Machine for forming and printing cardboard boxes

A machine for forming and printing cardboard boxes from a continuous cardboard web for automatically packaging items, wherein each box comprises a bottom wall, first and second pairs of side walls, and a closing wall, said machine comprising:

• supply means for supplying said continuous web;
• first cutting means for cutting the continuous web, said cutting means being adapted to form an elongate element having an upper surface and a lower surface;
• second cutting and creasing means for forming, in said elongate element, a first panel configured to define the first pair of side walls, the bottom wall, the closing wall, and second and third separate panels configured to define the second pair of side walls of the box;
• and
• printing means interposed between said first cutting means and second cutting and creasing means, said printing means having at least one lower printing unit and at least one upper printing unit adapted to print on the lower surface and the upper surface of said elongate element respectively, a microprocessor control unit being provided for controlling said at least one lower printing unit and one upper printing unit for simultaneous one-pass printing on each of the walls of the box or on a predetermined number of walls, both outside and inside the box.