A toothbrush machine is used to manufacture toothbrushes. A few different machines are required for the process. In a manufacturing plant that makes toothbrushes, there is usually a toothbrush machine that molds the toothbrush handles, one that attaches and trims the bristles and one that packages the toothbrushes into plastic containers. Though many toothbrush manufacturers will have all of these machines, it is also possible for a factory to specialize in only one of these processes.
The first step in manufacturing a toothbrush is to create the toothbrush handle. Historically, handles have been made out of metal or wood, but now, because of the importance of frequent toothbrush replacement, they are made from plastic. Simple, manual toothbrushes and more complex electric toothbrushes require a plastic handle, though the molds used to shape these different types of brushes are quite different. The toothbrush machine that forms the handles deposits liquid plastic into a mold and then pushes the handle out of the mold once it has solidified. In the construction of an electric toothbrush, a different machine may be used to install the mechanical components, such as a computer chips, the power supply, and control buttons.
After the handles are formed, another toothbrush machine is used to attach the bristles. In modern toothbrushes, these are made from nylon or plastic. A specialized machine, known as a filling machine, pushes the bristles into holes in the head of the handle and then staples them into place. Another toothbrush machine, a trimming machine, trims off the ends of the nylon bristles so that they are all the proper length. In toothbrushes with specialized bristles, this machine will also trim the bristles at the correct angle.
At this point, the toothbrushes are finished, but they still need to be properly packaged so that they remain sterile until they are ready to be used. Simple packaging machines that simply seal the toothbrush into a plastic bag are often used for discount toothbrushes while more complicated machines are needed to package toothbrushes in hard plastic or cardboard containers. This type of toothbrush machine will form the container to the correct size and seal it around the toothbrush so that dirt and germs cannot get into the packaging.