4.

Printing and converting performance

Paperboard converting 147

Clean edges and surfaces 155

Handling paperboard 158

Offset lithography 160

UV-offset 161
Waterless offset 162
Hybrid offset 162

Flexography 163

Screen printing 164

Digital printing 165

Gravure printing 166

Hot foil stamping 169

Embossing 171

Die-cutting & creasing 174

Lasercutting 178
Scoring 182

Creasabilty & foldability 186

Gluing 194

Binding in practice - the last link 199

Heat sealing 206

Packaging operation 203

Deep drawing 212

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 Paperboard converting

Paperboard converting

Paperboard has the ability to achieve or exceed the same The increasing demands in the brand promotion process
excellent image reproduction as for the best fine papers. for graphic design and the use of non-print surface enhance-
Paperboard offers equal possibilities to achieve new, ment are creating innovative shapes and multi-sensory ex-
challenging shapes as competing packaging materials. periences for the consumer or user who handles the product.
However, increasing demands on performance of the An understanding of the interaction between paper-
material in various converting processes have become board properties and converting efficiency is essential for
evident when speeds in both printing processes and post- designers and converters, since the ultimate design of the
press converting have increased. Additionally, the accept- product together with the choice of paperboard will impact
ance level for impurities or slight deviations in quality in the on crucial conversion factors like printability, flatness, and
final product has dropped noticeably as a result of both creasing/folding properties. Considering all the variables,
end-user demands and the use of modern quality control it is probably true to say that consistency in the behaviour
equipment in the various converting machines. of the paperboard product is the key to high efficiency.
Productivity is the material’s and defined process’s Printing presses and post-print converting machinery
ability to meet the defined goals and is difficult to define will accept a wide range of paperboard types at decent
quantitatively since expectations differ from company to levels of productivity. However, tolerance for irregulari-
company. The same paperboard in the same type of ma- ties in critical parameters is diminishing as speeds and
chine but for a different end use can have higher or lower complexity rise. Critical parameters where consistency is
results in terms of productivity. Productivity can be meas- important for high productivity include:
ured in many ways, in both fixed and relative numbers, and • Ink-surface interaction for uniform ink- and glue setting
for a whole plant or per specific machine: and drying.
• Number of man hours spent per converted sheet. • Dimensional stability for correct register and accurate
• Overall equipment effectiveness, capacity utilisation. die-cutting.
• Number of approved converted sheets per man hour. • Flatness for efficient feeding and glue seam alignment.
• Amount of waste. • Clean edges and surfaces to avoid unnecessary cleaning
The material and its properties will have an effect on all interruptions.
of the above parameters in terms of the material’s ability • Correct folding action for quick carton erection and sub-
to withstand increased mechanical stress during higher sequent glue seam alignment for accuracy in shape, which
converting speeds and from higher demands on ink-sur- promotes high speeds during the carton filling stages.
face interactivity, and to function without interruptions in The following sections describe the features that support
converting due to inconsistency of these properties. both high-quality and trouble-free production for the most
common processes.

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Excellent print quality prior to coating causes local variations in coat weight that
It is essential that paperboard for graphical applications lead in turn to variations in calendering and glazing. A well-
should provide excellent print quality. To achieve this, the controlled coating operation contributes to uniform print
paperboard must meet stringent requirements in terms of results by ensuring a monitored coat weight and a control-
its appearance and performance during the printing proc- led coating composition.
ess. The ability of the board to fulfil these requirements is
referred to as printability. High print quality is, in the main, High ink gloss
characterised by uniform print results, high ink gloss and High ink gloss is a property of a very flat, levelled ink film.
true colour reproduction. This is true for any ink film and should not be confused with
the term “high gloss inks.” Having a coating with uniform
Uniform print results absorption properties is crucial. With a very smooth
To achieve uniform print in both half and full tones it is paperboard surface, the ink levelling will be more rapid
essential that both the ink transfer and ink setting are and occur more easily. Because a thicker ink film can fill
adequate. Good ink transfer from the ink carrying plate cavities in the paperboard surface, the thicker the ink film
to the paperboard is essential. A uniform surface tension the more likely the ink is to form a smooth surface. It is for
enables sufficient wetting of the surface by the ink. This is this reason that the thick ink films in screen printing often
particularly important in flexo applications, digital printing result in higher ink gloss.
(liquid toner), or when printing on extruded plastic surface
or surfaces coated in some other manner prior to printing.
Uniform ink setting is important regardless of the print-
ing process used. This is achieved by ensuring the uniform
absorption of oil and/or water (depending on the ink
vehicle). For oil-based inks in conventional offset printing
the uniform absorption of both water and oil is required as
ink transfer can be obstructed by the presence of fountain
water on the substrate surface. In offset printing irregulari-
ties in ink setting can cause mottle or back trap mottle.
To achieve uniform ink transfer and setting it is important
that the paperboard has a coating layer with an even thick-
ness; this is of particular importance for blade coating, and INK
a high degree of uniformity. A rough baseboard surface
PAPERBOARD

Fountain solution that is either non-emulsified or non-absorbed may

obstruct ink transfer to both printed and unprinted surfaces

GLAZING
CYLINDER

COATING

Areas of compressed coating

and base board resulting BASEBOARD
in local density variation

WETTING, NONWETTING,
low contact angle high contact angle

Good wetting properties enable sufficient ink adhesion Areas of compressed coating and baseboard resulting
and subsequent setting in local density variations

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 Paperboard converting

The key to high ink gloss often lies in allowing the ink film True colour reproduction
to level out into a flat surface before setting. This means The factors that have the greatest impact on true colour
allowing the ink to stay “wet” for a little longer. It should reproduction are ink density, dot gain (mechanical and
be noted that good ink setting requires rapid absorption optical), and the magnitude of the colour gamut that it is
and so the levels of ink gloss achieved are to some extent possible to obtain with a given set of inks.
limited by the necessity of achieving satisfactory ink set- • The ink density is directly connected to the amount of
ting. The composition of the paperboard’s coating is the ink pigments transferred to the paperboard surface.
principal factor affecting the speed of ink drying. A coating In some cases the result depends on the water and oil
with large pores absorbs ink more slowly and thus sup- absorption of the coating layer. Too much moisture on the
ports better ink levelling. paperboard surface may result in poor ink transfer for an
oil-based ink (this is known as ink refusal). This moisture
may be due to condensed water from a cold paperboard
pallet, or excess fountain water from a previous printing
unit, or excess fountain water that has not emulsified cor-
rectly with the ink.
• Dot gain can be discussed as both mechanical dot
gain and optical dot gain. In offset printing most of the
mechanical dot gain occurs before the ink hits the sub-
strate surface and therefore variations in the paperboard’s
coated surface contribute little to variations in mechanical
INK dot gain. However in flexo applications or digital printing
COATING (liquid toner) the surface tension and permeability of the
paperboard surface could cause the ink to spread more
BASEBOARD
or less on the surface or inside the coating/baseboard
structure.

INK INK

COATING
COATING

BASEBOARD
BASEBOARD

Ideal reflection and absorption of light on a printed surface

Original size

INK
COATING INK

BASEBOARD Spread in coating layer COATING

BASEBOARD

Dot gain through spread in the coating layer The concept of optical dot gain, in which the amount of reflected light
is restricted through scattering and absorption compared to the ideal
reflection

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Paperboard converting

• Optical dot gain is influenced by the light absorption hand, too smooth a surface will present a larger contact
of the coating and baseboard and their light- scattering area between the sheets, which might enhance the inter-
properties. Good surface smoothness is also thought to locking caused by surface chemistry. This effect could be
have a positive effect on optical dot gain, but this has not compared to the force that makes it hard to separate two
been conclusively demonstrated. glass plates that are piled together.
• The reproducible colour gamut depends primarily
on the ink quality, ink layer thickness, and ink density
achieved. Other factors that affect the colour gamut are
high ink gloss and the optical properties of the paperboard
surface. For the secondary and following colours the ink
trapping properties are crucial. Good clean trapping will
enable the reproduction of a larger colour gamut; it is es-
sential that as much of the secondary and following inks
as possible is transferred in an even pattern on top of the
first ink with no irregularities in ink density. The ink setting
properties and ink tack of the various ink layers influence
each other; for this reason the colour sequence may be
important.
PAPERBOARD

Runnability and efficiency

Good runnability comprises the different factors that let
Electrostatic attraction
the jobs run efficiently through the press and finishing
equipment with low down time and low material waste.
Multi-ply paperboard has many important features that
support cost-effective printing and finishing operations,
as well as the total quality image of the finished products.
The prime building block for efficient converting of the
paperboard is a product which behaves consistently in
both printing and post-press converting. Consistency
makes the product predictable, which means in many
cases shorter make-ready. Reliability will also play a role
to maintain expected production rates from batch to batch
year in and year out.
PAPERBOARD
In-feed and operation
How quickly the in-feeder can be set up and how well the
substrate runs are factors that affect the total economy of
a print- or converting job. The factors that mainly deter-
Rough surface enabling mechanical interlocking and friction
mine how quickly the job can be set up and processed
are efficient feeding, flat sheets, dimensional stability,
and dust-free stock.

Efficient feeding
The main paperboard properties that affect consistent
feeding from pallet to pallet or reel to reel are friction, uni-
form thickness and paperboard flatness/shape (of which
the latter is described in the section below). The friction
originates from several different sources but the main fac-
tors are the surface chemistry and the surface topography.
The sheets may adhere to each other due to electro-
static attraction. This is mostly applicable to thinner paper,
PAPERBOARD
but may occur with lower grammages of paperboard. The
best way to prevent electrostatic charges from being built
up is not to let the paperboard dry out too much. If the sur-
face is somewhat rough, you risk mechanical interlocking
between the sheets to obstruct the feeding. On the other Smooth surface with local charges due to a chemical-like attraction

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 Paperboard converting

Flat sheets debris. To minimise dust or debris (mainly coming from the
The flatness of the sheet affects the press speed and sheet edges) the areas to focus on are pulp processing
sometimes even the print result itself. Flatness irregulari- and the retention of smaller fibres.
ties are described as twist or curl. Both will cause difficul- • Clean edges depend substantially on the fibres’ ability to
ties in feeding and running the press or finishing machine. bond with each other. Fibres from chemical pulp are flexi-
The best way to avoid twist or curl is to maintain the ble and interlace easily with other fibres to form a strong
original moisture content of the paperboard. network. For mechanical pulp the refining process plays
Flatness is a decisive property of paperboard and will af- a central role in increasing the binding abilities of the fibre
fect the efficiency of operation through the full conversion network. Refining generates larger contact areas between
chain. During the paperboard manufacturing process con- the individual fibres. Fine-tuning of this process ensures a
trol of curl and twist is a very complex process and starts in well-bonded network.
the forming of the multi-ply structure at the wet end of the • With the help of retention chemicals the small parts of
board machine, where the following factors contribute to fibres (fines) are kept inside the sheet. This provides more
minimising inbound stress in the sheet: contact points in the fibre network and helps to bind the
• fibre composition in the respective layers of the multi-ply fibres together. Fibre retention is essential for both mecha-
construction nical and chemical pulp.
• fibre orientation
• fines content Ink application
• controlled removal of water and rewetting Paperboard features that are especially important for
• controlled drying of the web the ink application are good surface strength and good
• web draws in the drying section. plybond.
A balance in these properties will produce a flat sheet
and will minimise the risk of uneven tensions caused by Good surface strength
hygro-dimensional changes. The release of tension could In offset litho printing the inks have a very high tack. To
occur later in the printing or finishing processes and result resist the forces in the printing nip and to prevent coating
in distortion of the sheet. picking, the coating must be well attached to the base-
board surface. A good bond between coating and base-
Dimensional stability board is promoted by the following paperboard properties.
In multi-step processing (or even in multi-colour printing) • To provide a strong bond to the coating, the fibres in the
it is important to use a substrate with excellent dimen- baseboard surface should adhere well to each other. If
sional stability. The substrate is exposed to many differ- the fibres are not sufficiently bound together the coating
ent forces that might stress the structure in such a way can come off, taking some of the top fibres with it as well
that the sheet changes its dimensions. The forces might (this is known as pull outs). The good bond between the
come from hygro-expansion due to moisture exposure or fibres is promoted by good fines retention. Uniform surface
from mechanical stress imposed on the sheet during the sizing of the baseboard is a strong base for the coating.
printing or finishing operations, either one or both. Differ- Weaker spots may otherwise be torn off in the printing nip.
ent paperboard types are more or less prone to distortion • Good internal bonding in the coating layer is a vital factor.
under climate changes. This is not only an internal coating issue, but can also be
influenced by the baseboard. Variations in the baseboard
Dust-free stock surface porosity may cause binder migration in the coating
To achieve an efficient operation in the printing or finish- layer and thereby variations in the internal strength.
ing machine requires a substrate free from dust or fibrous

COATING

SURFACE SIZE SURFACE SIZE

BASEBOARD BASEBOARD

Uneven surface sizing penetration will result in locally weaker areas Local variation in the distribution of coating components can be due to
variations in surface porosity, either indirectly due to baseboard density,
or directly due to uneven surface sizing distribution

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Good plybond by the fibre characteristics and the formation of the sheet.
Good plybond is primarily applicable to offset litho printing, The use of virgin fibres with different tensile strength,
since the tacky inks impose a high force on the substrate. stiffness, shape and bonding abilities affects the strength
This force is a combination of pulling and shearing in the of the final fibre network. The basis for producing a fibre
exit of the printing nip, which may cause delamination. network with the right strength is the use of virgin fibres in
Unlike coating picking, which may occur in the interface itself, together with controlled sheet forming on the paper-
between the coating layer and the baseboard surface, board machine.
delamination occurs within the baseboard structure, either
within a ply or between different plies, often close to the Quick turn around and reverse side printing
surface. To achieve high print speed and good economy it is
Delamination is least of all desirable in the printing proc- important to be able to turn the sheet around and print the
ess, so the plybond must be sufficiently strong. However, reverse side as soon as possible after the first print run.
in the creasing, folding and embossing operations delami- The most important factor for quick reverse side printing is
nation is necessary, so the plybond must not be too strong ink drying. Too much ink, or the wrong pH in the fountain
either. Therefore the properties of the baseboard need to water may decrease the drying speed.
be very well balanced. Since different ink types are designed to dry in different
Good plybond depends on the forming of a strong and ways, the drying is influenced by various surface proper-
elastic network inside the baseboard. This is influenced ties. Therefore it is vital to match the ink type carefully to

INK

The strength of the fibre network is determined primarily by pulping

method and fibre treatment

Slower absorption
gives slower drying EVAPORATION

COATING

BASEBOARD INK

PAPERBOARD ABSORPTION

Faster absorption
gives quicker setting

Modern inks often set and dry due to a combination of

absorption and evaporation

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 Paperboard converting

the surface properties of the paperboard. With offset ink the graphic presentation or using the most advanced
for coated surfaces the ink must set fast enough to enable designs in multi-step processes, a predictable, good
the drying process. Smaller pores in the coating absorb result will follow.
the low viscosity part of the ink oils quicker and the total
pore volume will affect the speed of ink setting. Runnability in general
Good runnability in the various finishing operations relies
No set-off on the same factors as those described above in the sec-
To minimise the risk of set-off, fast ink setting and drying tion “In-feed and operation” and additionally on good rub
are crucial. The absorption properties correspond to the resistance and no rub-off.
ones mentioned in the point above. Other paperboard
properties that influence the set-off are surface smooth- Good rub resistance
ness and low density. It is essential for an ink or varnish film to be durable and
• The surface smoothness is a matter of matching the preserved through the finishing operations and when
surface properties correctly on both the print side and the handling the finished products. Factors that influence
reverse side. On a rough surface, set-off from the “peaks” rub resistance are ink type and surface abrasiveness.
in the surface topography may occur. On a very smooth • The best way to achieve good rub resistance is to
surface, on the other hand, the large contact area between choose an ink with a somewhat higher content of wax.
the sheets may increase the risk of set-off. Particularly in As explained earlier, matching the ink type properly to the
this case it is extremely important to match the ink type absorption properties of the substrate surface is of prime
carefully to the surface properties of the paperboard. importance.
• A high density substrate, such as a thick, wood-free pa- • A smooth surface contributes to a good rub resistance
per, will result in higher pressure on the underlying sheets by having less peaks in the surface topography. Hence
in the delivery stack, compared to a high bulk paperboard. loss of ink or varnish in the finishing operations can be
Given the same height of delivery stacks in a sheet-fed avoided. The surface abrasiveness is also thought to be
printing press, a high bulk substrate such as graphic paper- influenced by the coating formulation and choice of coat-
board decreases the risk of set-off. ing pigment.

