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    Corrugated board know-how

    What is corrugated board? When is corrugated board most stable and what do the different flute types mean? Here you can expand your knowledge of corrugated board.

    Corrugated board - the stuff that packaging is made of

    Have you ever dreamt of waves? Our packaging experts at Model often do. Not of rushing masses of water in a warm holiday destination - but of flowing paper that joins together in several layers to form incredibly stable corrugated board.

    To help you get to know the raw material corrugated board better, we have collected our concentrated expert knowledge for you. Here you can read:

    • Flute types and their advantages
    • flute combinations
    • the technical values of corrugated board
    • the secrets of different types of corrugated board

    You probably use the fascinating material corrugated board almost every day. With your new corrugated board knowledge, you are guaranteed to make good packaging decisions in the future - for example, when choosing your moving or shipping boxes.

    Corrugated board know-how

    1-wall

    The corrugated board consists of an outer cover, the corrugated sheet and an inner cover.

    2-wall

    The corrugated board is composed of two corrugated sheets glued together on one side, laminated with a liner paper.

    3-wall

    The corrugated board consists of three corrugated sheets glued together on one side, laminated with a liner paper.

    The advantages of corrugated board

    Paper, air, glue. These ingredients provide the stable lightweight construction of corrugated board. Several layers of corrugated paper are glued to one or between several layers of another paper or cardboard.

    Why is corrugated board so stable? It's because of the shape and arrangement of the corrugation. It cushions against loads from outside and inside, as the pressure is evenly distributed over the surface of the entire corrugated cardboard. This stable construction also exists in nature, for example in wasps' nests.

    Know-How

    Packaging handle encyclopaedia

    Here you will find all the important terms relating to packaging and corrugated board.

    The corrugated board in detail

    Light to heavy

    Corrugated board for various products

    You can flexibly adapt corrugated board to the weight of your packaged goods. Whether light or heavy products - with the right type of corrugation you can pack and ship almost anything.

     

    • 1 flute: Suitable for light, break-proof products.
    • 2-corrugated: Suitable for heavy or fragile products 
    • 3-wall: Suitable for very heavy or very fragile products
    Medium, fine & micro

    The wave types

    Flute height and flute pitch determine the type of flute. The smaller the flute pitch and height, the lower the stackability and buffering effect of the corrugated board. However, the printability of the corrugated board increases. The most common flute types are the C-flute (medium flute), which cushions and bounces well. The B-flute (fine flute) is optimal for small fill quantities. The E-flute (microwave) can be printed very well.

    Mix & match

    Wave combinations

    For double flute corrugated board, one combines BC flute (fine and medium flute), EB flute or EE flute. For 3 flute corrugated board, ACA (coarse flute-medium flute-coarse flute), BAA (fine flute-coarse flute-coarse flute), EBC (ultra-fine flute-fine flute-medium flute) or BBC (fine flute-fine flute-medium flute) are commonly used. Cardboard boxes made of this corrugated board cushion reliably and are stable for different product sizes.

    The technical values of corrugated board

    What must a box made of corrugated board be able to do? It must be stable with a low dead weight, it should be inexpensive, stackable and easy to use. DIN 55468 defines three specific quality characteristics for the packaging material corrugated board:

    • the bursting strength in kPa (kilopascal)
    • the impact energy in joules
    • the edge crush resistance in kN/m (kilonewton metres)

    Bursting strength

    The resistance that a circularly clamped sample of corrugated board offers to a uniformly increasing pressure on one side until it bursts.

    Penetration work

    The measure of the resistance that a clamped sample of corrugated board offers to the mechanical penetration of a puncturing body.

    Edge crush resistance

    The maximum resistance that a sample of corrugated board with standing waves offers to a force acting in that direction.

    Basis weight

    The paper webs of corrugated board have different ratios of mass to surface area. Corrugated papers, for example, have basis weights between 90 g/m² and 140 g/m².

    Stacking crush resistance

    The measure of the stacking strength of corrugated cardboard packaging. The test method is the box compression test.

    Waveform

    The waveform produced in Switzerland is the sine wave.

    Corrugated board: The secret of the right grade

    How do you find the right corrugated board for your application? When making your choice, always consider the size and weight of your packaged goods as well as their shipping route. This results in 

    • a specific flute combination (two or three flute types can be combined to give the corrugated board specific properties),
    • a certain grammage and the type of base paper (for example, the particularly robust Kraftliner paper grade or the cheaper Testliner paper grade as liner paper as well as semi-chemical pulp for the flute),
    • a specific packaging construction for the stability of the packaging and the protection of your product.
    Special use cases

    We are happy to advise you

    Would you like expert advice for your specific application? Contact our experts, we will advise you without obligation on the most efficient packaging solution for your company.

    Contact Us

    The FEFCO Code for a better overview

    The FEFCO code makes it easier for you to keep track of the constructions of standardised shipping packaging. This is because all standard boxes made of corrugated cardboard have an internationally used code that simplifies communication between manufacturer, retailer and consumer. Read detailed information about the FEFCO code here.

    To help you find your way around the Model Online Shop quickly, we have catalogued our extensive range of standard corrugated cardboard boxes according to the FEFCO code. Simply enter your desired FEFCO number in the search.

    It depends on the manufacturer

    In addition to standard boxes, companies in the corrugated cardboard industry offer their own optimised grades and individual designs, which are developed together with customers, for example. 

    At Model, we have been optimising corrugated board and packaging since 1882. Since our company was founded, we have attached great importance to the highest quality made in Switzerland. Thanks to our modern machinery and extensive expert knowledge, you can order high-quality corrugated cardboard packaging directly from the manufacturer here in our online shop. Of course with the best price-performance ratio.

    We also make no compromises when it comes to sustainability. It is anchored in our DNA, because recycled cardboard and paper are the raw material for our corrugated cardboard products.

     

    Tips: Finding the right wave

    Single & double wall

    Cardboard boxes

    Large selection of corrugated cardboard folding boxes for your products.

    Resilient

    Pallet boxes

    Heavy and large goods need stable boxes made of corrugated cardboard.

    Encyclopaedia

    Packaging terms

    Terms relating to corrugated board and packaging explained simply.

    Know-how Norms

    Buy your corrugated cardboard packaging