Corrugated Reference Guide
Buffalo Packaging in Costa Mesa, CA provides its customers with a Corrugated Reference Guide so they can better understand the intricacies of the business and make more informed decisions when it comes to their packaging needs.
Definitions (Boxes)
Bundle: A shipping unit of two or more articles wrapped and fastened together
Bursting Strength: The Strength of material in pounds per square inch, as measured by the cady or mullen tester
Certificate, Box Makers: A statement printed on a corrugated fiberboard box or a solid fiberboard box testifying that all applicable construction requirements have been observed
Corrugated Fiberboard (single wall): Also known as Double Face, the structure formed by one corrugated inner member glued between two flat facings
Corrugated Fiberboard (Double wall): The structure formed by three flat facings and two intermediate corrugated members
Corrugated Material or Corrugating Medium: Paper board used in forming the fluted portion of the corrugated board
Die Cut: A cut made with special steel rule dies, the act of making a part of container which is cut and scored to shape by tools, also used to denote a board which has been die-cut
ECT: Stands for Edge Crush Test and is another way to measure box strength
Facings: (Sometimes erroneously called liners) A form of linerboard used as the flat members of corrugated fiberboard
Fiberboard: As used in our industry, a general term applied to fabricated paperboard utilized in container manufacture
Flaps: The closing members of a fiberboard box
Flute or Corrugation: One of the wave shapes in the inner portion of combined corrugated fiberboard
Flute Sizes: A, B (standard for die-cuts), C (standard), E, F
Flute (or corrugation) Direction: The normal direction is parallel to the box
Joint: The joint of the box is the part where the ends of the scored and slotted blank are joined together by taping, stitching (staples), or gluing
Knocked Down (KD): A term denoting that an article is partially or entirely taken apart, not setup
Kraft: A word meaning strength applied to pulp, paper, or paperboard produced from wood fibers by the sulfate process, in raw form, it is brown in color
Liner: A creased fiberboard sheet inserted in a container and covering all side walls
Linerboard: Paperboard used for the flat facings in corrugated fiberboard; also as the outer plies of solid fiberboard
Pad: A Corrugated or solid fiberboard sheet or other authorized material used for extra protection or for separating tiers or layers of articles when packed for shipment
Panel: A “face” or “side” of a box
Partition: A set of corrugated or solid fiberboard pieces slotted so they interlock when assembled to form a number of cells into which articles may be placed for shipment, can be assembled or unassembled
Score: An impression or crease in corrugated or solid fiberboard to locate and facilitate folding
Slit: A cut made in a fiberboard sheet without removal of material
Slit-Score: A cut made in the fiberboard sheet that extends only through an apportion of the thickness
Slot: A cut made in a fiberboard sheet, usually to form flaps to permit folding
Test: When not otherwise modified, refers to the bursting strength of linerboard and combined board except for those grades for which puncture test is substituted for bursting strength
Test, Bursting Strength (Mullen): Measurement of the resistance of a material to bursting expressed in pounds per square inch, the test is made on a Mullen tester
Rule 41, specified in the chart below, is a U.S. Government Rule for interstate shipping of bursting strength (Mullen) corrugated boxes.
NOTE: Caliper (thickness of paper) and flute profile of medium are critical for stacking strength (ECT) sheets and boxes.
When Choosing the Best Substrate (Sheet) For A Box,
Look For:
- Gloss (Reflects Light) or Brightness of Board
- Ink Holdout
- Smoothness of Liner on The Outside Of The Box
- Strength of Tear Resistance of ECT or Mullen
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