Make the most of the finishing options No rub-off

Graphic paperboard is a forgiving material. This becomes The ink pigments should be well bound to the surface and
particularly obvious when it is time for the finishing opera- not come off during the finishing operations.
tions. Below the strong, smooth, white surface lie all the It is – once again – a matter of careful matching of the ink
strengths required for carrying out the most demanding type to the substrate absorption properties. The surface
applications. Whether it is just adding a varnish to highlight should not absorb the ink binder, leaving the pigments

INK FILM ABSORPTION OXIDATION PAPERBOARD

INK

Ink application Setting Drying

Peaks the subject to set-off

The phases of ink drying. Absorption of the vehicle enables oxidation

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Paperboard converting

somewhat less bound to the surface. This can be the case

when using a substrate with too high or quick ink absorp-
tion, a problem that is primarily controlled by coating pore
size and total pore volume.

A wide range of finishing options

The multi-ply construction and the surface characteristics
of paperboard products facilitate a wide range of finish-
ing options. However, the finishing techniques are very
different. Therefore the runnability aspects in connection
with the different sections are described in the chapter
Finishing techniques.
In general terms, the following paperboard features al-
lows the printer to make the most of the finishing options.
• Strength and toughness are measurable as tensile
strength, tearing resistance, delamination strength, and
compression strength. These properties are decisive for
achieving sophisticated designs such as embossing and
complex structural shapes.
• Creasing and folding abilities depend on a complex
combination of factors such as tensile strength, compres-
sion strength, delamination strength, bending resistance,
flatness, and dimensional stability. They are decisive
for the paperboard’s ability to “forgive” the permanent
deformation of deep and narrow creases, and to retain
the intended shape of folds.
• Flatness and dimensional stability are decisive for
excellent results in the finishing operations. The choice
and composition of raw materials and carefully control-
led manufacturing processes result in a paperboard that
retains its flatness and dimensional stability throughout
all operations. But since paperboard is a hygroscopic
material, it should not be exposed to conditions that affect
its moisture content. Please refer to the chapter Handling
paperboard for information on how to prevent moisture
problems.

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 Clean edges and surfaces

Clean edges and surfaces

Clean edges and surfaces and their impact on the printing Edge- and surface-related debris can usually be catego-
process can be simply defined in terms of: rised under the following headings:
• Their ability to be free from dust and fibrous debris
particles that may detach and adhere to the printing press Edge debris (slit and chop):
plate or blanket, thus causing premature stoppages for • loose fibres
wash-ups. • fibre clumps (usually chemical pulp in origin)
• The presence of such material interfering with the print • shive (usually mechanical pulp in origin)
impression may cause break-up of the screen definition, • dust
apply ink in non-printed areas, or cause spots in solid Surface debris:
prints (hickies). • edge debris (see above)
• Such stoppages adversely impact on press efficiency • coating particles
and in extreme situations can cause immediate rejection • miscellaneous process particles
of the material being processed. • miscellaneous contraries.
The ability to provide paperboard with clean edges and Debris of the above type is not necessarily differenti-
surfaces is a prime consideration when the printer is as- ated by the printer, whose prime requirement is for press
sessing material for optimum process efficiency. Any loose efficiency with any excessive presence of the above being
particles in the form of solid or fibrous material, etc. on the unacceptable. The build-up of unwanted particles on the
paperboard edges or surfaces may transfer to the printing press blanket and printing plate will gradually result in a
blanket, plate or cylinder during the printing operation and break-up of the screen definition, print spots in non-printed
result in print defects. In extreme cases exceptionally large areas or cause hickies and other blemishes in text and
pieces may even result in damage to the press blanket in solid prints.
offset litho. Once debris has built up on the printing press there is
Edge cleanliness is as important as surface cleanliness, no alternative except to shut down the press and clean the
since debris can break away during sheeting, stacking or plates and blankets. This not only incurs lost time but also
printing operations and become attached to the printing increases waste when the press is restarted and colour
blanket in offset litho. Edge debris can sometimes be char- balance restored.
acterised by the build-up of debris on the press blanket in The minimisation and elimination of the above debris
the contact areas adjacent to the sheet edges. types is therefore an essential factor for good press per-
It is possible to identify different types of edge and sur- formance and the faithful reproduction of the print design,
face debris. Some types of surface debris are clearly not which may ultimately impact on the consumer’s decision
edge related. It is also possible to identify the difference whether or not to buy.
between slit (machine direction) or chop (cross direction) While the need for the paperboard manufacturer to pro-
edge debris. vide clean and debris-free products is recognised, much
has been done in recent years to eliminate dust and debris
etc. immediately prior to the printing operation. The develop-
ment of vacuum extraction systems, usually in combination
with ionising bars to eliminate static, has led to enormous
improvements to the length of print runs.
Polyurethane roller

Marked sector
for counting

Handle

Roller and marked sector for dust evaluation

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Clean edges and surfaces

This does not, however, mean that there is no room for fur- goal of a totally clean product. Such vacuum systems are
ther improvement. The printer knows what improvements commonplace and sometimes used in combination with
have been achieved by the introduction of these systems, antistatic.
but the emphasis is still on the paperboard supplier to It is, however, important to stress that as with on-press
provide clean material so that the printer can maintain the systems the paperboard must be clean to start with in
expected high levels of through-put. order to obtain the optimum ultimate performance. In this
As far as the paperboard production process is con- respect it is essential that careful attention is paid to knife
cerned, the introduction of extensive vacuum- and dust- design, quality, and alignment and to the adjustment of
removal systems at all stages of the finishing process has chop to ensure that unwanted debris is not generated in
become an important element in achieving the ultimate the first instance.

Type of edge and surface debris Origin and effects

Chop edge Particles with one straight edge and one torn edge. Other
fibrous material and coating may also be attached.

Shives Hard bundles of unseparated mechanical fibres with a

characteristic cross-grained structure.

Slit edge Fibrous, wavy trim material from the slitting process.

Coating particles Flat pieces of coating, generally quite small, that have, for
example, become detached from build-ups on rolls in the
coating section of the paperboard machine.

Miscellaneous This debris can originate from a variety of materials used

in the paperboard manufacturing process, e.g. synthetic
rope fibre, calender debris.

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 Clean edges and surfaces

In all processes emphasis must be placed on the slitting Different paperboard ply constructions
and sheeting operations with the optimum application Solid Bleached Board has the advantage that loose fibres
of only the best debris removal systems. With today’s and dust are least likely to be generated as a result of
modern slitting and sheeting operations, which are able the use of long, strong chemical fibres and also pulp and
to offer a minimum of manual handling, a further reduction surface treatments. Folding Box Board, where mechanical
in the generation of unwanted dust and debris in the final pulp is sandwiched between chemical pulp layers, also
product has been made possible. utilises pulps and surface treatments to minimise debris
During subsequent die-cutting and creasing operations generation but does have a greater potential for debris
the generation of dust and debris (or swarf) must also be release.
avoided by use of the correct and properly set tooling. FBB therefore requires close attention to slit and chop
Sharp, properly set and maintained knives are, therefore, quality.
a prerequisite for well-cut, clean edges. During the die-cutting and creasing operation, different
types of paperboard will react differently. Strong high-
Characteristics of clean edges and surfaces density paperboards require sharp, well-set knives to cut
Assessment of clean edges and surfaces through but give very clean, well bound edges with low risk
An optimum paperboard product is one that is totally of dust and debris. Stiff but lower density paperboards are
clean. The amount of debris must therefore be almost less sensitive to knife sharpness, but because the fibres
zero to assess a paperboard as good with respect to are less bound the risk of debris generation is higher and
clean edges and surfaces. therefore knife sharpness remains crucial. Many recycled
There is no officially recognised method for the meas- fibre boards have a high mineral content. This makes them
urement of edge or surface cleanliness. difficult to cut efficiently whilst maintaining good quality
Despite the absence of a recognised test procedure it edges.
is possible to quantify the cleanliness of both edges and
surfaces. In simple terms the visual assessment of slit Key properties
and chop edge quality can provide an early indication of Impact on loose particles
a potential problem. The optimisation of the finishing operation and the efficien-
It should be noted, however, that visible edge debris cy of debris removal systems have the greatest impact on
does not necessarily indicate loose edge debris. Where a the ability to achieve clean edges and surfaces. However,
potential problem is indicated, further examination is nec- the paperboard construction can also play a role. Construc-
essary to identify the likely impact on press operation. tion features that may affect the degree of bonding or fixing
Quantification of loose edge debris can be achieved by of fibres within the paperboard sheet include:
the vacuum removal of material from pallet edges. This is • the chemical/mechanical pulp ratio
done by using a specially adapted vacuum head which • the fibre length or fibre treatment
incorporates a black filter cloth supported by a wide mesh • the surface and “forming end” treatment processes.
holder. Material removed can then be compared visually However, in general the key to the prevention of debris
using a rating scale. is still to pay close attention to the slitting and sheeting
The presence of surface debris is most easily quantified operations where the potential for debris generation is
by rolling a soft polyurethane roller on the paperboard at its highest.
surface and physically counting the number of particles
removed over a specified area.
Both edge and surface assessment methods need to
be performed under carefully controlled conditions and
repeated to obtain statistical significance.
Material removed can be further classified and quanti-
fied according to type by microscopic examination. The
table on the previous page describes and illustrates some
of the types of particles referred to in the first part of this
section.
As far as the printing operation is concerned the per-
formance of a paperboard is measured by the time which
elapses between blanket washes, or the length of print
runs. This can, however, depend on the detail of screen
definition required and also on the positioning of any obvi-
ous blemishes, which can sometimes be removed without
a complete blanket wash or stoppage.

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Handling paperboard

Handling paperboard

When working with multi-ply paperboard and handling it can cause a reduction in the paperboard’s moisture con-
properly, the reward will be a material with superior proper- tent, especially when the sheet has been IR or UV dried.
ties in all areas of manufacture. The multi-ply construction In this case if the temperature of the pile reaches more
is the basis of many of the excellent characteristics that than 60 ºC and the paperboard is not properly protected,
help to achieve the best quality and runnability in the print- then the result could be a loss of moisture to the environ-
ing and finishing operations. The multi-ply construction ment during cooling. Rewrapping is particularly important
also requires a few special – but very important – precau- in order to ensure good register when the paperboard is
tions when it comes to handling. printed in two or more passes through the printing press.
It is also important to wrap in this way to achieve good
Board, moisture, and flatness register between the print and the next process, e.g. cut-
Paperboard is sensitive to changes in humidity. The main ting and creasing, guillotining or bookbinding. Paperboard
factor for retaining the original characteristics of the paper- products should be wrapped in moisture-resistant mate-
board throughout all production steps is to maintain its rial after conversion and prior to shipment to the customer
original moisture content. Paperboard is manufactured to (end user) or to further conversion operations.
be flat in a defined environment of 50% relative humidity Keeping the equilibrium moisture and thereby the
at 20 °C. Exposure to variations of humidity will result in a flatness and stability is important for the converting line
change of paperboard shape or dimensions. Drying out efficiency. Printing presses and packaging lines can only
will make the paperboard more brittle. be tuned to a degree to accommodate curled, twisted
or brittle material. The most sensitive operations where a
Prior to printing/converting well-balanced and flat paperboard plays a vital role are:
A relative humidity of 45–60% at a temperature of about 20 ºC • in-feed in a printing press or post press operations
in the production areas is recommended to prevent curl • sheet transport between print units
and/or misregister. Leave the moisture proof wrapping on • delivery/stacking in a neat pile to accommodate efficient
the pallet or reel up to the point where the paperboard is post-press converting
to be converted. The wrapper ensures protection against • register between print units, both sheet-fed and reel-fed
moisture changes, but only as long as it is undamaged. • accuracy and register in die-cutting and embossing
The moisture-proof wrapping must also not be removed • consistent result from creasing operations
until the paperboard has attained the temperature of the • predictable and undisturbed runs in a folding/gluing
converting environment. Recommended warming-up operation
times are given in the following table. • accuracy in final carton shape or cover alignment in
When cold paperboard is exposed to a warm environ- bookbinding
ment the air adjacent to the board can be cooled below • uninterrupted carton erection prior to filling.
its dew point (point of condensation) and this moisture is
then absorbed by the board. The time for the temperature Handling during operation
equilibrium to be established varies depending on the Multi-ply paperboard needs to be handled with caution or
temperature difference and the weight of the board it can easily be damaged. One particular damage is the cigar
(pallet or reel). rolls (or roll backs) caused by the rolling-up of the top layer
of a sheet. Should you need to restack the paperboard,
After printing/converting avoid sliding stacks of paperboard across the edges of the
Paperboard in sheet form should be rewrapped with mois- rest of the pile; this may tear the surface and create cigar
ture-proof material after printing. The printing process rolls. This risk is evident when using ream-wrapped material.

Pallet or reel weight (kg) Temperature differences board – printing room (print room temp. about 20 °C)

10 °C 20 °C 30 °C

400 2 days 2 days 3 days

800 2 days 3 days 4 days

1200 2 days 4 days 5 days

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 Handling paperboard

Precautions should also be taken when guillotining mate- Storage and age
rial, when sliding the paperboard stack over a worn cutting Paperboard manufactured from virgin fibres will change
stick may damage the bottom sheet in the same manner. little over time when properly stored, i.e. stored at the
The problem of cigar rolls can be prevented entirely if the correct temperature and equilibrium moisture. Virgin fibre
board is stacked directly on the pallet at the board mill and paperboard, when stored in such a way, will show little
the pallet is then directly fed into the printing press, then or no change in mechanical properties and only marginal
cigar rolls will not be seen. change in surface or optical properties; these changes
To prevent damage to the effects of a corona surface are more noticeable in FBB products when compared to
treatment it is important to avoid contact of any kind SBB products. In general the above applies to converted
with the surface of the extruded/laminated board prior creased blanks in store, however, particular attention must
to conversion. be paid to tight stacking and protective wrapping of flat
stored blanks to ensure the moisture equilibrium is main-
tained and avoid shape distortion.
Iggesund Paperboard recommends a maximum of 1 (one)
year time limit, from delivery, for paperboard in store and
6 (six) months for all corona-treated material.

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Offset lithography

Offset lithography

With paperboard all available printing techniques may be With their double-size impression cylinders and specially
used to achieve at least the same high-class graphic pres- adapted sheet guidance systems these presses are well
entation as when using high quality graphic paper. The suited for thicker or stiffer substrates.
good printability and high print quality, together with the If a considerably thicker substrate is printed in an ordi-
many different finishing options and the superior finishing nary press, without changes in blanket and plate packing,
results, imply many good reasons for using paperboard as the thicker substrate adds to the diameter of the impres-
first choice. sion cylinder, making it appear larger than the diameter
When printing paperboard there are a few things to of the blanket cylinder. Hence the blanket cylinder and
keep in mind – things that are not always obvious if you the impression cylinder will have different circumferential
are used to paper. This chapter will highlight some of them. speeds, inducing stress on the paperboard. If the ink is
The stiffness and bulk – the favourable thickness/grammage too tacky the paperboard will stick to the blanket longer
relationship – are the most significant characteristics which in the printing nip and be released from the blanket with
make paperboard superior in many respects. However, an increased release angle. A higher release angle causes
the effects can come as a surprise if one is not used to work- larger forces on the sheet. This might lead to linting or
ing with paperboard. Another main difference to consider picking and, in extreme cases, possibly also blistering
is the multi-ply construction of paperboard. or delamination.

Offset lithography Paperboard handling in offset printing

Offset lithography is perhaps the most commonly used The multi-ply construction of graphic paperboard has
method – or rather a set of methods – to print paperboard. several strong advantages over a single-ply paperboard,
Offset provides very high print quality and is commercially but it should be handled somewhat differently. To avoid
attractive for a wide range of run lengths. With the plate problems when printing graphic paperboard, there are a
given, the print result follows from a complex interaction few things to consider.
between ink, fountain solution (in conventional/litho offset),
blanket, paperboard characteristics, and drying mecha- Delamination
nisms, together with the pressure, temperature, and press The main risk with multi-ply paperboard is delamination. If
speed. Thin paperboard can be printed in the same type of the paperboard is handled too roughly, the different layers
presses that are used for printing paper. However, the best in the multi-ply construction might be separated from each
way to print thicker or stiffer paperboard is in a designated other.
press. In this type of press the cylinders and sheet trans-
port systems are adapted to thicker and stiffer substrates.

