Compression Strength Of Corrugated Boxes Research Articles

The Effect of Side Wall Cutout Sizes on Corrugated Box Compression Strength in the Function of Length-to-Width Ratios—An Experimental Study

Packaging made from corrugated cardboard is a widely used solution in modern supply chains for the handling, storage and distribution of goods. These packages are required to maintain adequate protection conditions; however, in many cases, the cardboard box dimensions, handles and/or ventilation holes, quality and their configuration could compromise its protection strength. This study observes and evaluates the performance of corrugated cardboard boxes made with B-flute boards by considering different cutout sizes from the side walls (0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80%) in various box length–width ratios of 200 mm, 300 mm, 400 mm, 500 mm and 600 mm in length and a constant 300 mm width and height. Box compression tests were performed in a laboratory, and results were compared with mathematical statistics. In each cutout case, the maximum compression force was observed with the box with dimensions of 400 × 300 × 300 mm. The measurement results showed that the 1.33 length-to-width ratio has the best maximum compression force result. The statistical tests showed that there is no significant difference between the 0% and 20% cutout groups.

Investigation of the Effect of Pallet Top-Deck Stiffness on Corrugated Box Compression Strength as a Function of Multiple Unit Load Design Variables.

Unit loads consisting of a pallet, packages, and a product securement system are the dominant way of shipping products across the United States. The most common packaging types used in unit loads are corrugated boxes. Due to the great stresses created during unit load stacking, accurately predicting the compression strength of corrugated boxes is critical to preventing unit load failure. Although many variables affect the compression strength of corrugated boxes, recently, it was found that changing the pallet’s top deck stiffness can significantly affect compression strength. However, there is still a lack of understanding of how these different factors influence this phenomenon. This study investigated the effect of pallet’s top-deck stiffness on corrugated box compression strength as a function of initial top deck thickness, pallet wood species, box size, and board grade. The amount of increase in top deck thickness needed to lower the board grade of corrugated boxes by one level from the initial unit load scenario was determined using PDS™. The benefits of increasing top deck thickness diminish as the initial top deck thickness increases due to less severe pallet deflection from the start. The benefits were more pronounced as higher board grade boxes were initially used, and as smaller-sized boxes were used due to the heavier weights of these unit loads. Therefore, supposing that a company uses lower stiffness pallets or heavy corrugated boxes for their unit loads, this study suggests that they will find more opportunities to optimize their unit loads by increasing their pallet’s top deck thickness.

The effect of pallet top deck stiffness on the compression strength of asymmetrically supported corrugated boxes

During unitized shipment, the components of unit loads are interacting with each other. During floor stacking of unit loads, the load on the top of the pallet causes the top deck of the pallet to bend, which creates an uneven top deck surface resulting in uneven or asymmetrical support of the corrugated boxes. This asymmetrical support could significantly affect the strength of the corrugated boxes, and it depends on the top deck stiffness of the pallet. This study is aimed at investigating how the variations of pallet top deck stiffness and the resulting asymmetric support affect corrugated box compression strength. The study used a scaled‐down unit load compression test on quarter‐scale pallet designs with different deckboard thicknesses using four different corrugated box designs. Pallet top deck stiffness was determined to have a significant effect on box compression strength. There was a 27%–37% increase in box compression strength for boxes supported by high‐stiffness pallets in comparison with low‐stiffness pallets. The fact that boxes were weaker on low‐stiffness pallets could be explained by the uneven pressure distribution between the pallet deck and bottom layer of boxes. Pressure data showed that a higher percentage of total pressure was located under the box sidewalls that were supported on the outside stringers of low‐stiffness pallets in comparison with high‐stiffness pallets. This was disproportionately loading one side of the box. Utilizing the effects of pallet top deck stiffness on box compression performance, a unit load cost analysis is presented showing that a stiffer pallet can be used to carry boxes with less board material; hence, it can reduce the total unit load packaging cost.

Corrugated Box Compression Strength Enhancement

In this study, 5x5x12 single-wall RSC corrugated boxes were strengthened to increase their compression strength using four different methods; horizontal brace, diagonal brace, L-shape corner post, and triangular corner stiffener. All braces are of 2-inch width. Horizontal Brace : Compression strength increased by 9% when the unsupported box height was reduced from 12 inches to 3 inches. Diagonal Brace : Compression strength increased by 8% and 14% for single and double braces, respectively. L-Shape Corner Post : Compression strength increased by 29% and 38% for exterior and interior posts, respectively. Triangular Corner Stiffener : Compression strength increased by 36% when the stiffener depth increased from 0 inch to 9 inches. The interior corner post method was the most effective and most practical.

