Corrugated Box Converting

What are flex-folder-gluers used to make?

Simplest boxes: RSC

Flexo Folder Gluer Characteristics

High Productivity, combines several operations in one machine

Feed Section

Sheets are fed to the machine

Feed Section Characteristics

• Slit to the width of the blank

• Scored across the flutes

• Cut to the length of the blank

• Rollers feed them one at a time for printing

• Fed with the soft edge (short) direction

Flexo Section

Blanks are printed (flexography)

Scoring Section

Body scores (creases) are made

Slotter Section

Slots are cut to create top and bottom flaps

Folder glue section

folds along the second and fourth crease and applies adhesive

Delivery Section

counts finished boxes and bundles in predetermined sets

Most common and cheapest printing

Flexography

Flexography characteristics

Typically 2 color, 4 to 6 colors also common

Liners can be pre-printed to create better print quality:

flexo and gravure are used depending on runs

Litholaminations

lithographed sheet is printed and then added to the single face board or the combined board

What boxes have minimal printing

commodity boxes

High quality printing adds are

advertising opportunities

3 basic elements might be printing on a box

1. Box maker certificate
2. Brand identity for contents
3. SKU: stock keeping unity number

Box maker certificate - usually placed on bottom out flap

• Box maker name and location
• Minimum combined weight of facing and minimum burst test, or
• Edge-crush value for the combined board

Brand and Company

• Primary identification on a box
• Might be colorful and high quality or might be minimal depending
on company objectives

Brand and company

• primary identification on a box

• Might be in color and high quality or might be minimal depending on company objectives

Stock Keeping Unit - Packers/fillers code for each product variation

brand, size, configuration, flavor

Stock Keeping Unit is used to keep

inventory

Stock keeping units are used at

many stages of the supply chain: must be easy to read

Stock Keeping unit may be printed by

by the box maker or may be added as a label

Other Printed elements

• Information about recyclability or recycled content

• Handling Instructions: “this side up,” “do not stack”, etc

• standard sets of symbols: NMFC

  • ISO standardizes international symbols

Scoring Allowance - box buyers typically

specify inside dimensions

Typical allowance for RSC