INK APPLICATION

PRINTING FOUNTAIN WATER

PLATE APPLICATION

BLANKET PAPERBOARD

IMPRESSION
ROLLER

The principle of offset lithography

160 Reference Manual | IGGESU ND PAP ERBOA RD

 Offset lithography

To avoid this problem, please keep the following few points The choice of granular diameter is influenced by the
in mind. paperboard properties. Ranging from the very fine 15 μm
• Do not apply higher pressure than necessary between the particle to the very coarse 70 μm particle, the choice
blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder. mainly depends on ink and varnish coverage, substrate
• Do not use significantly tackier inks than normal. Spot surface smoothness, and delivery pile pressure. For fully
colours are known to be tackier than the process colours/ double-side coated products with a very light ink cover-
Euroscale inks. age, and low delivery stack, as small as between 25 and
• Be careful when the press is cold. Start it up slowly to get 30 μm particles may be appropriate. To ensure low set-off
the ink viscosity right before running it full speed “Monday for only single-coated backside, uncoated reverse, large
morning effect”. sheet size, high delivery pile, or fully varnished surface the
• Reduce the press speed, if necessary. Slowing down the particle size (or quantity) should be increased.
press will reduce the force acting on the paperboard.
• Use quick release blankets. This will reduce the force on Alternative offset printing techniques
the board. There are a number of alternative offset lithographic print-
• Avoid manual cutting of the sheets. If the cuts are not ing techniques, of which UV offset, waterless offset, Direct
100% correct they might induce stresses in the sheets Imaging presses, and hybrid offset presses are briefly
that in turn might cause the different layers to separate described below.
from each other.
UV offset printing
High ink tack UV offset printing means using inks that cure (dry) by ex-
Too high ink tack may cause delamination. If the ink vehicle posure to ultra violet light, not by oxidation and absorption
penetrates very quickly into a very absorbing substrate, like conventional inks. The press has powerful UV lamps
the tack build-up of the ink may be high. If it is too high, mounted in it, and the inks contain a chemical compound
the substrate may delaminate when leaving the printing (a photo-initiator) that causes a chain reaction when ex-
nip. Adding suitable gel or varnish to the tacky ink (recom- posed to the UV light. This reaction changes the structure
mended by the ink supplier) is a way to slow the ink setting of the ink film from fluid to solid in a split second. In other
and prevent delamination. words, there is very little absorption of ink into the substrate.
The strongest advantage with UV offset is that the inks
Blisters dry immediately after being exposed to the UV light. The
One very special defect –although a very rare one – is the printed sheets can be handled directly after being printed.
blisters that might occur when IR drying with the IR lamps The inks also have excellent stability on press and excel-
set at maximum. Too much heat may cause the moisture lent gloss.
in the paperboard to turn into steam inside the paper- A common problem, however, is poor adhesion of the
board layers. Since the steam has a larger volume than the printed ink film due to its shrinking during curing, in some
moisture, it will cause blisters on the paperboard. This is cases to a point where it is a problem in post-press hand-
why paperboard in general is not suited for heat-set offset ling. The strong UV lamps can also cause the substrate to
applications. yellow somewhat, which is why it is important not to use
more energy than needed to cure the ink. A high density
Anti-set-off spray powder substrate requires more energy than one with lower density.
Spray powder is recommended to reduce the risk of set-
off. But to avoid problems in later production steps the
use of spray powder should always be minimised. Please
consult with the people responsible for the subsequent
steps before increasing spray powder amount or particle
size significantly.
There are many suppliers of spray powder and a number
of powder types with several modifications to the particles.
The main particle categories are calcium based, sugar
based, and starch based. Starch based particles may also
come in a modified form as microencapsulated in silicone.
The choice of particle origin is not influenced much by
paperboard type. However, the use of highly abrasive, PAPERBOARD

large sized particles when using very glossy products is Z-direction Pulling forces
not recommended, since this may cause micro-scratches
on the printed surface. The forces inflicted on the paperboard after the printing nip are a
combination of pull in the Z-direction and shear

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Offset lithography

Waterless offset printing there is no water emulsified with the ink it will not decrease
In waterless offset printing the plates are different from the as much in tack as a conventional ink on press. This could
conventional offset plate. The non-image areas are held mean a higher working tack than desired. The ink will also
free from ink by the specific surface tension of the plate, tack up much more quickly than an emulsified ink during a
not by the assistance of water. Aside from this, there is no press stop. Even at shorter standstills it might be necessary
fundamental difference between conventional offset and to spray the rollers with a stay-open compound to keep the
waterless offset. ink from tacking up. If the operator is not aware of these
However, since the fountain water has a big part in the factors and does not take appropriate steps to control
conventional offset process, a waterless system needs them, high ink tack may cause delamination.
to be built up of different, or modified, components (inks,
additives, and press). It is possible to print waterless Hybrid offset presses
by mounting waterless printing plates in a conventional Hybrid offset presses are offset presses with additional
offset press and not use the dampening units. But to be equipment using other techniques, such as flexo or digital
100% successful it is desirable to have better control of printing.
the process. The press should be equipped with water- • Offset and flexo: This is an offset press equipped with
cooled rollers in order to keep the temperature of the press a flexo unit at the end. The flexo unit is often used for
at the right level. This is important because the inks are applying water-based varnish but can also be used for
highly temperature sensitive and will drop in viscosity with special inks. One example is to print a special spot colour
increasing temperature. with fluorescent ink. Another example is printing metallic
Waterless offset means faster make-ready. An often re- inks, which greatly benefit from being applied in a flexo
ported benefit is also lower dot gain and sharper dots. This unit, since the flexo technique allows the pigment parti-
enables the use of finer screen rulings than on a conven- cles to be larger than in offset ink. The larger particle size
tional offset press. Some also report shorter drying times, increases the metallic shine.
since there is no water emulsified with the ink. • Offset and digital: Offset presses can also have digital
All paperboards are well suited for waterless offset print- printing equipment mounted. Today there are offset press-
ing and will give excellent print quality. However there are es with ink jet units to print very simple designs, e.g. bar
some things to note and understand about this printing codes or dates. In the future it is likely that these hybrids
method and how it should be set up when working with will become increasingly popular. As the speed and quality
multi-ply paperboard. of digital printing techniques increase, combinations of off-
The main area to focus on is the inks. For waterless off- set and digital presses will be further developed. This will
set they are normally formulated to have higher viscosity make it possible to combine true individualisation of each
and higher working tack than conventional inks. Since print with the high and consistent quality of offset printing.

COATING CYLINDER CHROMIUM

ROLLER
ANILOX COATING CYLINDER
Chambered ROLLER
doctor blade

RUBBER
Supply of Letterpress/ ROLLER
varnish flexographic plate
Letterpress plate VARNISH

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 Flexography

Flexography

Unlike the indirect offset lithographic technique, flexogra- produced. To fully match the capability of high definition
phy is a direct printing technique, rather similar to stamp- jobs and the new hard polymer plates a paperboard with
ing. The image is transferred directly from the plate to the a very smooth surface and uniform thickness is needed.
paperboard. Besides being used for colour printing, flexo One development for achieving minimum dot size is to
is often used for varnishing with special inks or printing use very thin plates, which are backed up from the reverse
metal inks. In order to achieve high finish in metal inks, the side with a compressible under-layer, when mounted on
whiteness and smoothness typical of graphic paperboard the plate cylinder. It is important that the thickness of the
are particularly important. Even more important is the plate is uniform over the whole area. The thickness should
clean and debris-free paperboard surface. The fact that not deviate more than ±0.02 to 0.03 mm. According to some
the fibres in graphic paperboard bind very well – or extrem- printers, the issue of plate thickness can be controversial.
ely well – together minimises the risk that debris should Many flexo printers therefore experiment with different plate
force the press to be stopped in order to clean the plates. and ink combinations to achieve optimal print results.

Printing plates Flexo inks

In flexo printing the plate itself is the compressible com- The flexo inks are low-viscosity inks, characterised as
ponent in the printing unit. The soft printing plate has one fluids. There are solvent-based, water-based, and UV-
major drawback in that it causes quite a high dot gain com- curable inks. The solvent-based inks have more or less
pared to offset printing. In general a hard polymer plate is been replaced by water-based inks when printing on
required to minimise the dot gain, while a softer plate gives paper and paperboard, mainly for environmental reasons.
higher print density in full tone areas. Since it is not possible to print wet-on-wet, the flexo press
The impression between the anilox roll and the plate is equipped with intermediate dryers or UV lamps between
cylinder, and between the plate and substrate, should be every inking unit. Heated air is used for drying solvent- and
as light as possible; this is called a kiss impression. If the water-based inks.
pressure is too high, halo and squeeze-out will be

PLATE PLATE
CYLINDER CYLINDER

Printing Printing
plate plate

IMPRESSION RUBBER ROLLER IMPRESSION

CYLINDER CYLINDER
Inking unit
with
chambered PAPERBOARD PAPERBOARD
doctor blade

ANILOX INK
ROLLER

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Screen printing

Screen printing

There are two different screen printing methods: the flat the printed image from loose fibres will eventually force the
bed method and the rotation method, of which the former press to be stopped for cleaning. As a result production
is most common for printing graphic paperboard. Screen time will be lost and the mesh may also be clogged with
printing is particularly suitable for substrates that are too partly dried ink, distorting the hues and image details.
stiff to be printed in other presses. Some screen presses The smooth coating is also a highly important advan-
are also capable of printing much larger sheets than nor- tage, since it will not absorb much excessive ink. Screen
mal presses. These factors make screen printing ideal for inks are expensive and screen printing produces a much
producing large paperboard displays. thicker ink layer. This, of course, makes it more resistant
Paperboard has some clear advantages in screen print- to scratches after a good drying period. Also the ink layer
ing. A substrate with low amounts of dust and debris is retains its hue and/or saturation better when exposed to
important in all printing methods, but in screen printing it sunlight, compared to other printing methods. Ink jet in
will have more direct effects on the production economy large format is gradually moving in to replace screen print-
and perhaps also indirect effects in print quality. Spots in ing for certain applications.

The principle of flatbed screen printing

164 Reference Manual | IGGESU ND PAP ERBOA RD

 Digital printing

Digital printing and direct imaging

technologies

Digital printing is an umbrella term used to describe all sys- design has led to improvements in quality and speed. In
tems which use any one of a number of technical solutions turn, these have made possible the step from office print
to replace the traditional pre-press stage in which physical to industrial production. The introduction of liquid toner in
image carriers such as cylinders or plates are created for electrophotography and UV-resistant inks in ink jet has led
multiple prints. There is a difference between direct imag- to further quality advantages and numerous new end uses.
ing technologies and masterless technologies. What they
have in common is that the printing matter or image carrier Paperboard in digital printing
is created inside the printing unit. However, digital printing Due to the multitude of available technologies it is difficult
in the true sense of the word only occurs when a digital to give specific recommendations. For all methods using
image file replaces a physical image carrier as the master electrical charges the moisture level of the substrate needs
which enables variable data to be printed. to be controlled, as a lower level has proved to give bet-
ter results. For liquid toners and liquid inks, the surface
Direct imaging of a print master, film or plate, in the chemistry and porosity play an important role in enabling
printing unit sharp image reproduction and good ink adhesion. For end
The majority of these print engines are working with a uses like displays, cards and covers in smaller volumes,
re-imageable master directly from data files, not for each paperboard is used successfully in various print engines.
revolution of the printing cylinder, but for each new job. As Consistency in thickness is an important feature in the
they usually do not handle variable data throughout the feeding of the sheets as well as in the consistent trans-
print run, in a sense they are not primarily digital printing formation of toner and ink. Stiff paperboard might not be
systems. They are mostly used for small- to medium- suitable for use if there are tight turns of the feeding paths
length repetitive print runs where the advantage lies in in the machine. The finishing or converting equipment may
the machines fast make-ready time. Inking systems have also be too weak to process stiff and tough paperboard.
much in common with other established printing tech-
niques. As a result, demands on the paperboard's surface
characteristics are much the same as for conventional
offset printing.

Masterless printing systems

With these print units the print master is truly the digital file
and the image is created and positioned on demand for
each sheet/revolution. These systems are usually based
on dry- or liquid toner, electrophotography or drop-on-
demand ink jet. The inking systems for these print engines
differ greatly from conventional printing systems and place
different demands on paperboard performance.
A few of the masterless printing methods have been
around for years. The most frequently used are electro-
photography with powder toner, thermography and ink jet
in its simplest form. The development of computer capac-
ity as well as fine-tuned imaging devices and ink jet head

The large format ink jet printing principle widely used for displays Three general types of drop ejection in ink jet, either directly through
piezo-electric crystals or indirectly through acoustic pressures

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Gravure printing

Gravure printing

Gravure printing is normally a reel-fed printing method The transfer of ink from the cylinder can be aided by
although sheet-fed machines exist in small numbers. electrostatically charging the impression roller. This is
Gravure is used mainly for large runs for magazines called Electrostatic Assistance (ESA) and is particularly
and directories on thinner paper. However, a significant used when half tones are being printed. However, ESA
number of applications are run on paperboard for high cannot be used with printing inks that have metallic pig-
volume packaging such as cigarette cartons and large ments which are conductive. In this case, the printability
volume confectionery/liquid packaging. The presses properties of the paperboard must be sufficient for printing
used for printing packaging applications are different from without ESA. In many cases where metallic inks are used
the publication presses in two ways: they are narrower the ESA can be run on the units prior to the metallic ink
and print units are almost exclusively set up in a straight being applied, for instance in the case of pictorial health
sequence horizontally (magazine printers can have print warnings on tobacco applications. Similarly, ESA cannot
units set up vertically). The advantages of gravure printing be used on foil/metallised polyester-laminated boards.
lie in the high, consistent and continuously reproducible
print result. Further, the advantage of fast ink drying (by Gravure in practice
evaporation) contributes to an immediate post-finishing of Due to the high volumes and high speed in the gravure
the printed goods. The process is ideally suited to situa- printing machines the operation is demanding when it
tions where there is a range of print designs but a constant comes to reel presentation. There must be tight tolerance
carton construction and size. in width, clean edges, well aligned cores and high quality
joins (if any joins are present). Issues relating to web ten-
Description of the gravure printing technique sion and dimensional stability are critical for achieving
The gravure printing process uses a metal cylinder with the
image engraved or etched on to the surface in the form of
a pattern with cavities, called “cells”. The gravure cylinder PRINTING CYLINDER
surface varies depending on the engraving or etching sys-
tem. The surface can be made of either copper protected Rough Printing
by a final chrome finish or zinc. The cylinder rotates through surface

an ink pan where the cells pick up ink. The excess ink on PAPERBOARD
non-image areas is scraped off the cylinder by a doctor
blade before the ink is transferred directly to the paper-
board surface. The inks are based on low viscosity solvents
or water. After each ink unit, the ink is dried using high
velocity air nozzle dryers in hoods, which are either heated
or not depending on the application and ink system.

Electrode
IMPRESSION (charging bar)
Rubber layer ROLLER

PAPERBOARD Semiconductive Ionisator

layer (discharging bar)
Printing

IMPRESSION D
Doctor blade Cell ROLLER AR
BO
PER
PA
PRINTING
CYLINDER

INK Ink pan Electrostatic field

PRINTING CYLINDER

The principle of gravure printing

166 Reference Manual | IGGESU ND PAP ERBOA RD

 Gravure printing

good register in printing and finishing. They therefore Freedom from visual defects is clearly of crucial impor-
require consistent properties with regards to the tensile tance and a high proportion of modern presses are
strength and stiffness of the paperboard. The choice of equipped with a unit that will scan for print defects (includ-
paperboard will affect the natural abilities for dimensional ing those caused by the board) and reject defective car-
stability (see the section on flatness and dimensional tons. Clearly, the paperboard’s freedom from any surface
stability). defects, whether visual or physical is a key property.
The hardness of the cylinder also demands a smooth
surface for best contact and ink transfer since the cylinder Key paperboard characteristics
does not adapt to the surface structure in the same way • thickness
as, for instance, a rubber blanket in offset printing. The • tensile strength
thickness of the paperboard must be consistent. This also • stiffness
means that the gravure method is relatively more sensitive • surface smoothness
to surface defects like blade lines and indentations than • flatness and dimensional stability
other methods. The failure in ink transfer results in missing • moisture level in the board to control solvent retention.
dots.
In food packaging, the paperboard’s solvent retention Finishing in gravure printing
properties affect the speed at which the cartons can be In gravure printing most products are finished up to the
wrapped without having to “air” the pallet to achieve ac- point of blanks inline. This means that varnishing, emboss-
ceptable levels of solvents trapped in the board. Factors ing, die-cutting and, at times, foil blocking, is done at the
governing the degree of solvent retention include the end of the press with rotary or flat bed tooling.
specific ink system used, plus well-managed and well- Misregister can occur not only in the printing process
controlled dryers that are in good condition. itself but also in all subsequent finishing stages.

