A paper cup fan refers to a device on a paper cup production line that is used for forced cooling and setting of newly formed paper cups right after the PE coating and body shaping processes. It typically consists of a series of fans arranged above or alongside the conveyor belt, creating a "blowing zone" that is colloquially called the "paper cup fan."

• Rapid Cooling and Setting: During the forming process, the PE coating is heat-sealed, and the cup body itself can generate heat from mechanical friction. At this stage, the cups are soft and hot. The fans blow ambient or cooled air to quickly dissipate the heat, causing the PE coating to solidify and the paper pulp to harden, thereby fixing the cup's shape and preventing deformation.
• Preventing Blocking/Sticking: The freshly applied PE coating surface might still be tacky. Rapid cooling helps the PE surface crystallize and solidify quickly, preventing the cups from sticking to each other when stacked or conveyed.
• Improving Production Efficiency: Forced cooling significantly reduces the natural cooling time, allowing the paper cups to move to the next packaging stage much faster, thereby increasing the overall speed of the production line.
• Preparing for Subsequent Processes: A fully cooled and set paper cup is more stable in quality for subsequent operations such as rim curling (to form the bottom), printing, or packaging, and is less prone to being crushed or deformed.