Some Common Terms Used in Industrial Packaging

Here are some definitions of terms that we commonly use in the industrial  packaging area:

Flute:  The undulation or corrugation pressed into medium paper as used in the construction of corrugated fiberboard.  Flute sizes are designated from largest to smallest as A, C, B & E flute.  Flutes are classified by the number of undulations or wave shapes per meter and approximate height, not including thickness of facings or linerboard.

                    Flutes per Foot      Thickness (mm)

A Flute:                30-36                                     4.7

C Flute:                 36-42                                     3.6

B Flute:                 44-50                                     2.5

E Flute:                 86-94                                     1.2

Foam-In-Place:  A chemical process usually based on urethane chemistry, in which the mixing of two liquid chemical components produces rapidly expanding foam.  The foam conforms to the product’s shape and provides an effective immobilizing and cushioning system.

Fiberboard:  Generally used to describe the tough kraft-based paperboard used in the manufacturing of corrugated boxes.  This definition could also include heavy fiber sheets, which have been produced or laminated to a thickness that provides a high degree of stiffness.