PAPERBOARD
PAPERBOARD PAPERBOARD

CRUSH CUT DUAL KNIFE CUT CREASING

Overview of crush cut, dual knife cut and the embossing principle

EMBOSSING CREASING CUTTING

THREE CASSETTES SYSTEM

Principle of three-stage finishing in gravure packaging printing

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Gravure printing

Creasing and die-cutting at these high speeds therefore Some web-fed gravure printing presses are fitted with
require consistent properties in terms of thickness, tensile flat-bed cutting and creasing equipment. This is most suit-
strength and plybond in order to avoid variations in crease able for plants that print small to medium runs in which the
performance and registration between creases and em- variation of layout/shape size in the process and possibly
bossings. also the shorter make-ready of the flat-bed technique of-
Due to the high tooling costs for rotary converting, the fers advantages. It is possible to incorporate a foiling unit
issue of tool wear in die-cutting is an important factor to at this stage: however, this is often done by sheeting the
which the paperboard properties can contribute to some printed web and doing the foiling as a separate process.
extent. Composition of the coating may provide more or
less abrasion and lubrication and the baseboard finish will Key paperboard characteristics for print finishing
to some extent also affect the resistance to cutting. • thickness
Rotary cutting can be done in two ways: crush cut, in • tensile strength
which the knife meets a flat impression cylinder, and dual • stiffness
knife cut, in which two knives separate the paperboard, • surface smoothness
one from above and one from below. The latter is the more • flatness and dimensional stability
common approach in high volume tobacco applications • freedom from surface defects.
and has the advantage of minimising the number of adjust-
ments that must be made to the tooling during production,
resulting in consistency of creasing, etc.
Rotary conversion also has the advantage that no “nicks”
are required to hold the cartons together to take them for-
ward to separation of the blanks.

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 Hot foil stamping

Hot foil stamping

Hot foil stamping is a finishing method used to give texts satisfactory bonding of the foil. The paperboard surface
and patterns an eye-catching appearance. The foil can must be very smooth and free from impurities and spray
have a glossy or matt finish with a coloured, metallic or powder. The size of the area which can be hot foil stamped
holographic appearance. The size of the area that can be varies from small, such as lettering, to large areas.
covered varies from very small details, such as letters, to If the foil covers a relief pattern, hot foil stamping is per-
large, solid areas. formed at the same time as embossing to minimise the risk
of misregister between the relief and the foil.
The hot foil stamping operation
The foil is carried on a heat-resistant film. During the Recommendations
operation the paperboard and the foil are kept parallel. A For the best visual appearance of the foil, it is important to
heated matrix, which is fitted to the stamping plate or cyl- have a clean and very smooth paperboard surface with a
inder, relieves the foil from the carrier and makes it adhere minimum of interfering surface irregularities, since these
to the paperboard. are strongly accentuated when foiled. The tool’s ability to
Since the carrier film reacts with the foil due to the pressure conduct heat and the smoothness of the tool surface are
and heat of the stamping process, the composition of the pa- equally important factors. To produce the best gloss dur-
perboard surface is essential to provide good runnability and ing longer runs, the surface of the tool should be polished.

FOIL

Carrier film

Release layer

Pigment

Adhesion layer Heat

DIE

PAPERBOARD

COUNTER DIE

Hot foil stamping and embossing at the same time

PIGMENT FOIL METALLIC FOIL

Carrier film Carrier film

Release layer Release layer

Pigment Lacquer

Adhesion layer Aluminium

Adhesion layer

The composition of hot foil stamping films

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Hot foil stamping

Key paperboard characteristics Hot foil stamping in practice

For the best visual appearance of the foil, a smooth The following factors are essential for good hot foil stamping:
surface with a minimum of interfering surface structure is • foil type
important, since surface irregularities are strongly accen- • time of pressure (seconds)
tuated when foiled. • pressure (bar)
• temperature (°C).
Key properties
Key paperboard features when performing hot foil stamping: Testing the hot foil stamping result
• smoothness Visual inspection of the result, including comparison with
• surface structure proofs.
• adhesion
• surface strength
• flatness and dimensional stability at the specified mois-
ture content.

Problem Cause

Poor foil adhesion • Insufficient heat

Air blisters under the foil • Excessive heat

• Paperboard surface not smooth enough

Foil lacquer matt • Excessive pressure

Irregularities in foil lacquer • Insufficient heat

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 Embossing

Embossing

Quality embossing, blind or foil embossing, preprinted cated patterns and with pronounced relief. Often the em-
metal foil, and holograms add the touch of class needed bossed surface is printed or foiled. If the relief is raised, it is
for the promotion of luxury products such as greeting defined as positive. If the relief is impressed, it is negative.
cards, covers, folders, etc. The possible patterns obtained by embossing are
Even though all types of paperboard can be embossed, almost limitless. Some types of relief are shown in the
there are restrictions due to the construction and compo- illustration here.
sition of the paperboard. The paperboard has to be strong Embossing can also be applied as a pattern covering
and tough, but rigid and elastic at the same time. The finer the entire surface, for example paperboard embossed with
the detail and the deeper the depth of embossing needed, a linen structure.
the fewer types of paperboard grades there are available Please refer to the fold-out at the end of this manual for
that will successfully fulfil the requirements. an example of embossing.
Metallic foil can be used independently in foil printing or
holograms or in combination with embossing for promo- Description of the embossing method
tional reasons. Stamping foils have an effective metallic The embossing stamp (or die) is specially produced for
finish that make an immediate and striking impact. every embossing operation. The paperboard grade and
If the relief pattern is to be covered with metallic stamp- the relief shape and depth are of major importance for the
ing foil, the two operations are carried out simultaneously stamp construction.
to minimise the risk of misregister between the relief and The embossing operation is carried out with heat and
the foil. pressure to make the relief precise and permanent. The
embossing tool is a thin metal sheet with the surface
Embossing shaped as the relief pattern and the make-ready with the
Embossing means the shaping of paperboard into well- inverted pattern. The embossing stamp pushes the paper-
defined permanent relief patterns. If the paperboard is board into the groove of the make-ready, which is located
dense and strong, embossing can be done with compli- under the paperboard, and embosses a permanent relief.

PAPERBOARD

Embossing operation

DIE

EMBOSSING STAMP

PAPERBOARD

Make-ready thickness

DIE

The embossing stamp

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Embossing

A relief pattern can be 0.15 to 2.5 mm high or deep. If hot Different paperboard ply constructions
foil stamping is performed at the same time, the relief can Good formability is enhanced by the length of the fibres in
be 0.25 to 0.60 mm. By using both raised and immersed the paperboard and their ability to bond together. In this
reliefs in the same pattern, a visual effect of a greater respect, the ideal paperboard should consist of chemically
depth will be obtained. processed long fibres. High elasticity of the coating is also
important to avoid surface cracking. For this reason, Solid
Key paperboard characteristics Bleached Board can reproduce advanced designs with
The impression from the tool will be accurate, precise and relief exceeding the thickness of the paperboard. Folding
permanent if a strong and dense paperboard is used. The Box Board is also capable of giving embossing results
paperboard must allow a high degree of elongation with- which meet design needs.
out cracking but also retain permanent deformation after
the impression. This is known as having good formability. Key properties
Paperboard with a uniform density throughout the differ- Key paperboard features for embossing operations are:
ent layers contributes to the quality of the embossing. The • strength
strength and elongation of the paperboard permit compli- • elongation
cated patterns and large deformations without any visible • toughness
damage. • moisture content
• thickness
• density.

EMBOSSING

one level

two levels

many levels

impressed

one level, rounded

sculptural

Relief patterns

Material Production technique Durability Configuration

Brass Engraved ++++ Multi-level

Copper Etched +++ Mostly single level

Magnesium Engraved ++ Limited multi-level

Magnesium Etched ++ Only single level

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 Embossing

Embossing in practice FBB-type paperboard (Folding Box Board) is somewhat

If the relief has only small differences in levels, the machine more compressible than SBB-type (Solid Bleached Board)
speed can be higher. There will also be fewer problems and will therefore absorb some of the pressure within its
with stacking and further converting the embossed sheets. structure. The make-ready needs to compensate for this,
Embossing of plastic-coated or laminated paperboard i.e. it needs to be properly adjusted to both the com-
must be carefully tested. pressibility and the thickness of the substrate.
The paperboard moisture content is essential for good Therefore please note that we recommend you pur-
formability. It is therefore important to prevent the paper- chase the make-ready as well as the stamp from your tool
board drying out. supplier rather than use a do-it-yourself material (e.g. a
The tool preparation is usually specific to a particular make-ready board or a moulded make-ready from a one-
paperboard grade. This means that it is very difficult to use or two-component paste). A do-it-yourself make-ready will
the tool with other grades. only withstand short run lengths. Even more important, it
To achieve the best results we recommend that you always will not provide the required precision, that is, you will not
give your tool supplier a sample of the substrate you intend to be able to adjust the make-ready properly to the board.
use. When producing the tool there are a number of factors to
take into account. The run length will determine the choice of Testing the embossing result
material for the stamp. The grade and grammage of paper- The embossing result is subjectively evaluated regarding
board will determine the design of the make-ready. defects, cracks, etc. See below.

Problem Cause

The blanks tear during the embossing operation. • Paperboard too dry.
• Combination of paperboard strength/flexibility and
embossing height is incorrect.

The pigment coating cracks and peels off during • Coating adhesion insufficient.
embossing. • Coating too dry or the surface structure is too rough.
• Coating too weak or too brittle.

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Die-cutting and creasing

Die-cutting and creasing

In the conversion of paperboard the die-cutting and creas- settings are vital. The moisture content, shape and dimen-
ing operations are usually performed simultaneously in the sions of the web/sheet and cut blanks are important. The
flat-bed die-cutting station, which can be off-line or in-line partly cut sheet must have enough integrity to be trans-
with the printing press. In-line processing dominates for ported to the stripping unit. Even minor variations and
cigarette cartons; most other carton work is done off-line. disturbances can cause a breakage and jam the whole
Die-cutting and creasing are frequently combined with production line. After the type of paperboard, consistency
embossing. in moisture and thickness are the next two most important
To achieve a consistent, accurate result, it is important to factors.
choose the right tools, machine settings, types of paper-
board and conditions for the paperboard. Detailed techni- Die-cutting
cal information on tool design, machinery and settings is A good cut should be clean and free from loose fibres and
available through established suppliers of machines and particles. This will give accurate and clean edges and avoid
tools. Less information, however, is available regarding the contamination problems during further processing of the
interactions between the machinery, tools and paperboard. paperboard or in the packaging operation.
Die-cut blanks remain linked to one another by nicks.
Key paperboard characteristics To prevent unwanted separation of the sheet during the
It is important to recognise the differences between the transfer to subsequent stations, the strength of specific
different types of paperboards, mainly Solid Bleached nicks is of great importance for a high production rate. At
Board (SBB), Folding Box Board (FBB) and White Lined the same time it is important that the paperboard blanks
Chipboard (WLC). All grades can be cut and creased but to can be easily separated in the stripping operation, which
achieve the best result for each application it is important removes the paperboard waste. Having an optimum nick
to fine-tune the treatment to give the desired result. Due to quality is necessary in order to achieve the best result
the type and individual properties of the different paper- regarding these two contradictory needs and to obtain
board grades, die-cutting, creasing and embossing can be a clean and clear cut.
performed to different levels of achievement.
Common to all paperboards is the fact that results differ Description of the die-cutting tool
depending on the grain direction, moisture content and The die consists of the cutting and creasing rules. When
thickness, amount and type of surface treatment (pigment, performing the die-cutting operation, the die reciprocates
plastic, or metal foil coatings). up and down towards the paperboard, which is placed on
Runnability through the die-cutting and creasing station the make-ready. After one cycle the cut paperboard sheet
is important. The paperboard web or sheet should be is removed and a new one is fed into the machine.
efficiently cut and creased, partly separated and rapidly Please refer to the fold-out at the end of this manual for
pushed (or pulled) away. To run satisfactorily, the machine an example of die-cutting.

H Ejection
Cutting rule Creasing rule rubber

PAPERBOARD PAPERBOARD t

Make-ready tn

The die-cutting and creasing tools Tool dimensions should be adjusted to the materials to be used.
Request recommendations from the supplier of the material

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 Die-cutting and creasing

The task of the ejection rubber is to hold the sheet in a

fixed position during cutting and to eject the paperboard PAPERBOARD BLANK
blanks from the cutting die.
Paperboard MD
A nick is obtained by making a notch into the cutting
rule. The geometry of the nicks (shape and size) varies
and depends mainly on the type of paperboard used.
The height of the notch should be slightly higher than

Paperboard CD
the paperboard thickness.

Key paperboard characteristics

Chemical fibres in the paperboard give strength and ef-
ficient bonding, which gives a cut with clean edges. Due
to its strength, chemical fibre-based paperboard therefore
allows smaller nicks. The different strength properties in
the machine direction compared to the cross direction are Waste Nicks

important in the design of nicks. Generally nicks are two

times stronger in the machine direction than in the cross Positions of the nicks, obtained by a notch in the cutting tool
direction.
To achieve clean, debris-free edges it is important to
have the correct cutting conditions. Due to its strength,
toughness, and density, paperboard requires sharp,
well-adjusted knives and good control of the die-cutting
machine. The high force required to cut through has to be
well controlled to minimise what is called the “overshoot”
of the moving die. Otherwise the knives will hit the counter
Cutting line
plate too hard which will quickly damage the knives and
degrade the quality of the cut edges.
The most important strength properties of the paper- PAPERBOARD BLANK Creasing line
board are tearing and tensile strength. The nick strength
is proportional to tensile strength and grammage. The Die-cutting and creasing pattern for a carton
moisture content level is essential for both runnability and
quality during the die-cutting process. Too high a level will
make the paperboard strong, tougher and more difficult
HIGH

to cut. Too low a moisture level will make the paperboard

SBB
more brittle and difficult to safely transfer. Difficulties in cut-
ting through can be caused by the paperboard thickness,
FBB
STRENGTH

moisture variation, or tool wear and adjustments.

When cutting sheets into carton blanks it is important WLC
to achieve the desired shape to feed the blanks properly. Wood
Depending on the moisture equilibrium and the possibility containing
paper
of tension being released during cutting, the blanks can be Wood
free
curved or twisted into shapes that disrupt the converting
LOW

paper
and packing operations.
Moisture content variations and dimensional variations NARROW NICK SIZE WIDE
cause misregister between the printed image, cuts, crea-
ses, and embossed impressions.
The wear of die-cutting tools is not well understood. Coa-
ting and fibre composition, inks and varnishes may have an
influence. Notch

Cutting rule

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Die-cutting and creasing

Die-cutting in practice Rubbering of the cutting die

Tool preparation The rubbering of the cutting die plays a very important role
All cutting rules must be of the same height to cut through for the quality of the final result. Correctly done the rubber-
the entire thickness of the paperboard across the die. ing also supports productivity by allowing higher speeds and
Fine-tuning the level of each cutting rule is important but minimising the risk of stops due to waste coming loose in the
complicated. Patching up, as it is called, in one area of the machine or sheets not ejecting properly from the die.
sheet might induce disturbances in other areas. Machinery In the cutting operation the rubbers fix and secure the sheet
suppliers will be able to provide more specific information before and during the cutting and help to strip the cut mater-
on this topic. The nick strength depends on factors such as: ial from the sheet. All die rules around the outer edges of
• paperboard grain direction the design should be rubbered with “closed” rubber types.
• method of making notches These will trap and compress air within the design and help to
• rubbering of cutting die eject the sheet from the cutting die.
• nick dimensions To avoid unwanted stress on the nicks the notches should
• arrangements of nicks not be ground through the rubbers. This would put extra stress
• number of nicks on the nicks during the cutting operation and may decrease
• humidity of the paperboard their strength by up to 30%, risking premature breaking.
• type of fibre.
The ideal position for the nicks is in line with the gripper Recommendations
force. The flaps of a blank should be linked with another Rubbers for blank separating rules with notches: The
blank by two nicks placed as far apart as possible. Nicks rubber is generally positioned between 1.0 and 2.0 mm
should not be made on glue flaps. Nicks are produced by from the cutting rule in order to prevent breakage of nicks.
grinding a notch in the cutting rule with a grinding wheel. The use of profile rubber (shape-designed to distribute the
The dimensions of nicks should be as small as possible. stress in the compression stage in a more accurate way)
Generally, the width of the nicks varies from 0.4 mm to has proven to give better results: stronger nicks, fewer
1.0 mm depending on the strength of the paperboard. pressure marks, and a more accurate fixing of the paper-
It is important that the climate is controlled in order to keep the board during the cutting operation.
paperboard moisture content unchanged. Variations in moisture A very hard profile rubber (7 mm wide) is recommended.
content will cause dimensional changes due to shrinkage and Please note: If undesired pressure marks should occur,
expansion, which will cause misregister. Constant moisture is reduce the hardness and if possible increase the width.
also important to avoid distorting the shapes of sheets or blanks, Rubbers for rules without notches: The rubbers for such
which could otherwise interfere with the cutting tools and cause an area serve only to eject the sheet after it has been die-
machine stops. The toughness of the paperboard varies with cut. The most important paperboard property in this con-
moisture. High moisture makes the paperboard difficult to cut text is good elasticity. The rubber should be compressible
and the blanks tough to separate, and low moisture makes the to at least 50% of its normal height.
paperboard brittle and may cause unwanted blank separation.

