The process starts as unwrapped mugs move forward on the indexing conveyor. Each mug passes through a handle straightening mechanism to ensure all handles are aligned straight before wrapping.

Mugs are then picked up and precisely positioned into the wrap station by a servo-driven linear slide.

Meanwhile, pre-printed, pre-cut sublimation sheets designed for both 11 oz and 15 oz mugs are fed onto a second indexing conveyor. Each sheet’s barcode is scanned and verified against the order. If a barcode can’t be read or the order is canceled, the sheet is automatically rejected and replaced — ensuring only correct materials proceed.

The system allows for quick changeover between mug sizes.

It also detects if a mug is placed backwards on the infeed conveyor. When corrected, the operator simply presses continue on the touchscreen.

Verified sheets are matched with barcode labels applied to the bottom of each mug for full traceability.

Before wrapping begins, small pieces of tape are applied directly to the sublimation sheets. As the sheets wrap tightly around each mug, the tape secures the wrap neatly at the handle, ensuring precise and stable packaging.

The PLC-controlled system runs on standard 110V power and requires just 3–5 CFM of plant air.

Built for high performance, it operates at speeds exceeding fifteen mugs per minute—delivering consistent, high-quality packaging while reducing manual labor.