Predicting the Effect of Gaps Between Pallet Deckboards on the Compression Strength of Corrugated Boxes

The majority of corrugated boxes are transported and stored on pallets where the reduced support area due to deckboard gaps has an adverse effect on the strength of the corrugated boxes Therefore, an adjustment factor is used to adjust the box compression strength to account for the lack of support, but these factors were developed for a limited range of deckboard gaps, box sizes, and box orientations. In addition, there is no predictive model that can estimate the reduction in compression strength based on the size of the box and the size of the gap. The main objective of this study was to investigate and predict the loss in compression strength produced by top deckboards with a wide range of gaps between them using empirical data from two different corrugated box sizes. Results indicated that corrugated box compression strength decreased as the gap between the pallet deckboards increased. Larger boxes (305mm wide) were far less susceptible to the effect of gaps than the smaller boxes. A decrease in strength was observed when the location of the gap was relocated within 10 mm of the box corner. Gaps were found to produce the same reduction in compression strength when subdivided into two smaller gaps. Finally, a modification of the McKee equation was put forth and the analysis found the equation to be capable of predicting the loss in compression strength produced by gaps. The predictive accuracy was similar to the original McKee equation, and thus equally limited by the inherently large variation in corrugated boxes.

Effect of Pallet Deckboard Stiffness on Corrugated Box Compression Strength

The packaging industry has long considered pallets to be rigid structures. However, in a unit load, the weight of the product produces compressive forces that are distributed across the pallet causing the top deckboards to deflect. Corrugated paperboard boxes are highly susceptible to changing support conditions; therefore, the deckboard deflection directly impacts the vertical compression strength of the box. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of pallet deckboard stiffness on the vertical compression strength and deflection of corrugated paperboard boxes. Additional treatments included gaps between the deckboards and location of the box relative to the pallet stringers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Predicting Corrugated Box Compression Strength Using an Artificial Neural Network

Predicting Corrugated Box Compression Strength Using an Artificial Neural Network

Predicting Corrugated Box Compression Strength Using an Artificial Neural Network

McKee formula has been widely used to predict the compression strength of corrugated boxes. An experimental verification, published in early 2015, showed the inaccuracy of the formula. McKee formula left out several important factors, including box height, temperature, and humidity. An artificial neural network, CBU-BOX1, was developed based on 74 cases of cubical RSC single-wall corrugated boxes from 3”x3”x3” to 36”x36”x36”. Box height, temperature and humidity data were included in the network development. CBU-BOX1 performance ranged from 0% to 26.3% error with an average error of 6.9% while McKee formula performance ranged from 0.6% to 149.3% error with an average error of 28.7%. However, CBU-BOX1 performance dropped significantly when it was used for rectangular boxes. Out from twelve test cases of rectangular boxes, the formula resulted in an average error of 25.7% while CBU-BOX1 resulted in 34.8%. Thus, the network is unacceptable for rectangular boxes. In this study, 67 more cases were added to the previous 74 cases. Out of 141 cases, 43 were rectangular boxes. CBU-BOX2 significantly outperformed McKee formula with an average error of 9.21% versus 30.79%.

Testing Research of Aspect Ratio on Corrugated Box Compression Strength

The aspect ratio is one of the important factors that impact the corrugated box compression strength. In this paper, the three most commonly method that can be used to obtain the corrugated boxes’ compression strength, namely testing method, classic formula method and computer simulation method were compared. Selecting some 0201 BC flute corrugated boxes as the object, on the condition that the cardboard materials, carton height and circumference of the corrugated box is at the same, the compression strength of corrugated boxes which aspect range from 1 to 3 were tested and calculated respectively by compression strength testing method and classical formula. The results show that when the aspect ratio changes from 1 to 3, the compression strength increase at first, and then decrease; the compression strength reach maximum when the aspect ratio at 1.6 or so. The results show that the classic formula calculation data are large deviate from the testing ones. Research shows that due to not fully take into account the influence of corrugated cardboard quality, box forming process, temperature and humidity and other factors, the currently classic compression strength formula are more conservative.