Correct Incorrect

PAPERBOARD

The grinding of notches must not damage the supporting rubbering The hardness and profile of the supporting material vary depending
on whether its function involves fixing the paperboard during cutting or
ejecting the blank after cutting. Both cork and different types and hard-
nesses of rubber are used

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 Die-cutting and creasing

Rubbers for paperboard printed on both sides: When Ram punching is often used to cut paper but can also be
die-cutting a paperboard which has been printed on both successfully used with multi-ply paperboard to cut simple
sides it is important to increase the hardness of the rubber. shapes. To avoid waste, the paperboard is first cut down
In this way ink flaking on the reverse side is avoided. This in an ordinary cutting machine to fit the size of the intended
is especially important when using a UV curable (hard) ink shape, leaving a margin of 5 to 10 mm.
or varnish. The ram punching tool consists of a punch mounted
A cork rubber or a hard elastomer is recommended. The on a jig. To prevent edge delamination and other damage,
rubber profile should be mounted as close as possible to counter pressure, i.e. that a hydraulic piston is used to press
the cutting rule. the paperboard pile against the punch is recommended.
Under demanding conditions the choice of a suitable varn-
The ram punching operation ish that can lubricate the knife may also prevent edge
Ram punching is a powerful cutting technique used to cut damage.
numerous amounts of small shapes such as labels, enve- A high density paperboard such as SBB is more suitable
lopes and cards. Unlike die-cutting, which cuts one sheet for ram punching operations than other paperboard types.
at a time, ram punching is used to cut through a pile of
substrate. This means, of course, that ram punching and
creasing cannot be performed simultaneously.

re
ssu
pre
tool

The ram punching operation

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Die-cutting and creasing

The laser cutting operation Coated wood-free paper has higher coating/baseboard
Laser cutting is by far the most elaborate and exclusive ratio and usually contains fillers (for opacity). Compara-
cutting method. It allows very small details and very tively more energy is therefore needed to cut the same
complex designs. With the right paperboard almost any thickness (longer production time). Due to the high amount
pattern can be achieved. The operating principle is rather of coating and fillers, the discolouration is also more pro-
simple. The original design is etched through a copper nounced than for paperboard.
template, which is positioned over the paperboard sheet. WLC contains impurities from recycled material. This
A sharply focused laser beam runs back and forth over the may cause a discolouration closer to black than light
template and wherever there are etched areas, the laser brown. Depending on the type of WLC, lower tearing
beam vaporises the paperboard. resistance and tensile strength may also limit the ability
The paperboard used in laser cutting should be as lightly to produce a highly detailed design.
coated as possible for two reasons. The first is that the
lighter the coating is, the faster the laser cutting works. General recommendations
The second is that the operation leaves a slightly brownish The interactions between the machines, cutting tools and
discolouration on the reverse side of the paperboard, and paperboard differ depending on the cutting method, the
this is more noticeable on a heavily coated paperboard. design, the previous surface treatment (e.g. lamination),
This discoloration can be covered by printing, but it may and the choice of paperboard product for the intended
also be considered as a part of the design. application.
Since the sheets are fed into the laser cutting machine • Generally, flatness and dimensional stability are vital for
with the print side down, a protective varnish to avoid achieving high runnability. Moisture content is equally cru-
scratches on the print is recommended. The use of cial. Too high level of moisture will make the paperboard
paperboard thicker than approximately 500 μm should too strong to cut, while too low moisture level will make
be avoided, due to limitations in the laser cutting process. the paperboard too brittle.
Please contact a supplier for advice and if possible a test. • Strength is always required from the paperboard for
The benefits and limitations of multi-ply paperboard good runnability and good formability. The most impor-
products in laser cutting are shown in the following table. tant strength properties are tearing resistance and tensile
Multi-ply paperboard has several major advantages strength.
when being laser cut, compared to products like coated • If white cut edges are required, paperboard made solely
wood-free paper or White Lined Chipboard, (WLC). from bleached chemical pulp must be used.

Paperboard type Benefits Limitations

Folding Box Board, FBB Low density compared to thickness Lower strength than SBB
means less energy is needed for cutting
(economical production).

Single-sided coated FBB causes less dis-

colouration from the coating. The amount
of coating compared to thickness is smaller
than for alternative grades with coating on
both sides.

Solid Bleached Board, SBB The strong network in SBB baseboard Two-side fully coated SBB gives more
allows a design with finer details (better discolouration, since the coating amount
strength in the most fragile designs than is higher compared to the thickness than
alternative grades). for single-side coated paperboard.

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 Die-cutting and creasing

Creasing
Creasing is an operation which facilitates the folding
operation. During creasing the paperboard is weakened
along well defined folding lines, which then act as hinges
for folding packaging and graphical products. It is very
PAPERBOARD
difficult to fold paperboard with a good result without
creasing. The surface plies will crack and/or the folding
line will be undefined. When converting paper (less than
180 g/m²) the folding operation is often performed without
any surface preparation. Paperboard with a grammage Creasing operation
above 600 g/m² requires more than one crease or must be
scored before folding.
To achieve a perfect crease the relationship between its CREASING
width and depth is of great importance. RULE
Creasing is carried out using a thin strip of steel with a
round smooth edge and an accurately cut groove in a thin ELONGATION
hard material known as the make-ready (matrix or counter-
die). The creasing rule pushes the paperboard into the COMPRESSION
groove of the make-ready, located under the paperboard,
creating a permanent crease.
PAPERBOARD
The creasing tool’s construction and performance are
essential elements in obtaining a satisfactory result.
MAKE-READY

Description of the creasing tool

The creasing rules are fitted into the die. When performing
the creasing operation, the die reciprocates up and down
towards the paperboard, which is placed on the make-
ready. After one cycle the creased paperboard sheet is During creasing and subsequent folding the paperboard is subjected to
removed and a new one is fed into the machine. severe stresses and deformation
The thickness of the creasing rule, the groove width,
the make-ready thickness, and the paperboard thickness
must correspond to each other. Different types of paper-
board require different tool geometries.

Creasing – a deformation
The paperboard is creased by being pressed into a
channel or groove in the make-ready. The forces created
deform the paperboard in a predetermined way and the
deformation is permanent. The result is a reduction in the
bending resistance of the crease. The paperboard is there-
fore weaker along the crease than elsewhere. During the
creasing operation, the paperboard sheet is bent in four
narrow zones and in each of these the paperboard must
endure high tensile forces or compression forces.

When converting extremely thick material the use of double

creases is normal procedure

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Die-cutting and creasing

To calculate the creasing parameters the following formu- Different paperboard ply constructions
lae may be used: Most paperboards are made of several plies. The fibre
composition and physical properties vary considerably
Crease depth = hi = t + tn – (H – Hr) between different types of paperboard. To get well-defined
Penetration = h = H – (Hr + tn) (DIN) creases and accurate folding with low folding resistance
The height of the creasing rule = Hr = H – tn (DIN) the crease should be deep and narrow. During creasing
If the penetration is = 0 mm then the crease depth and subsequent folding the paperboard is subjected to
= paperboard thickness severe stresses and deformations.
If the penetration is > 0 mm then the crease depth For successful creasing the paperboard must have
< paperboard thickness strong surface plies and coating layers. Another impor-
If the penetration is < 0 mm then the crease depth tant feature is the attainment of a good hinge. Ideally, the
> paperboard thickness paperboard should delaminate into a finite number of thin
unbroken plies throughout the thickness of the paperboard.
According to the DIN standard, penetration equal to Due to the wide range of paperboards and their different
the thickness of the paperboard is denoted as ±0. The physical properties, the graphical or packaging demands
penetration is denoted as + when the crease depth is less on creasing should be carefully matched to a suitable
than the paperboard thickness and – when it is more than paperboard. Equally important is the adaptation of the
the paperboard thickness. Unfortunately there is not a uni- creasing tools to the type of paperboard.
versal agreement about the notation + and – as applied to
penetration. Iggesund Paperboard uses the same notation Key properties
as that described in the DIN standard. Since the creasing operation causes a mechanical de-
It is not always possible to have a make-ready or formation, the measurable strength properties such as
counter-die of exactly the same thickness as that of the tensile strength, compression strength, elongation, and
paperboard. As a general rule, choose the next larger elasticity are important.
thickness e.g. 0.40 mm for a 0.35 mm paperboard.
The width of the creasing rule is typically 0.70 mm in the Creasing in practice
thickness range 0.20 – 0.55 mm and 1.05 mm for paper- Tool preparation
board thicknesses above 0.55 mm. The creasing rule width, the groove width and the make-
The groove width is generally 1.5× the thickness of the ready thickness should be determined with regard to the
paperboard plus the width of the creasing rule. The groove paperboard type, the paperboard thickness and the direc-
width should be narrower if the crease is performed in the tion of the creases (MD or CD).
machine direction (MD).

Key paperboard characteristics

Different types of paperboard react differently and need
the appropriate tools to give the best result.

TOO NARROW TOO WIDE

TOO DEEP
CREASE DEPTH

br

The board
H Hr r=b r /2
will crack
r
Good
r creasing
TOO SHALLOW

hi area
t
d
h

Surface Poor corner

tn plies will crack when folding

bn CREASE WIDTH

Creasing tool geometry Creasing area

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 Die-cutting and creasing

The following factors are essential for good creasing: tools should be adjusted (according to the formula in the
• the height and width of the creasing rule section “Description of the creasing tool”). It is important
• the thickness of the make-ready to distinguish thickness from grammage. Different types of
• the groove width paperboard have different thickness/grammage relation-
• the accuracy and hardness of the make-ready ships and different physical properties. To obtain a good
• the pressure of the die-cutter. result the tools should be designed according to the
It is more difficult to produce a perfect crease parallel to paperboard type and thickness chosen.
the machine direction (MD) than it is parallel to the cross
direction (CD). In demanding cases MD creases should be Paperboard type
defined separately. If there are many creases, especially For each type of paperboard, there are recommendations
close to each other, it is advisable to have them parallel to which will help to obtain the best result when creasing.
the CD of the paperboard. See the Product Catalogue for further information.
The operating accuracy of the creasing tool is important
in order to correctly locate creases. An incorrectly located Testing crease result
crease will give a poor appearance, especially when the The effectiveness or inadequacy of a crease should be
carton is printed. checked by bending at an angle of 90 ° or 180 ° depending
on whether the blanks are to be erected and glued or are
Thickness to be glued for flat delivery.
Thickness, not grammage, is an important variable for the Creases are subjectively evaluated regarding defects,
design of the creasing tools. If the paperboard thickness cracks, etc. For good results the folding factor, explained
is changed, even within the same type of paperboard, the later in this chapter, should be above 50%.

Paperboard type Paperboard characteristics Creasing results

Solid Bleached Board Dense, strong, and tough paperboard. Develops well defined permanent creases
Strong plies throughout to withstand easily. Gives creases with low folding
demanding creasing. resistance and good foldability over a
wide range of crease geometries. Accepts
very narrow and deep creases without
damage.

Folding Box Board Low density, stiff paperboard. Strong sur- Develops well defined creases. The com-
face plies to withstand the crease stress pressible interior gives less permanence
and deformation. of the crease as defined by the tools. The
high stiffness in relation to the folding
resistance gives good foldability.

White Lined Chipboard Dense, intermediate to low strength and Develops creases provided the tools are
stiffness. Stronger surface plies to accept matched with the chosen paperboard.
moderate creasing. The physical properties and pulp com-
position vary to a large extent. It is not
possible to give typical values.

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Die-cutting and creasing

Scoring • A metal surface with milled groove in fixed dimension.

The bookbinding industry is developing in many fields. • Two adjustable parts in metal, which enables the adjust-
Demands on shorter make-ready time, shorter runs and ment of the female groove width.
higher speed makes the traditional creasing technique In the first case, the only adjustment that can be made
less profitable. The use of inline scoring in the binder for during production is a pressure adjustment, which is done
both soft cover production and saddle stitching as well as by pressing the male tool down harder into the substrate.
for folders is the prevailing technique. In the second case, pressure can be increased up to the
point where you risk cutting into the substrate. The width
Description of the scoring operation of the groove can be adjusted by fitting a new female tool
The paper or paperboard travels through a set of counter with a different groove dimension. In the third case, both
rotating tools with a male and female part which press a the pressure (depth of indentation) and the width of groove
permanent groove into the substrate. can be adjusted independently by using levers in the
In the folding station the substrate travels through the tools machine.
mounted on shafts before going through the knife folding unit.
In the cover station for a saddle stitcher the cover is gripped Folding performance
and fed around a rotating drum with a male scoring wheel. A study of SBB 240–260 g/m² and FBB 200–240 g/m² in
In the cover station for the perfect binder the covers are 2008, identified the most important differences between
fed through two sets of shafts with tools. Tools for spine traditional creasing and scoring with regard to the per-
grooves as well as decorative grooves for front and back formance of the creased material.
covers are fitted in an opposing manner.
The female wheel can be of three main types; Settings
• A soft rubber counterpart which does not have a groove The tool geometry for the scoring tools in this study were as
and which relies on the compressibility of the surface to be follows: The width of the male scoring tool was set to 0.7mm
sufficient for developing the permanent deformation in the which corresponded to the width of the creasing rule.
substrate.

The principle of scoring with counter rotating tools In the folding station the substrate is transported through the
scoring section via rollers on shafts

At the cover station for soft cover production the paperboard is scored The three most common tool configurations in scoring
with four scores, two facing inwards and two outwards

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 Die-cutting and creasing

The width of the female groove was approximately 0.6 mm

wider for the scoring tool compared to the groove of the
make-ready used in the creasing study according to the
manufacturer’s recommendations.
width

Depth of the crease (hi)

In the case of both SBB and FBB products the depth of
the groove of the scored material was found to be 25–30% depth
PAPERBOARD
shallower when scoring with h=0 penetration by the male
tool. However, when the penetration was increased by 20%
the SBB developed an equally deep groove as when prop-
erly creased but the FBB samples were still 15% shallower
than the creased material. This can probably be attributed
to the higher density of the SBB. In contrast, the compress-
ibility of the FBB paperboard requires higher pressure to
develop a permanent deformation of the same depth.

RESISTANCE TO FOLDING 0-90°

Creased FBB 200g/m²

1200
Creased SBB 240g/m²
1000 Scored FBB 200g/m²
TORQUE (mNm)*100

Scored SBB 240g/m²

800

600

400

200

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

ANGLE (degrees)

A crease folding resistance chart as produced by a L&W bending tester

RELAXATION GRAPH
Creases parallell to MD on printing side

800
Creased FBB 200g/m²

Creased SBB 240g/m²

Scored FBB 200g/m²

TORQUE (mNm)*100

600

Scored SBB 240g/m²

400

200

0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15

RELAXATION TIME (s)

A crease relaxation chart from the L&W bending tester

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Die-cutting and creasing

Width of groove Scoring in practice

The width of the groove inside the bulge was recorded The main difference between traditional scoring and car-
(see the illustration above) and here the scored material ton blank creasing is the direction of the score. Whereas
showed a wider result than the creased material. The SBB the bulge is always directed inwards into the fold in carton
samples were approximately 20% wider and the FBB was creasing, scoring for books and brochures is mainly done
15% wider. Increasing the pressure to a positive penetra- the opposite way. There are two reasons for this. First, the
tion did not affect the width of the groove significantly. technique is mainly used for thinner fine paper where the
To summarise, the result of scoring can be expected prospect of creating a well-defined delamination within the
to be shallower and wider than the result of creasing. An structure to facilitate a good fold with low resistance is low
example of the effect this has on the folding resistance due to its monolayer construction and high internal bond.
(moment) is illustrated by the graph on the previous page. Second, there are clear practical reasons in three differ-
The FBB paperboard and SBB paperboard show equal ent cases:
resistance to folding at 90 ° despite the difference in • When folding the bulge would, if turned the “correct”
their base weight. The resistance is approximately 25 % way, obstruct the accuracy of the folding knife in the folder
higher for the scored samples at 90 ° due primarily to the when the bulge is pushed between the folding rollers. This
incomplete bulge geometry of the scored material. The leads to misregister and variations through the run.
remaining resistance after folding 90 ° drops and has been • If the bulge develops towards the insert of the magazine,
recorded over a 15 second period. This is an important the alignment of the insert in relation to the cover could
property to monitor, since this corresponds to the clam- be obstructed. This leads to misregister between artwork
ping period in a perfect binder where the force with which which spreads over both cover and insert and reduces the
the paperboard wants to spring back after clamping risks ability to have a controlled and consistent operation.
the integrity of the glue seam. Once again the moment • When applying the cover onto the insert in a perfect binder,
to which the paperboard wants to spring back after 15 the bulge will obstruct either the tight fit of the spine or the
seconds is 25% higher for the scored material compared integrity of the side glue seam on the face and back page.
to the creased material.

