PKGING Glossary

Bending: The ability to fold containerboard along score lines without rupturing the surface fibers to the point of seriously weakening the structure of the box, often expressed as proper bending qualities.
Bending Resistance/Flexural Stiffness: A corrugated board’s ability to resist bending which relates to the compression strength and the overall performance of corrugated containers.
Blank or Box Blank: A flat sheet of corrugated or solid fiberboard that has been cut, slotted and scored so that when folded along the score lines and joined, it forms of a box.
Board: An abbreviation for various paperboards, such as: Boxboard, Chipboard, Combined Board, Containerboard, Corrugated Board, Fiberboard, Linerboard and Paperboard.
Box: A rigid container with either closed faces or a removable lid or cover.
Box Certificate: A circular bordered statement that is required to be printed on the bottom outside flap of any corrugated or solid fiberboard box. It identifies the manufacturer, and guarantees that all applicable construction requirements and freight classifications have been met.
Box Dimensions: Box measurements are always expressed in three dimensions – length, width and depth (L x W x D) – and always represent the inside dimensions of a box.
Boxboard: A firm cardboard used for making boxes.
Built-Up: Multiple layers of corrugated board glued together to form a pad of desired thickness, normally used for interior packing.
Burst Strength: The force required to rupture linerboard or combined board, which helps to determine a box’s ability to withstand external or internal forces, and still contain its contents. Minimum burst strength must be certified in accordance with freight classifications.
Carton (Folding Carton): A folded cardboard box that is typically used for packaging consumer products. A carton is not recognized as a shipping container.
Chipboard: A paperboard generally made from recycled paper stock. Applications include: Partitions within boxes, backing sheets for padded paper, sample boards and the center layer(s) of solid fiberboard.
Combined Board: A combination of materials such as corrugated and solid fiberboard, used to make a box.
Corrugated Board or Corrugated Fiberboard: One or more sheets of fluted corrugated medium are glued to one or more smooth facings of linerboard to make corrugated board. The most common types of corrugated board are: Single Face – One smooth face of linerboard glued to one fluted corrugated medium; Single Wall (Double Face) – Each side of a corrugated medium has been glued to a smooth face of linerboard; Double Wall – Five alternating layers, consisting of three smooth faces of linerboard and two corrugated mediums all glued together; and Triple Wall – Seven alternating layers, consisting of four smooth faces of linerboard and three corrugated mediums all glued together.
Die Cut: The use of a die cutting tool to cut corrugated or other combined board to a desired shape.
Edge Crush Resistance/Short Column Compression (ECT): The force necessary to crush on-edge combined board which is a primary factor in determining the compression strength of a corrugated box.
Facing: Linerboard sheets (inside and outside liners) used as the smooth outer layer of combined corrugated board.
Flaps: The side wall extensions that close a box.
Flute or Corrugation: Rounded, wavy grooves glued to corrugated medium that normally run parallel to the depth of the box so that they are vertical when the box is stacked. The most common types of flute thickness: A (3/16”), B (3/32”), C (9/64”) and E (3/64”).
Freight Classifications: The rules and regulations governing the movement of freight in the transportation industry, which includes specifications and codes for packaging and shipping.
Full Overlap Slotted Container (FOL): A box with flaps all the same length (the width of the box). When closed, the outer flaps come within one inch of complete overlap. This box style is very resistant to rough handling. Stacked on its bottom panel, the overlapping flaps provide added cushioning. Stacked on its side, provides added stacking strength.
Full Telescope Design Container (FTD): A two-piece box manufactured from two slotted and scored blanks.
Half Slotted Container (HSC): A corrugated box manufactured without a set of flaps.
Item 222: A National Motor Freight Classification rule that states the requirements for corrugated and solid fiberboard boxes.
Linerboard: The smooth flat outer facings of corrugated fiberboard.
Media Mailers: Specially designed corrugated containers for shipping CDs, videos and cassettes.
One Piece Folder (OPF): A single piece of corrugated board is cut to provide a flat bottom, with flaps forming the sides and ends, and extensions of the side flaps meeting to form the top.
Overlap Slotted Container (OSC): A box where all flaps are the same length and the outer flaps overlap by one inch or more. This box style helps keep the outer flaps from pulling apart when the box length is much greater that its width.
Panel: The side or face of a box.
Paperboard: A major product of the paper industry, consisting of cellulose fiber materials, recycled paper stock and wood pulp.
Partition: The interlocking set of chipboard, solid fiberboard or corrugated pieces that form cells in which items can be placed for shipping. Partitions act as a cushion and provide added stacking strength to a shipping box.
Regular Slotted Container (RSC): The most popular corrugated box style for shipping. This box is made from a one piece blank where the outer flaps meet at the center of the box when folded.
Score or Score line: The crease or impression on corrugated or solid fiberboard which makes it easier to fold.
Set-up Boxes: A fully assembled container where one set of end flaps has been sealed and is ready to be packed.
Sizing: A liquid material applied to the paperboard surfaces during manufacturing that fills pores and reduces absorption, thereby increasing its resistance to moisture damage.
Slit-Score: A cut in fiberboard sheets that does not slice through the total thickness.
Slot: The wide cut made to a fiberboard sheet to form flaps and allow folding.
Solid Fiberboard: Two or more layers of containerboard laminated to form a solid board.
Surface Smoothness: The surface smoothness of linerboard may affect printing quality due to slight depressions on the linerboard surface. In addition to inhibiting full ink coverage, the surface smoothness can affect the coefficient of friction, the application of gloss and the absorption of coatings.
UPS Boxes: Corrugated boxes designed to meet United Parcel Services' (UPS) maximum acceptable dimensions for items shipped via UPS. A package cannot exceed 108 inches in length or 165 inches in length and girth combined.
U-liner: Made from a single wall corrugated board in the shape of a “U” that is used as a protective cushion.
Wax Blend Surface Coated: Combined board coated on one or both sides with a hot-melt wax blend, typically applied with a curtain coater.
Wax Cascaded: Melted paraffin wax or a wax blend that is poured over vertical box blanks so that the wax cascades down the corrugated flutes and the corrugated board facings.
Wax Dipped: Corrugated board is impregnated with wax by dipping the board into a vat of molten paraffin wax or a wax blend.
Wax Impregnated: Combined board having one or more components infused with a paraffin-type wax or a wax blend.
Wrap Around Blank: Sutomated equipment wraps a corrugated blank around a rigid product creating a box. The completed box is a regular slotted container (RSC), turned on its side so the top and bottom are unbroken. The joint is formed only at the final closure.

SHOP PRODUCTS

PKGING Glossary