Creasability testing by inclined rules — a base for standardized specification of paperboard

Abstract

In die cutting manufacture of paperboard it is necessary to apply the correct creasing conditions, e.g. neither too small nor too big a rule height, in order to achieve sufficiently low folding resistance without any cracks along the folding lines. The most appropriate rule height for a given paperboard is usually determined by trying different rule heights in a series of very time consuming and costly trial and error tests. And, in practice, this procedure must be repeated for each major change in board quality. This report shows that an inclined crease rule, i.e. a rule having a gradually increasing rule height, can be used advantageously to rationalize such tests and to achieve much greater reliability. A folding line produced by such an inclined rule contains both the upper limit for the rule height, i.e. where cracks start to appear, and the lower limit, i.e. where the rule height is obviously too small, and the technical range for achieving a good creasing result is thus clarified in one single test. Illustrative data for two types of paperboard are given as well as some theoretical aspects of the concept of creasability. Considering that the described method not only rationalizes the testing work but also enables more reliable observations to be made than have been possible in the past, the method opens new potentials for effective research and development in the fields of converting, convertibility, die form design, etc. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.