The traditional direction of a crease with the bead facing inwards in a fold may obstruct proper folding in a knife folding operation

Creasing the cover from the face side will produce a bead that may The traditional way of creasing and folding paperboard might
obstruct the alignment of the cover with the insert obstruct tight fitting of a book cover

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 Die-cutting and creasing

Key paperboard properties Key paperboard properties for foldability in scoring

It is evident that traditional creasing results in a deeper and • Strength and toughness in the MD and CD, tensile
narrower crease which improves the folding performance. strength, compression strength, elongation and elasticity
When scoring, you need to adjust the tooling and settings • Stiffness in the MD and CD
to negative penetration (according to the DIN standard) • A strong and elastic coating.
and you need to select or set the width of the female tool to
an absolute minimum without inflicting a cut in the surface.

Problem Cause and remedies

The outside of the paperboard cracks during folding. Too high stress along the edges of the crease. Widen the
groove or reduce the height of the make-ready.

The sides of the erected box bulge out. The grooves on the make-ready are too wide. Increase the
height of the creasing rule. To correct the creasing, remake
the make-ready. The folding resistance is too great.

Irregular creases, the paperboard folds either The grooves on the make-ready are too wide. Increase the
to the left or to the right of the crease. height of the creasing rule. To correct the creasing, remake
the make-ready. The folding resistance is too great

The liner splits. Insufficient penetration or depth of crease. The groove

width too narrow. The paperboard is too dry.

Crumpled roll (or bead) Insufficient penetration. The groove width is too wide,
possibly due to a worn matrix.

Cutting through Poor alignment of the rule with the groove.

Back splitting Bottoming of the bead in the groove as a result of an

insufficiently thick matrix, or debris in the groove.

Bursting Localised splitting of the crease due to the presence of

debris etc. in the groove.

Shattering (Cobbing) Tears in the reverse side adjacent to the cut edges.
Prevent this by using a hard ejection rubber set
approximately 1 mm from the knife.

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Creasability and foldability

Creasability and foldability

The purpose of creasing is to make well-defined folding The paperboard’s stiffness and strength properties con-
lines, which facilitate the folding operation and provide tribute to the folding result. Folding Box Board is generally
the conditions for the paperboard product to obtain its stiffer than Solid Bleached Board, for a given grammage,
intended shape and function. The ideal crease should per- which instead has better strength properties. Foldability is
form like a perfect hinge when folded. This cannot be fully a question of stiffness and strength, related to the applica-
achieved, but the challenge is to come as close to such a tion demands.
hinge function as possible. The following text deals only with the aspects to be
Creasability and foldability are two closely related and considered when creasing and folding basic grades of
very important properties: paperboard. The additional considerations for plastic- or
• for obtaining the intended carton shape and function metal-laminated paperboard are not discussed.
• when designing creative shapes, in both graphical and In most cases the paperboard consists of a number of
packaging applications fibre plies and layers of coating. The individual characteris-
• for packaging line efficiency and runnability tics of the different plies and the paperboard construction
• for achieving box compression strength and stacking as a whole have a great influence on the creasability and
performance. foldability. The multi-ply construction makes an important
The application determines the creasability and foldabil- contribution to creasability and foldability.
ity demands. These demands can arise from production, The demands on creasability and foldability vary with
carton shape, size or function. the application. Folding Box Board (mechanical pulp with
chemical pulp in the surface plies) and Solid Bleached
The paperboard choice Board (pure chemical pulp) can together satisfy a wide
Paperboard catalogues and brochures often contain the range of different demands.
manufacturer’s subjective opinion about the paperboard Solid Bleached Board has advantages when the require-
creasability and foldability, for example “good” or “very ments for precision and machine speed are high and when
good”. Structure, construction, type of pulp, and basic the carton shape demands deep and narrow creases.
measurable properties provide the paperboard with its This is especially so if the creases are located very close to
creasability and foldability. The judgement “good” or “very each other in small areas, when creasing with narrow radii,
good” must be based on facts about these properties. and if the crease angles are small. Since the creasing op-
The paperboard choice is important but the construc- eration causes a mechanical deformation, the measurable
tion of the creasing tool and its performance are equally strength properties such as tensile strength, compression
important for achieving a satisfactory result. strength, elongation, and elasticity are vital.

CREASE FOLD Good creases –

intended shape

IDEAL
Poor creases – Poor stacking
bad shape performance

The hinge – an ideal state after creasing and folding Creasability and foldability effects

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 Creasability and foldability

Creasability characteristics The criteria for good creasability become more obvious
Creasability is explained as: if the folding factor as a function of the creasing depth or
• The paperboard’s ability to permit deep and narrow width is shown in an illustration. The end points of each
creases. Folding such a paperboard is easy and the result graph represent either a badly defined crease or cracking
will be well-defined edges and corners. of surfaces (deep creases).
• The paperboard’s ability to adapt to the crease rule
shape and retain the desired geometry of the crease. Ac- Assessment of creasability
curacy and precision in the crease shape and location are An objective evaluation of the creasability of various paper-
important. The folding operation is difficult to perform if the boards is performed by calculating the folding factor after
crease is too shallow or wide. creasing. The bending moment (M) is measured before and
• The paperboard’s ability to be folded is measured by the after creasing. The folding factor (F), also called moment
folding factor. The higher the folding factor attained without reduction, is calculated using the following formula:
the surfaces cracking, the better the creasability and run-
nability in converting and packaging machines. Muncreased – Mcreased
• The paperboard’s ability to “forgive”. A forgiving paper- F= × 100 %
Muncreased
board is less sensitive to variations in the creasing condi-
tions (width, depth, and thickness), for example, due to the Folding factor = 0  uncreased paperboard
tools becoming blunt. The paperboard will be more reliable Folding factor = 100 %  perfect hinge
in the converting machines.The compression strength of
paperboard in general is 2–3 times less than the tensile The criteria for good creasability become more obvious
strength. The material will collapse where the compression if the folding factor as a function of the creasing depth or
forces start to appear, but the surface plies are unaffected width is shown in an illustration. The end points of each
and retain their tensile strength. This course of events is graph represent either a badly defined crease or cracking
desirable. The areas with compression are initially delami- of surfaces (deep creases).
nated into several thin layers within the paperboard and the The following conclusions can be made:
plies separate. During the subsequent folding operation the Good creasability is characterised by:
delamination will fully develop and the surface plies where • A high folding factor attained at low creasing depths.
the tensile strength is unaffected create the hinge. • A further increase in creasing depth will result in only a
It is obvious that creasing is a severe treatment. The small change in the folding factor (as horizontal a curve as
surface plies of the paperboard, including the pigment possible).
coating, must be strong enough to withstand the required • The material should not be too sensitive to surface crack-
forces and elongations. Deep and narrow creases are dif- ing during creasing or folding and bending, i.e. it should
ficult to perform. The surface plies may crack either when allow a wide range of depths/widths.
the crease depth limit of the material is exceeded, or during A straight and horizontal line in the illustration is opti-
folding. mum. In practice, the creasing tools become blunt, and

FOLDABILITY
FOLDING FACTOR, %

100

Very good

50 Good

Poor

0
CREASING DEPTH, MM

Importance of multi-ply construction

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Creasability and foldability

variations occur in the settings of the creasing depth and Different paperboard ply constructions
the machinery. Thus, a paperboard that gives small chang- Pulp quality and composition as well as the paperboard
es in folding factor due to alterations in depth is forgiving construction have a great influence on the creasability of
as its creasability is only marginally affected by changes in the paperboard.
the machinery and make-ready. Cracking in either of the The use of multi-ply paperboard is one important crite-
two surface plies usually occurs when the creasing depth rion for good creasability. Complete delamination of the
is increased. Therefore, a paperboard that can take as inner plies is desirable to achieve the hinge when folding.
deep creasing as possible is desirable. The following illustration shows an example of the creas-
In paperboard with poor creasability, the folding factor ability of three different multi-ply sheets. A sheet made of
is very dependent on the creasing depth, and cracking mechanical pulp with a surface ply of bleached chemical
occurs as soon as the depth is exceeded. pulp (A), an I-beam construction with mechanical pulp in
A 3D illustration can be used to show the relation be- the middle plies and bleached chemical pulp in the top and
tween folding resistance, crease width, and crease depth. bottom plies (B), and finally a multi-ply and homogeneous
The exact shape, symmetry and position of the creases sheet made of bleached chemical pulp (C).
have become more important as packaging applications The differences in creasability are significant. A radical
increasingly require greater reliability and efficiency. improvement in the creasability is gained when mechanical
The final shape of the crease, i.e. its width and depth, pulp is used together with two plies of bleached chemi-
is not only defined by the creasing tool geometry but also cal pulp in an I-beam construction of the paperboard (B)
by the type of paperboard and its ability to adapt to the instead of the paperboard with only a top surface ply (A).
geometry of the tool. Another important observation is that By redistributing the surface ply to both sides of the
the dynamic character of the creasing operation means sheet, a wider creasing range and better folding factor are
that different board grades require different dwell times or acquired. This proves the importance of strong surface
impression times to ensure satisfactory creases are devel- plies. The best creasability performance is achieved with a
oped, i.e. some boards can be run faster than others. multi-ply paperboard made of dense and strong chemical
Symmetry is important, especially for smaller sized cartons pulp (C).
and cartons with very high demands on accurate shape To summarise, the use of chemical pulp alone or in
and dimensions. If the creases are asymmetrical, the folded combination with mechanical pulp gives advantages in
corner will not look as intended, and it can, depending on creasability as shown in the illustration above. It is also
the degree of asymmetry, give incorrect alignment. These important to note that paperboard is a visco-elastic mate-
cartons might have a negatively affected appearance or rial, which means that all the properties mentioned are
even cause stoppages in the packaging line. time-dependent.
The geometric positions of edges and creases are also As stated previously, the dwell time during creasing and
important for similar reasons. In this case the tolerances of the type of paperboard both significantly affect the fold
the tools and the consistency of the paperboard’s dimen- quality. Chemical pulp has advantages over time as its
sional movements also play a key role. properties are more stable and it preserves the shape of

FOLDING FACTOR, %

100
C
FOLDING RESISTANCE

50 B

A
0
TH
ID

CREASING DEPTH, MM
W
SE
EA

CREA
SE DE
CR

PTH

Folding resistance as a function of creasing depth and creasing width Creasability of three different multi-ply sheets

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 Creasability and foldability

the creases from gradually deteriorating. Chemical pulp The flatness and dimensional stability of the paperboard
also more accurately conforms to the tool geometry. This sheet are of vital importance to the precision of the creasing
contributes to consistent performance in conversion and operation. Otherwise, variations in paperboard flatness and
packaging. stability add to the margin of error for tools and machinery,
with a resulting negative effect either on the creasing result
Key properties or on the intended appearance of the carton.
For the creasing operation the following paperboard prop-
erties are crucial: Measuring equipment
• elasticity and elongation Examples of laboratory systems available for measuring
• tensile strength crease quality are: the Lorentzen & Wettre (L&W) Creas-
• compression strength ability Tester, the Marbach Crease Bend Tester and the
• bending moment/resistance Pira Creasability and Creasebend Tester.
• delamination strength The L&W Creasability Tester permits three folding angles
• flatness and dimensional stability. (5 °, 90 °, and 160 °) and has three available bending speeds
Elasticity (also referred to as the tensile stiffness or (5 °/s, 90 °/s, and 900 °/s). Bending stiffness, bending coef-
E-modulus), tensile strength and elongation are three im- ficient and bending moment for creased and uncreased
portant physical parameters of the surface plies. When the specimens are examples of properties measured by the
paperboard is creased it is stretched in four small zones. L&W Tester. The folding ratio is calculated as the energy
When the creased zone is folded, high tensile strength and required to fold creased and uncreased samples × 100 %.
elongation are important to avoid cracking of the surface.
Equally important are the compressive forces (also in
four small zones), which develop an initial compressive
failure and delamination of the interior of the paperboard.
The interlaminar strength (delamination strength) should
be within a given range, not too high or too low, to allow
delamination during creasing but to keep the paperboard
intact during other operations and use. The best crease
result is achieved when the paperboard is delaminated
into as many thin but undamaged plies as possible.

CREASING
RULE F

MEASURING
ELONGATION EQUIPMENT

COMPRESSION

CLAMP 90°

PAPERBOARD
F
PAPERBOARD

MAKE-READY

160°

Forces affecting the paperboard when creasing Bending apparatus

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Creasability and foldability

The Marbach system is very similar to the L&W system but Crease stiffness testers are available from different manu-
uses the following formula: facturers and can either provide a simple measurement of
the crease stiffness (e.g. Pira style) or give a detailed analy-
SB – SF sis of force generated compared to bending angle during
F=
SB the folding of the crease (e.g. L&W style).
SB = bending resistance on rupture of uncreased sample For all testers the basic principle of the method is the
SF = folding resistance on folding of creased sample same. A paperboard sample is creased to a specific
geometry according to thickness and prepared to a given
Crease recovery resistance (CRR) size. The sample is then clamped in position into the tester
The spring back force of a folded and creased sample can so that the board surface, indented with the impression of
be analysed using a crease stiffness tester; this is often re- the crease, touches the load cell (see previous page). The
ferred to as crease recovery resistance (CRR) and in some clamp is rotated through 90 ° and maintained at this angle
way characterises the paperboard’s creasability. for 15 seconds after which the crease stiffness measure-
ment is taken. With Pira style testers the clamp is rotated
manually by the operator and a single value is obtained for
BENDING RESISTANCE

Break point crease stiffness after 15 seconds. With L&W style testers
SB the rotation of the clamp is performed at a constant user-
defined speed by the test machine and the measurement
of the force is continual. The forces can be recalculated
SF as torques and plotted against bending angle to generate
a resistance to folding plot. The resistance to folding plot
can be useful to understand how different boards behave.
For example, the angle at which the elastic limit is passed
and subsequently the substance starts to delaminate can
be identified on the curve, shown in figure 2 at position 1.
ANGLE
The point at which the CRR is measured, i.e. after 15 sec-
Bending resistance and folding resistance onds at 90 °, is also indicated on the curve, at position 2.

RESISTANCE TO FOLDING 0-90°

1200

1
1000
TORQUE (mNm)*100

800
2

600

400

200

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

ANGLE (degrees)

Creased FBB 200g/m² Creased SBB 240g/m² Scored FBB 200g/m² Scored SBB 240g/m²

Torque vs. bending angle. At 1 delamination of the board starts and at 2 the torque will be after relaxation 15 seconds

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 Creasability and foldability

An understanding of CRR and board stiffness is important Foldability also contributes to runnability in packaging
if cartons are to be run well on high speed packing lines. machines and to the quality of the end product.
The board stiffness is important to protect the contents Foldability is vital in converting, when paperboard
being packed. However, the CRR cannot be too high or blanks are folded in order to create a glued side seam
the faces of the carton will bow and look unattractive or and when the package is erected, formed and finally
variations in spring back force will disrupt the runnability. sealed. Improper performance due to poor foldability
The difference in folding speed (degrees/second) will differ can cause production stoppages and unnecessary
greatly with the intended folding and erecting methods, material waste. Bulging sides and flap spring-back can
ranging from a slow folding carton side-seam gluing line to be signs of poor foldability.
an extremely rapid hot melt case erecting line with a form- Foldability is achieved by ensuring good creasability –
ing cavity and plunger, typical for confectionary boxes. low bending resistance in the creased zone – combined
Analysis of CRR characteristics allows the paperboard with high stiffness. The low bending resistance in the
manufacturer to design products which can be run effec- crease is a guarantee of low spring-back, and together
tively in high speed applications. with stiffness prevents bulging of the carton side walls.
A creased blank is usually folded to 90 ° or 180 °. Some-
Foldability characteristics times prefolding is done to reduce the bending resistance
Good foldability is explained as: further. Side seam glued cartons have two creases folded
• the ability of a creased blank to form a carton or graphi- to 180 ° and during erection are folded back to 90 °. In this
cal product with the desired shape and dimensions case it is also important to have a low folding resistance,
• minimal spring-back force. i.e. carton opening force.

