lower material cost per cup at volume, and full control over thickness (0.3–2.0 mm) and color
Most high-volume cup plants produce their own sheet; most starters buy rolls.
2. Thermoforming — VCT Series
The forming machine heats the sheet and forms the cups:
- VCT660-D — forming area 350 × 650 mm, depth up to 160 mm, sheet width 500–670 mm: the standard cup/bowl thermoformer
- VCT720 — larger format, 420 × 720 mm forming area: more cavities per cycle for bigger outputs
Both machines form cups and bowls from PP and PS sheet, with stacking and counting built into the downstream stack.
3. Cup Printing — VCP Dry Offset (Up to 6 Colors)
Cups are printed after forming with dry offset (letterpress offset) technology: the VCP plastic cup offset printing machine applies up to 6 colors around the curved wall in a single pass — the standard printing method for PP/PS cups at production speed.
4. Lids — VPT Series
Lids are thermoformed from PS/PP sheet on their own machines:
- VPT-450 — forming + punching, includes 1 mold, 15–35 strokes/min
- VPT-470D — depth up to 70 mm, 10–35 strokes/min
- VPT-520D — depth up to 80 mm, for larger lids
- Plastic cup lid thermoforming line — the full lid solution matched to the cup rim
5. Counting & Packing
Automatic cup counting, staking and packing machines (single or double lane) close the line: cups are counted, stacked, sleeved or bagged automatically — the labor-saving step for high-volume plants.
Three Proven Line Configurations
Configuration A — Starter Cup Line
Bought sheet rolls → VCT660-D thermoformer → manual packing
The fastest entry: one thermoformer on bought sheet, cups counted manually or with a basic counter. Add the printer when your customers need branded cups.
Configuration B — Standard Printed Cup Line
Sheet rolls → VCT660-D / VCT720 → VCP offset printer (up to 6 colors) → counting & packing
The workhorse configuration for milk-tea and coffee cup suppliers: forming plus dry-offset printing with automatic counting.
Configuration C — Full Cup & Lid Plant
Sheet extruder → VCT720 forming → VCP printing → VPT lid line → counting & packing
The complete plant: in-house sheet, high-volume forming, printed cups and matched lids. For suppliers serving chain brands with full cup-and-lid programs.
Cup Size → Machine Mapping
| Cup you produce | Recommended machine | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard cups, 360–650 mm sheet | VCT660-D | Depth up to 160 mm |
| High output, more cavities | VCT720 | 420 × 720 mm forming area |
| Branded cups, up to 6 colors | VCP dry offset printer | Prints formed cups |
| Lids for the cup range | VPT-450 / 470D / 520D | Forming + punching, molds included |
| Cup lids, matched rim | plastic cup lid thermoforming line | PP/PS |
| Counting, staking, bagging | counting & packing machines | Single/double lane |
Raw Materials to Plan For
- PP or PS sheet 0.3–2.0 mm — PP for hot-fill and milk-tea cups, PS for cold cups and lids
- Granules if you run your own sheet extruder
- Offset ink for the cup printing machine
FAQ
Should I buy sheet or produce my own?
Buy rolls to start — no extruder investment and immediate production. Add a sheet extruder when daily cup volume makes in-house sheet cheaper per cup.
Thermoforming or injection molding for cups?
Thermoforming is the standard for thin-wall drink cups: lower machine investment, faster cycles and thinner walls than injection. Injection covers thick, reusable cups only.
Can the printer run on formed cups?
Yes — the VCP dry offset machine prints directly on the formed, stacked cups in a single pass, up to 6 colors.
Get a Production Line Quote
Send us: cup size (top diameter × height), material (PP/PS), and daily quantity — we will return the complete configuration: forming, printing, lid and packing machines matched to your product.
Start from the plastic cup thermoforming machine page, the VCP cup printing machine page, or the lid thermoforming line — or message us on WhatsApp for a fast reply.