Many companies order custom boxes to accommodate information and announcements about services, to package software, CD/DVD's and other electronic media, or to have option over brochures, pocket folders and binders. This article will allow you to understand your vast options when requesting custom boxes. custom packaging
Some typical forms of boxes include:
- Corrugated
- Plastic
- Turned edge,
- set up boxes
- Aluminum
- SBS
- wood
Most individuals are knowledgeable about shipping cartons made from thick brown (or kraft) C-flute corrugated board. Inspecting a part cut of C-flute corrugated, you observe it's very wide and thick; great for shipping things but not good for accepting the sort of graphics required to advertise a product.
E-flute corrugation is 1/16th " thick, much thinner compared to C-flute mentioned above. On some requirements, F-flute or B-flute corrugated may be used. F-flute is quite thin (even thinner than E-flute) and is employed for tiny boxes or boxes that require intricate die cutting. Surprisingly, B-flute is thinner than C-flute but thicker than E-flute. B-flute is about 1/8th" thick and is employed for heavier weight projects.
Corrugated board is generally stocked by the mill and is defined by colors. Brown, Oyster White, White.
White is probably the most expensive board and most sought after for graphic usage.
Combinations are available, by special order. Oyster over Kraft or Bleached over Kraft are common. Normally the wavy part of the corrugated board is Kraft.
Decoration of Corrugated
Litho lam: Many customers prefer their corrugated boxes have the graphics printed on 80# litho paper, which may be film, laminated and mounted to the corrugated. (we call this labeling). Film lamination seals the printing and enables the box hinges to be bent without cracking. The label is attached to the corrugated board before die cutting. The film lamination may be either glossy or matte (also called de-lustered). A tag may be placed on the outside or the interior of the box (also called the liner) or both. The label usually covers the entire box.
Flexo printing: Imagine a big rubber stamp and you now have advisable of flexo printing. If complex 4 color process graphics isn't required then flexo printing may be an alternative to consider. Because flexo printing isn't sophisticated, you are able to only expect the quality of a 65 line screen. This differs dramatically from the 150 line screen quality common in litho printing (labeling). Probably the most inexpensive kind of flexo printing is just a flood coat (overall coverage) of a color. Stock printing plates can be utilized to put along with on the board. However, if graphics or type must be reversed from the solid field or you want to have positive type or graphics, a custom printing plate will need to be made. Flexo plates are priced per square inch. The more graphics or type, the more expensive.
Silk screen: For quantities too low to generate expensive flexo plates, silk screening could be a cost effective alternative. Modern tools has made silk-screening almost as clear and sharp as offset printing. We start with your artwork either on some type of computer disk or good black and white copy. A film positive is manufactured out of the art and mounted to a display that's been coated with an emulsion. The screen and artwork (on a video positive) are subjected to light for a couple minutes. The black of the artwork blocks the emulsion from hardening. The film positive is taken off the screen and the screen is washed with a high-speed water spray. The emulsion where in fact the artwork was is washed away leaving a stencil of the artwork on the screen. The screen is mounted to a media and a squeegee pushes special paints through the screen onto the material for your box.
Silkscreen paints are hand mixed ahead as close as you can to a specified color but it's not an exact science. We silk screen on a variety of color materials and a hand mixed Pantone color match will appear different when wear colors other than white.
Turned edge boxes and set up boxes: Whereas corrugated boxes have "raw edges" where you can begin to see the corrugation, turned edge differ as the board is included in the wrap. In place of using corrugated board, we use different weights of chip board. In small quantities, these boxes are made by hand. In larger quantities, box making machines are used. Turned edge boxes have a tendency to cost more than corrugated boxes but they've a more finished look. Because chip board is employed, these boxes have a tendency to weigh more than very same corrugated box. Setup boxes are in the group of turned edge boxes. These boxes are commonly known as gift boxes and jewelry boxes. Both turned edge and set up boxes may be wrapped in a number of coverings, film laminated printed paper, linen cloths, fancy paper stocks.
Plastic boxes:
Plastic boxes generally are available in either injection molded plastics or die cut sheet plastics. Injection molded boxes tend not to be employed for custom purposes as tooling to produce custom sizes and shapes is expensive and they're difficult to decorate. Nearly all of our discussion is likely to be on converting sheets of plastic into boxes.
The most typical sheet plastics used are polyethylene and polypropylene. Both these materials may be constructed to create boxes with tuck tabs or may be sonic welded. Sonic welded boxes ship to the client already assembled. Tuck tab boxes may be shipped flat and assembled by the customer. Both materials come in a number of thickness'starting at 16 gauge and going as much as as high as 75 gauge. The most popular thickness'are 35 and 55 gauge for polyethylene and 30 gauge and 55 gauge for polypropylene. Polyethylene has existed longer than polypropylene and comes in a wide selection of stock colors and natural (milky clear). Polypropylene is sometimes preferred by customers seeking clear boxes because it can be made crystal clear. Polypropylene is commonly more costly than polyethylene and features a greater tendency showing scratches and marks with use. For this reason, polypropylene is made on one or both parties with a flat finish or lines to full cover up the scratches. Clear polypropylene may also include color tints.
As boxes made of plastic begin as flat sheets they're not too difficult to decorate.
Decoration of plastic
Silk screening is the most used technique utilized on polyethylene and polypropylene. Both these materials have very flat, non porous surfaces, well suited for silk screening. With modern screening methods, a wide selection of half tones, graduated screens and process printing may be accomplished at a fair price. Small to moderate quantities of product with complex printing, lend itself to silk screening. See details of silk screening above.
Litho (offset) printing may be accomplished on lighter gauges of material in larger quantities. In this instance you'd ideally start out with a bright substrate. Quality may be as effective as on coated paper stock.