90
Bending stiffness
MAX FOLDING RESISTANCE

FOLDABILITY =
Bending moment creased
80
FOLDABILITY

Good foldability
70
Interior
(relative scale)

foldability
60
Uncreased Visible
damages
in surfaces 50

CREASE DEPTH 0.1 1 10 100

FOLDING TIME, s.(90° fold)

Foldability as a function of creasing depth The folding resistance reduces by 10% when there is an order of
magnitude increase in folding time

FOLDABILITY

Poor Good

Good and poor foldability

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Creasability and foldability

To achieve reliable folding it is important to maintain a high It is more difficult to make creases parallel to the main
and consistent ratio between bending stiffness and folding fibre orientation. The differences in creasability in the CD
resistance (i.e. high folding factor). If not, the result will be and MD and the bending stiffness in these respective
varying degrees of curved/distorted panels. directions influence the total foldability of cartons or other
Paperboard is a visco-elastic material. This means that folded paperboard products.
the higher the folding speed the higher the folding resist- Sometimes the terms short grain (creases parallel to the
ance. Measurements made on different types of paper- CD) and long grain (parallel to the MD) are used.
board show the following typical behaviour. This illustration shows a malfunction in folding. Although
the sheet is creased to facilitate folding, the sheet folds
Assessment of foldability beside the crease. The creases made in the MD, 1), do not
The foldability of different paperboard types can be evalu- have a sufficiently high ratio of:
ated by knowing the ratio between the bending stiffness
and the bending moment of the crease. By definition, Bending stiffness
this ratio determines the radius of curvature of the panels Bending momentcrease
around the fold. The greater the radius of curvature the
less the panels bulge. The flap therefore becomes arched. Consequently, when
the next flap is folded, 2), the creases in the CD are arched
Bending stiffness as well. This increases the crease’s bending resistance
Foldability = =
Bending momentcreased to such an extent that it exceeds the bending resistance
of the uncreased paperboard. The flap acts as if it is not
Sb creased at all and creates an undefined bend. This may
=
Mcreased lead to folding beside the crease. This different folding
performance between the MD and CD direction must be
A crease with a low bending resistance has low values for optimised for demanding applications, i.e. deeper MD
the bending moment of the crease. The equation indicates creases.
that a paperboard with a high stiffness and a low bending
resistance is preferable. A paperboard permitting deep Different paperboard ply constructions
creases without damage to the surface plies provides The requirements for foldability in this respect can be
good foldability. based on the same discussion as for creasability.

Differences in CD and MD Key properties

The orientation of the fibres in the machine direction of Key paperboard properties for foldability are:
the paperboard sheet complicates the creasability and • strength and toughness in the MD and CD
foldability. The creasability of a crease parallel to the cross • stiffness in the MD and CD
direction (CD) is always better than the creasability of a • strong elastic coating.
crease parallel to the machine direction (MD).

CD

MD
n
atio MD
nt
orie
1
er
fib
ain 2
M CD

Cross board machine direction (CD) and machine direction Malfunction in folding due to curved panels
(MD) in relation to the predominant fibre direction

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 Creasability and foldability

During the folding operation, the inner structure of the cussions indicate and the equation for foldability states,
paperboard should delaminate into as many thin plies as stiffness is vital in addition to the strength characteristics.
possible without each individual ply breaking. The forces So far we have concentrated on the physical character-
applied to the creasing zone during folding are very much istics of the paperboard’s fibre material. In addition to the
like those created during creasing. The paperboard’s fibres, the coating (usually a pigment coating) must also be
internal strength must be high enough for the paper- strong and elastic. The coating might otherwise crack and
board to remain intact, except when and where creased destroy the appearance of the printed package.
and folded. When folded it should separate into a large
number of individual layers to act as a hinge. Measuring equipment
All the key strength characteristics for creasing are also The bending apparatus used for measuring the folding
important during the folding operation. As the above dis- factor for creasability can also be used in this context.

Paperboard when being folded

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Gluing

Gluing

The gluing or sealing of a carton is the last link in a long machine settings. The glue seam must be fully developed
chain of operations for converting paperboard into a after the application of pressure.
functional and attractive package. The last link must be as For end-fed cartons that are sealed with water-based
good as the others. Gluing is not difficult but negligence in glue, it is important that the glue seam sets quickly and the
performing it can be very costly. wet-strength of the paperboard is sufficient to hold the end
Side-seam gluing involves applying glue to a side flap, flap in position until the glue seam has dried. Hot melt glue
pressing it to a side panel and maintaining the pressure seams do not need this additional requirement because
until the glue seam has set. The glued blanks are then the bond strength is obtained by rapid cooling.
usually packed into boxes in such a way that a certain Top-fed cartons that are erected in the machine may be
pressure over the glue seam is maintained. The blanks are mechanically locked or glued. Heat sealing is predominant
allowed to dry in the boxes. This production procedure for plastic-coated paperboard in the erecting unit. The
must be extremely well controlled so that unexpected closure of the package is very often done with hot melt
trouble is prevented. The glue should be well proven for glue because the counter-pressure in the contact areas
the particular type of construction, and the application of for the gluing is often insufficient for heat sealing.
glue should be controlled. The temperature of the product also affects the gluing
Side-seam gluing with hot melt glue requires precise operation.

Applicator Pressure

Glue
Glue PAPERBOARD
Glue seam
PAPERBOARD PAPERBOARD PAPERBOARD

1. GLUE APPLICATION 2. OPEN TIME 3. PRESSURE TIME

The gluing operation

Glue type Description Applications

Water-soluble glues The glue is a starch or protein solution Uncoated and pigment-coated surfaces
starch/protein which may contain rubber additives. in relatively slow operations when pres-
sure time is sufficient to develop the bond.

Dispersion glues or white Contains small plastic particles dispersed General use for slow to medium speed
glues in water with various additives to soften, operations. The white glues are reason-
to wet, and to provide tack. ably cheap and the consumption is low.
Also used to some extent for one-side
PE-coated paperboard.

Hot melt adhesives Consists of thermoplastic material and Very widely used in high-speed opera-
additives such as resin, wax, and anti- tions for almost all types of surfaces and
oxidants.The application temperature is when pressure time or counter-pressure
100–200 °C depending on formulation. is insufficient for other bonding. Low heat
resistance.

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 Gluing

The type of glue is important. It must suit the paperboard amount of glue. This results, however, in an uneven and
and the machine. The glue must not have an odour or af- tailing (stringing) application. A nozzle applicator should
fect the packed product. The glue must be able to adhere instead be selected. This applicator applies a controlled
to the paperboard and must develop tackiness and pattern of glue which retains the heat longer, thereby seal-
sufficient bond strength within the brief period of time that ing correctly.
pressure is applied to the glue seam. Most glue suppliers Pressure time must be sufficient for the bond to develop
offer detailed advice. They are familiar with the different before pressure is released.
paperboard types, the most common gluing and packag-
ing machines and glue applicator systems. Glue type
The applicator applies the correct amount of glue with The type of glue must suit the paperboard and the
precision and is available in various types. Open time must machine. The substrate is of key importance because it
not be too long and pressure time must be long enough. governs the type of glue. Most glue suppliers offer detailed
Important facts to consider when gluing are : advice.
• The glue must wet and adhere to the substrate. A glue must usually meet the following requirements:
• There must be enough glue to form a bond but not so • The glue must be reliable with almost any available appli-
much that it squeezes out. cation technique.
• The glue must be applied in the right place. • The glue must maintain a satisfactory bond on all paper-
• The pressure must be maintained until the bond is strong board products.
enough. • The applicator must be easy to clean.
• The glue in combination with the technique employed
Description of gluing methods must not add odorous or toxic substances that could
The glue is applied to the first paperboard surface with an impair the quality of food or other sensitive products.
applicator. The glue wets the surface and starts setting. • The glue must endure the environment of the product,
The second paperboard surface is applied under pressure for example in hot or deep freeze applications.
and a bond forms. If the glue is water based the paper-
board first absorbs water, enabling the glue to set. Hot Glue applicator
melt glues are cooled to solidify. The task of the applicator is to apply the correct amount of
Open time is the time between the glue application and glue in the right place. The glue may be applied in various
the application of the second surface. patterns depending on the application and the applicator.
The open time depends on the packaging machine The designer of a package needs to know what will be
and will affect the selection of glue and amount of glue packed, so that the design will meet all needs through to
required. It may even affect the choice of applicator and the consumer. One example is a top-fed carton filled with a
application pattern. Let’s take an example. Hot melt glue product that offers no resistance, so counter-pressure for
is used. However, the existing wheel applicator puts on the sealing must be provided. The most common methods
too thin a layer which tends to solidify before pressure can of applying a suitable amount of glue are described below.
be applied. An attempt is therefore made to increase the

Examples of glue patters

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Gluing

Finger applicator is a matrix of fingers which are dipped Key paperboard characteristics
into a glue pot. The fingers are lifted and a carton blank is The gluing or bond forming is usually the last operation
brought into position. The fingers are brought down into performed on a package or graphical product, so here the
contact with the blank and a pattern of glue is transferred. function is critical. The paperboard must be suitable for
This type of applicator is used in slow machinery for glu- the technique in question and the built-in properties must
ing cartons. The equipment is robust but needs continu- be predictable, both within an order, and between orders.
ous surveillance to make sure that glue is transferred by all This means that once the glue is selected and the machine
fingers successfully. The amount of glue tends to vary so is adjusted, the machine will only need routine supervision
this type of applicator system is regarded today as more to ensure safe functioning.
or less obsolete. The paperboard ply construction is of great importance
Wheel applicator is a rotating wheel which is dipped because it governs the creasability. High elongation-to-
into a glue pot so it is continuously covered by an amount break in the surface will permit the use of deep and narrow
of water-based or hot melt glue. The glue is transferred creases with low spring-back force after folding. This in
to a blank that passes in contact with the wheel. This is turn facilitates good gluing because the carton’s side flaps
a sturdy and very popular type of applicator. will not place an excessive load on the newly formed glue
The main drawback is the difficulty in controlling the seam, so it can dry and develop final strength with full
amount of glue. The scraper tends to clog, so the glue surface contact in the glue seam.
layer becomes too thin, resulting in either a weak glue
seam or the operator setting the scraper for an excessively Key properties
thick glue seam. This applicator is best for white glue. Since the gluing operation is influenced by the surface ply,
Nozzle applicator which pumps the glue from a storage the surface strength properties are critical.
tank to a nozzle provided with a high speed valve. The
amount of glue can be set very accurately and the equip-
ment can apply a predetermined pattern of glue in lines or
dots. This is the most expensive type of applicator. It offers
precise glue metering and glue pattern and has a built-in
function control, so in the end it will usually pay for itself,
due to its consistency and reliability.

SEAL AREA
F

Hard product offers

counter-pressure f
SEAL AREA
Counter-pressure
obtained by
change in size
of sideflap
Soft product or partial fill
offers no counter-pressure

The importance of the design The crease resistance in the glue flap needs to be balanced as
both a too high or a too low resistance may give a weak seam

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 Gluing

Gluing paperboard to other materials Gluing of plastic coated paperboard

Fitting a window on a paperboard blank involves gluing A plastic coating is “a solid oil” and has a surface chem-
cellulose acetate or oriented polypropylene film to the istry as such. An untreated PE surface will have a surface
reverse side of the paperboard. Usually a tacky dispersion tension of about 30 dynes/cm and will not be wetted by
glue is used, but hot melts are also employed. It is impor- emulsion glue, because the surface tension is too high
tant to select a suitable glue that really sticks to the film due to the water content. In order to glue a one-side PE-
and does not absorb into the paperboard thus reducing coated paperboard with emulsion glue it must be corona
the bond strength. The glue must dry completely before treated to make the surface layer more polar with a higher
the next operation and must remain flexible and tough. surface tension than the glue.
The glue must be suitable and the applicator must give a The corona-treated surface has to be handled with
precise amount of glue: too little and the window will not great care so the one-side PE coating is not abraded or
stick, too much and the blanks will distort and may require contaminated, which would cause the surface tension
an extended period to dry. to fall below 40–41 dynes/cm. Gluing is actually more
demanding with regard to surface tension than printing on
Process settings a PE surface. If printing causes problems, it will be obvious
Every single procedure in the gluing process must be as soon as the ink has dried, but problems with dispersion
documented so that settings can be repeated. It may be gluing are less obvious and faults may only show up after
hazardous to change glues without careful testing. The packaging.
same applies for mixing glues. Minimise the number of If in any doubt whatsoever about the predictability of
glues used. The optimum is of course to use only one side seam gluing of a one-side PE-coated paperboard,
type of glue. the safe way out is to select hot melt gluing at a small extra
The glue is applied to the most difficult surface in order cost, rather than to take any risk.
to first to obtain the best gluing result. Since the glue is in
a tacky state during the open time it is important that the Cold glue
environment is constant with regard to temperature and Cold glue requires one absorbent surface for best func-
ventilation so that the tack remains predictable. tionality. For the non-absorbent surface (e.g. the plastic
The glue seam will become stronger if it is applied adja- coating), it is essential that surface tension is high enough
cent to an edge and far from a crease. for the glue to wet it. Normally the surface energy on the
plastic coating is too low because of the chemical nature
Process features of the plastic. Therefore the plastic coating must always
The following factors are essential for good gluing: be modified by an oxidising treatment such as an electri-
• the amount of glue cal corona discharge or similar, to give the plastic a more
• the open time polar nature by the introduction of oxygen into the surface
• the pressure and pressure time. molecules.
The pressure and temperature are essential for good Plastic-coated paperboard has a limited lifespan and
sealing. is sensitive to handling, storing and mechanical damage.

Problem Cause

Brittle glue seam • Too little glue

• Too short a time for setting under pressure

The glue seam opens up • Too low pressure

(glue on only one paperboard surface) • Too little glue
• Application temperature too low (hot melt)
• Open time too long

The glue seam opens up • Too much glue

(glue on both paperboard surfaces) • Too short pressure time
• Application temperature too high (hot melt)
• Open time too short

Cartons stuck together after side-seam gluing • Too much glue – squeezing out from side seam
• Skewed glue seam
• Glue line too close to edge of carton

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Gluing

Hot melt reliable function. For example hot melt glues may be over-
After heat sealing (see the separate section on this topic), heated for long time periods, causing them to oxidise,
hot melt is the alternative method of sealing a two-side even carbonise, with the result that they lose adhesive
plastic-coated paperboard. This is because the functional- strength.
ity of the hot melt method is not dependent on the pres-
ence of a corona discharge. On a two-side plastic-coated Test performance
board, the corona discharge is normally applied on the A finger laboratory
side intended to be printed, to allow the ink to wet to the A common way to evaluate a glue seam is to cut the carton
surface. It is not recommended to add corona discharge into approximately 20 mm wide strips over the glue seam.
on both sides as the risk for blocking is unavoidable. The strips must be in temperature- and moisture equilib-
rium with the surroundings before testing. Separate the
Testing the glue result strips and grasp each one in turn between the index finger
Maintenance of gluing equipment is very important be- and thumb of both hands.
cause if a failure occurs here, the production chain stops Now, very slowly roll the glue seam apart across its
and the product may be ruined. direction. If this can be done repeatedly with several glue
In the converter’s plant, gluing is a major part of the seams without rupturing the paperboard, this glue seam/
operation and is usually given great attention. However, hot melt seam may well break open during transport or
risks do exist, like clogging of an applicator so that it does when the pack is handled frozen. Something is wrong.
not apply the correct amount of glue. Go back to the process and check all the critical points.
The packer’s operation is different: the production of If on the other hand, all the glued strips fail in a manner
the consumer product is the main focus of interest. The that continues into the paperboard and results in fibre tear,
packaging line is often leased and is given only periodic the glue seam will probably prove satisfactory.
maintenance. It is expected to run with minimum atten- The situation corresponds to a favourable ratio between
tion. This is not a satisfactory situation; all machines need the glue seam strength and the internal strength of the sub-
continuous care by skilled personnel to ensure a safe and strate. The adhesive itself is the strongest part of the bond.

