Corrugated box design
Packaging engineers work to meet the performance requirements of a box while controlling total costs throughout the system.
[2][3][4] Ordinary shipping containers require printing and labels to identify the contents, provide legal and regulatory information, and bar codes for routing.
Popular for their strength, durability, lightness, recyclability, and cost-effectiveness, corrugated boxes are used for the shipping of a variety of items.
One of the important functions of a corrugated box is to provide crush resistance (product protection) and adequate strength for stacking in warehouses.
If long-term storage of corrugated boxes in high humidity is expected, extra strength and moisture resistance is called for.
Depending on the contents, some corrugated boxes need extra stiffness or a heavier grade of board.
[11][4] Boxes with hand holes[12] or handles sometimes need higher strength board, reinforcement attached with adhesives, or embedded fibers.
Standard Practice for Selection of Corrugated Fiberboard Materials and Box Construction Based on Performance Requirements.
These suggest factors including cost (materials, labor, capital), utility, package performance, machinability, marketing requirements, logistics factors, transport hazards (compression, impact, rupture, humidity, condensation, temperature, pilferage), regulations, and others.
For consumer based designs, marketing personnel sometimes use Focus groups or more quantitative means of assessing acceptance.
The size of a box can be measured for either internal (for product fit) or external (for handling machinery or palletizing) dimensions.
One common source is the Fibre Box Association:[17] Retailers often ask for merchandise to be delivered to them in shipping containers which allow the easy stocking of full caseloads.
The goal is to put the case directly onto shelves and stocking locations without individually handling the unit packs or primary packages.
Retailers often require products to come in shelf-ready packaging to reduce stocking costs and save labor expenses.
[20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Many items being supplied to governments are handled very well: boxes are unitized, shipped on covered trucks or intermodal containers, and storage is in warehouses.
[27] Military materiel, field supplies, and humanitarian aid often encounter severe handling and uncontrolled storage.
Based on the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods model regulations, each country has coordinated design and performance requirements for shipment.
