More Cavities Are Not Automatically Cheaper

Cavity count is the most consequential number on a new cup project. It fixes tooling cost, cycle economics, quality risk and even which drive platform makes sense. The right answer depends on volume, format stability and the filler line the cups feed.

Shantou Longsheng Industry Co., Ltd. builds cup making machines (FS-8556 full servo, HSS-8556 hydraulic servo, HAI-8556 hydraulic) and manufactures the molds for them in-house in Shantou City, Guangdong Province.

The Economics, Term by Term

Output scales almost linearly with cavities at the same cycle: 24 cavities at the same seconds-per-cycle as 12 cavities doubles hourly output without touching machine speed.

Tooling cost rises with cavity count, but not proportionally — the mold base, heating and indexing hardware are shared, so cost per cavity falls as count rises.

Risk concentration rises sharply. With 40 cavities, one problem cavity — a vent blockage, a cooling channel, a damaged rim — costs its share of the tool's output until fixed. With 8 cavities, the same problem costs proportionally more attention but is found and fixed faster.

Quality control effort scales with cavities: weight sampling per cavity group, rim checks, seal tests.

A Practical Sizing Method

1. Start from the filler, not the machine: how many cups per hour does the downstream filling line actually consume, including planned stops?
2. Add the shift pattern: a two-shift plant can absorb more cavities than a single-shift one, because utilisation is higher
3. Assess format stability: a format that will run unchanged for a year justifies a large tool; a promotional format does not
4. Divide: target cavities = required hourly output × cycle time ÷ (3600 × expected efficiency)

If the result lands between two counts, the smaller tool with a faster, better-controlled cycle often wins on total cost — and a second tool can be added when volumes prove out.

Where Machine Platform Meets Cavity Count

High cavity counts reward the precise, repeatable motion of the FS-8556 full servo platform. Mid counts run well on HSS-8556 hydraulic servo. Simpler formats on moderate counts remain the natural territory of the HAI-8556 hydraulic machine.

Company Facts

Founded in 1998 in Shantou City, Guangdong Province, Longsheng operates a 30,000 square metre facility, holds 25 authorised patents (1 invention, 24 utility model) and is a high-tech enterprise.

For mold sizing advice, visit the official website: https://www.stlongsheng.com