Cartoning for Coffee

The most common orientation used in capsule cartoning is the nested configuration, in which one face-up capsule alternates with one face-down capsule. This arrangement minimizes the internal volume of the box, reducing packaging material consumption and optimizing shelf-space efficiency.

A common capsule orientation, particularly for Nespresso-compatible formats, is the quincunx or ‘flower’ configuration, in which capsules are primarily arranged face down with face-up capsules interlocked in the spaces between them.
The most commonly used layouts are a single layer of 10 capsules (8 face down and 2 face up) and a two-layer configuration of 5 capsules per layer (4 face down and 1 face up in each layer).

Configurations can also be designed so that all capsules enter the process with the same orientation, for example all facing downward or all facing upward. This ensures a controlled and uniform feeding pattern, which can be required for specific downstream operations or for systems that rely on consistent capsule positioning.

Capsules can also be processed in bulk, meaning they are fed randomly without any predefined orientation. In this mode, the product flows freely and orientation is not controlled; counting star-wheels and hopper systems manage the flow and dosing of the capsules as they are conveyed through the machine.