While the packaging firms and industries need packaging solutions, much confusion is related to cardboard and corrugated cardboard. Generally, people understand cardboard and its general types. However, they do not know much about the qualities of corrugated cardboard. In the following discussion, we will discuss the qualities of corrugated cardboard wave. We will also explain how they differ and the most recommended uses for each of them.
Below, we break down up to seven different alternatives. All of them are useful depending on the industry for which we work and the use we want to give our packaging. Do not think that always going to the highest quality by default is the optimal option; you simply need to create a balance between protection, functionality, and price. These features combine to prepare the best packaging solutions like vape cartridge packaging boxes.
We help you choose the quality of corrugated cardboard you need with this short but comprehensive guide.
Distinguishing between corrugated board grades
What is the main difference between the different qualities? To find out, you must look at the number and amplitude of waves that each cardboard contains in its papers. We can easily identify them if we see a cross-section with a somewhat trained gaze.
As we said, we are going to see the seven alternatives. Cardboard boxes and the rest of the products the packaging firms manufacture range from those made with 1-flute and micro-flute paper (the lightest quality) to those that use a triple flute, which has nothing to envy in terms of resistance and solidity to wood or plastic. It is the quality that these firms apply in these made-to-measure boxes for pallets and containers.
In the nomenclatures you will read below, you will see that several letters are included. To better understand what we are talking about, you must be clear about what each one represents:
- Channel E (microchannel): wave with a height of approximately 1.5 mm.
- Channel B (small wave): wave with a height of approximately 3 mm.
- Channel C (medium wave): wave with a height of approximately 4 mm.
- Channel A (large wave): wave with a height of approximately 5 mm.
As you can see, they refer to the height of the wave, which is one of the factors when defining the quality of corrugated cardboard. To give an example: if we see a type of BC cardboard, we mean that it combines two channels, a small wave and the other of a medium wave, glued together to form a single material.
Microchannel cardboard (E)
As we say, it is the thinnest quality with which we work. It makes it especially suitable for certain uses such as:
- Die-cut
- Higher Definition Printing
- Manufacture of packaging interiors
- Channel 3 Card (B)
We take a further leap in terms of thickness, and that shows in the resistance. It is still a light option compared to others that we will see below, but its excellent value for money makes it particularly suitable for consumer boxes manufacturers.
[h4] Channel 5 Card (C)
Canal 5 (C) cardboard continues to maintain a good value for money if we compare it, for example, with that of Canal 3. The main difference is that it has extra resistance, which makes it a great alternative when we require resistance to stacking and handling. It is the most perfect for storage.
[h4] Microchannel board 3 (EB)
It would be the most resistant alternative for the same uses of the simple microchannel. But, as we say, remarkably reinforced. It works perfectly to perform:
- Die-Cut
- Higher Definition Prints
- Heavy-duty interior construction
- Small packages with great mechanical needs
Double Channel Carton (BC)
Going into these qualities, we see a jump in the robustness of the material. Combining a channel of approximately 3 mm with another of 4, helps us achieve a high quality since, together, we will be close to 7 mm thick.
Double Channel (BC) corrugated cardboard is recommended for:
- Boxes that need high puncture resistance
- High resistance to stacking
- Packaging with heavy interior loads
- Double Channel Carton (AC)
Combining a large wave with a medium wave, we reach 9 mm. It not only represents a great cushioning capacity and resistance to handling. It also gives it properties to keep the interior safe from moisture.
Its use is mostly perfect for those packages that support heavyweights and those that must be stackable in warehouses and transported. Custom CBD boxes are the best option to pack all your products.
Triple Channel Carton (ACC)
This quality is the highest in terms of resistance, both to stacking and to potential perforations that can occur during storage and handling. This triple channel combines different waves and qualities with seven different papers glued together, giving it an approximate thickness of 13 millimeters. It is such a high quality of corrugated cardboard and is so reinforced that it is ideal for those large packages that need to withstand high loads.