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 Binding in practice – the last link

Binding in practice – the last link

Binding is the last link in the chain of operations which a strong and sturdy paperboard with a smooth surface is
transform the paperboard into attractive and functional required. However, to achieve a durable bond, the reverse
covers for brochures, annual reports, manuals, books, or side should be uncoated or the glue will not adhere easily.
magazines. This last link must be as strong as the others If the surface of the cover needs to be smooth and glossy
when it comes to the choice of paperboard product with on both sides, special precautions are required. When
respect to the binding methods at hand. using UV varnish a glue area should be spared for better
The most common binding methods for paperboard cov- adhesion.
ers are saddle stitching, wire binding, glue binding, thread
binding, and fadensiegel binding. In all of them, the fibre di- Fadensiegel binding
rection in the binding operation is essential. The folds of the Fadensiegel binding could be regarded as a combination of
cover (as well as the insert) must always be parallel to the thread binding and glue binding. It resembles thread binding
fibre direction. This is necessary to achieve a durable bond, but is less expensive. It gives extra stability, durability and a
narrow and permanent fold lines and low folding resistance, high-quality appearance to the covers of printed materials
and to avoid waviness of the binding. A fully bleached paper- such as large textbooks. The sheets are stitched together
board provides the best results under difficult binding with a special plastic thread. The threads are melted and
conditions, thanks to its long and strong fibres. the insert block is glued directly to the back of the cover.

Saddle stitching
Saddle stitching is normally used for brochures, annual
reports, magazines and booklets. The binding operation
consists of creasing, folding and stitching. The folds must
not crack as a result of the creasing and folding operations
nor during subsequent use. This is particularly important
if there is printing over the folds. Saddle-stitched produc-
tions put a lot of strain on that small piece of paperboard
that holds the cover to the insert by the staple. By choo-
sing a paper board made from virgin fibres, the risk of the
cover becoming detached from the insert with use over
time is minimised.

Thread stitching
Thread stitching is the classic high-quality binding
method. The sheets of the insert are stitched together in
bundles with a linen thread. The block of bundles is glued Saddle stitching puts a lot of strain on the small piece of paper-
directly to the back of the cover. When this binding method board that holds the cover to the insert by the staple
is used for paperbacks, it provides stability, durability and
a high-quality appearance.

Wire-O binding
It is important to use virgin fibre paperboard with wire-O
binding, which is often used for booklets and manuals.
One practical advantage of this type of binding is that the
printed insert can lay open when required. However, if the
paperboard is too weak the cover can rip and fall off after
intensive usage.

Glue binding
Glue binding, or perfect binding, is often used for booklets
and paperbacks. Book covers need to be especially stable
and durable. Depending on the thickness of the insert,
creasing and folding can be carried out in various ways to
improve both the function and the appearance of the cover.
To achieve an attractive cover with distinct fold lines, There are a number of exciting alternatives to classic saddle stitched
materials; binding can also help them stand out from the crowd

I GGESUND PAPER B OARD | Reference Manual 199

Binding in practice – the last link

A covered wire-O binding, gives a printable spine for

easy identification in the bookshelf

200 Reference Manual | IGGESU ND PAP ERBOA RD

 Binding in practice – the last link

There are various ways to crease and fold book covers An example of thread stiching

Glue binding adheres better to an uncoated reverse side.

Extra creases on the front and back enhances the appeal and quality

I GGESUND PAPER B OARD | Reference Manual 201

Binding in practice – the last link

The cover gluing operation • The open time must not be too long.
Gluing is not difficult but negligence in performing it can • The pressure must be maintained until the bond is strong
be costly. Either glue binding (where the sheets are folded, enough.
bundled and then milled to adhere better), or thread or • The glue must meet the demands of the binding machine
fadensiegel binding (where the sheets are stitched, folded regarding correct temperatures and rest time before the
and bundled then the insert is glued directly to the back of book is removed from the machine.
the cover) can be used.
Three-knife trimming
Types of surface Trimming is important to ensure a good cutting result with-
The result and type of glue needed depend on the type of out risking delamination of the edges. Parameters to be
surface to be glued. closely controlled are the pressure on the book, the knife
The surfaces can be classified into three different types: sharpness and lubrication, and the wear of the plastic
• Easy surface – uncoated or lightly coated. counterpart.
• Demanding surface – fully coated, printed surface.
• Difficult surface – UV-varnished, film laminated or PE- Key paperboard features
coated surface. The paperboard features required for achieving successful
binding are strength and resilience, consistency in flatness
Types of glue and stability, and good cutting, creasing, folding and gluing
The most common types of glue for bookbinding are cold properties.
glues:
• Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) for easy surfaces. Recommendations
• Ethylvinyl acrylate (EVA) for easy, demanding or difficult The paperboard properties generally required to achieve
surfaces. successful binding are uniform strength, consistency of
• Co-polymers for difficult surfaces. flatness and stability, and good cutting, creasing, fold-
ing, and (when applicable) surface properties suitable for
Important factors gluing. When using saddle stitching or wire binding, the
Important factors to consider when gluing are: strength is especially important. Saddle stitched opera-
• The glue must wet and adhere to the substrate. tions put a lot of strain on the small piece of paperboard
• The glue must be applied in the right place. that holds the cover to the insert by the staple. When glue
• There must be enough glue to form a good bond but not binding, a paperboard with an uncoated reverse side is the
too much so that it squeezes out. most suitable choice.

1 2

With well-controlled trimming, delamination of the edges can be avoided

202 Reference Manual | IGGESU ND PAP ERBOA RD

 Heat sealing

Heat sealing

Plastic on paperboard (i.e. plastic-coated board) can be sealing line. Some plastics are easier to heat seal than
used as a gluing medium, heat sealing, instead of adding others because they require less energy (in the form of
an extra string of glue. What is needed is a source of heat, temperature, time or pressure). Using an electrical corona
a pressure unit and time for the plastic to cool down with- discharge can improve the heat sealing result but is often
out being stressed. not an absolute necessity.
The heat can be applied directly to the polymer prior Essential requirements for successful heat sealing:
to sealing by using hot air or a gas flame in line with the • The plastic coating must be molten when brought in
erecting of the package. The heat can also be applied by contact with the second surface.
pressure bars if they are heated by induction or ultrasonic • There must be enough plastic to form a bond.
means. • The pressure must be maintained until the plastic has
In most applications it is sufficient to have a plastic coat- cooled and solidified.
ing on one side of the board in order to achieve a good
heat seal. Plastic coating on both sides will lead to a better Description of heat sealing methods
seal. The properties of the plastic or technical/physical Because plastic-coated paperboard is heat sealed no
limitations in the plastic coating line can make two-sided extra glue is added. The thin plastic coating is melted to a
coating unsuitable. tacky state in the seal area and the other paperboard sur-
Heat sealing is well suited for high speed operations. In face is applied under pressure, which is held until the seal
addition, there is no need to buy an adhesive or to clean the has cooled enough to solidify. The most common methods
sealing line. These factors alone may be sufficient reason used to obtain a seal are described below. Otherwise, spe-
to use a plastic-coated paperboard. cial precautions when choosing the glue are necessary.

Heat sealing characteristics Hot bar sealers are electrically heated jaws that are
The sealability of a plastic coating lies in its ability to act pressed over the plastic-coated areas to be sealed. The
as its own bond-forming agent without any extra hot melt main use is in erecting tools for top-fed cartons made from
adhesive. This property adds value at no extra cost. A bond plastic-coated paperboard. Bar sealers are convenient to
can be rapidly formed by melting the plastic coating and use and easy to maintain. The drawback may be that they
pressing the two bonding surfaces together while the plas- can cause visible markings on the board.
tic resolidifies. A good seal will give full fibre tear.
Hot wheel sealers have a gas flame-heated wheel that
Surface characteristics is brought in contact with the seal as it moves past the
Heat sealing works on most plastic coatings and plastic wheel. They offer the same advantages and disadvan-
coating surfaces. The chemical nature of the different tages as bar sealers.
plastics will require different setting conditions in the heat

Pressure

PAPERBOARD PAPERBOARD PAPERBOARD Seal

PAPERBOARD

Plastic Heat Molten plastic

1. HEAT APPLICATION 2. OPEN TIME 3. PRESSURE TIME

I GGESUND PAPER B OARD | Reference Manual 203

Heat sealing

Hot air sealers melt the plastic with a jet of gas flame-heated Side-seam heat sealing requires precise machine settings.
or electrically heated air. The molten, sticky areas are then The glue seam is fully developed after the application of
clamped by Teflon-coated (or similar) jaws or by a roller nip. pressure and the cartons must be cooled so that residual
Hot air sealers are convenient but the equipment tends to heat does not make them stick together.
be noisy and to heat the surroundings. Heat sealing is usually used in the erecting units for
plastic-coated paperboard.
Radiation sealers work like hot air sealers except that the
heating is done by precision-mounted heating elements. Sealing in practice
They are less noisy and do not emit so much excess heat. A graphical representation showing combinations of time
A limitation is that the heating elements must usually be and temperature used in a hot bar sealer, giving a fibre tear
made for one specific package size. seal at constant seal pressure, helps to describe the condi-
tions necessary for a good seal result. It is easy to see how
Gas flame sealers are very similar to hot air sealers, the different plastic coatings affect the seal test behavior.
difference being that gas flames are used instead of hot
air jets. They are less noisy and emit less excess heat but Testing the seal result
require the installation of a gas system. The maintenance of sealing equipment is very important
because if a failure occurs here, the production chain stops
High frequency sealers are similar to hot bar sealers, the and the product may be ruined. This may be caused, for
difference being that the energy is transferred as dielectric example, by the ageing of a heating element so that the
losses in the packaging material from a high frequency hot air produced is not hot enough.
voltage applied across the jaws, which turns them into a
capacitor. The heat is created inside the material much like
the heating in a microwave oven. The technique offers a
high-speed precision function.

Ultrasonic sealers are similar to high frequency sealers

but here the heating is caused by mechanical friction
losses inside the packaging material, which is clamped
between a vibrating jaw and an anvil.
HOT BAR SEALER AT CONSTANT PRESSURE
Testing and troubleshooting
SEALING TIME

As for all other conversion steps, regular testing is es-

Pl to

sential to ensure the desired heat sealing result. The

as su
in

tic bs

procedure should be well documented with regard to test

m tra
ol te
te

frequency and test method. Note that different heat seal-

n

ing methods and different heat sealing applications may

require different kinds of test methods.
Se

It is very important that all pre-testing in the sealing and

al
ar

the packaging line is done with the packaging material in-

ea

tended to be used for the full scale run. This includes using
N

the same printing and varnishing techniques as intended

o
se
al

and the correct grade of plastic coating. Extra treatments

and plastic additives can affect the heat sealing character-
istics and must therefore be evaluated in advance to avoid SEALING TEMPERATURE
unexpected problems.
All these heat sealing methods are based on using a
certain amount of energy (in the form of heat, time and
pressure) to bond two surfaces together. Even a small de- The seal area
viation in the energy applied can result in insufficient heat
sealing and severe problems in subsequent conversion
stages. The temperature readings in particular can deviate
from the actual temperature of the heated bar or hot air jet.
Good maintenance is crucial in this respect.

204 Reference Manual | IGGESU ND PAP ERBOA RD

 Heat sealing

Change in parameter Effects

Higher melting point The seal area moves up to the right of the reference
area.

TIME
TEMP

Higher melt flow index The seal area moves down and to the left of the refer-
(low viscous melt) ence area. The seal area also becomes narrower.
TIME

TEMP

Corona treatment The seal area moves down and to the left of the refer-
ence area because the corona treatment lowers the
TIME

melting point of the surface and increases hot tack.

TEMP

Sealing a corona treated The seal area corresponds to the non-treated surface
surface to a non-treated area because the non-treated surface area requires
TIME

surface more heat.

TEMP

I GGESUND PAPER B OARD | Reference Manual 205

The packaging operation

The packaging operation

The packaging operation comprises all the activities which • Filling, i.e. inserting the product.
are involved in combining a product with its packaging on • Closing the carton by gluing, heat sealing or tucking of
what is known as the packaging line. flaps depending on the structural design.
The packaging line is set up in order to meet the speed Cartons are supplied to the packaging line as flat blanks
and overall quantities of the product to be packed and or folded side-seam glued cartons with open ends. The
may range from manual operation up to high speed fully feeding of the blanks depends on the design of the pack-
automatic operation. aging line.
The packaging operation also includes the storage and The flat blanks are erected either by a special tool with
handling of the packaging prior to its use on the packaging a block-like shape, which presses down on the blank to
line and in the assembly of transit packages for storage form the base and sides of the carton, or by folding around
and distribution. a mandrel, i.e. a former. If the blanks are side-seam glued
The packaging line efficiency is dependent on the ma- cartons, then either the opposite folded creases are
chine, or method in the case of a manually operated line, squeezed and vacuumised suction devises are applied to
the product, the operators, and the quality of the packag- adjacent panels as the blank is moved from magazine to
ing material. The two most important tasks to fulfil on the conveyer, or a tool is inserted flat and turned through 90 °
packaging line are to minimise the number of damaged to open the carton.
packages and to maximise the output. The filling operation can be carried out on the horizontal
Packaging based on primary fibre paperboard gives the plane or on the vertical plane. The nature of the product
best performance, uniformity and consistency. The pack- determines the filling method. The carton may be closed
aging producer should be aware of the cost implications of at one end prior to product loading, as is the case with
packaging efficiency as it can have an important influence vertical product loading. The closing operation might be
on the overall packaging cost. by tuck-in flaps, gluing the flaps or heat sealing, or tab
insertion and locking. For extra protection, the package
Description of the packaging line might be overwrapped with a plastic film.
On the packaging line the sequence of operations is: The unit packages are check weighed to ensure product
• Feeding from a box or magazine. accuracy. If the product is a foodstuff a metal detection
• Forming or erecting flat blanks or side-seam glued procedure is common. The unit packages are then loaded
blanks depending on the structural design – forming may into a transit package and the packaging operation is usu-
involve gluing, heat sealing or locking. ally completed by palletisation.

Feeding Erecting Filling Closing

The packaging operation

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 The packaging operation

A cigarette packaging machine typically runs at speeds of 350 to 1000 packs per minute,
requiring a paperboard with perfect performance in flatness, gluing properties and friction
Illustration background courtesy of Focke & Co.(GmbH & Co. KG) Verpackungsmaschinen

I GGESUND PAPER B OARD | Reference Manual 207

The packaging operation

Folding tically with curvature. Calculations on curved panels give

The folding operation is dependent on the creases. For results as shown below. It can be seen that even limited
rectangular shaped cartons the curvature of the panels curvature induces increased resistance to bending and
and flaps should be minimised. This is achieved by maxi- will risk failure in the packaging machine due to bending
mum creasing to minimise the residual bending resistance beside the crease.
combined with adequate paperboard stiffness. Curved A study performed by Packforsk (now Innventia), has
panels affect the dimensions and shapes and can cause shown that problems caused by curvature depend on the
packaging machine disturbances by exceeding geo- conditions in the packaging machine. Heavy, rigid and
metrical tolerances. Curved panels will have a significantly supporting products combined with fixed (well-clamped)
increased bending resistance due to their shape. Curved panels are more critical to curvature. A looser clamping
panels usually have a negative impact on the final appear- or lighter, more fluid product is less critical since the box
ance of the carton. is allowed to self-compensate for some of the problems
The folding resistance of a curved panel increases dras- caused by curvature.

Corner sealed Hot melt

or locked adhesive

Blank Tray erect Top load product Close lid Seal or tuck lid

One example of folding and erecting

MOMENT OF INERTIA RATIO,
relative a flat panel width 40 mm, thickness 0.4 mm

INCREASED CURVATURE ( = reduced radii)

gives a dramatic increase in stiffness 1/r = 10 m-1
105 r = 100 mm

104

F
1/r = 1 m-1
103 r = 1000 mm

t b 102

10 1/r = 0 m-1
r
r = ∞ = Flat

1
r = radius of curvature 40 100 200
1/r = curvature PANEL WIDTH mm

The moment of inertia is proportional to stiffness

208 Reference Manual | IGGESU ND PAP ERBOA RD

 The packaging operation

The conclusions of the study were that packaging ma- Looser clamping is less critical and gives better folding
chine settings are vital. For example, the degree of clamp- results. The properties of the paperboard and the quality
ing is one of the most important factors. The clamping can of the creases have a major influence on the result. In prac-
be firm, which means that the free length of the clamped tice the clamping is usually neither firm nor loose. When
panels, L, is short. The folding result with firm clamping folding after filling the carton, the presence of the product
depends on the curvature of the flap (1/r) and the width can improve the folding operation.
of the flap.

End Clamps Piston

panel
Flap
r
Clamping
panel
MD
Flap
width L L

By changing the free length of the clamped panel different clamping conditions were simulated

FIRM CLAMPING
LOOSE CLAMPING
mm FLAP WIDTH
mm FLAP BOWING dimension b

100 Bad creases

10
Forbidden region
Good creases

50 5

CURVATURE OF END PANEL 1 CURVATURE OF END PANEL 1

0 –– 0 ––
0 5 10 15 20 m-1 R
0 5 10 15 20 m -1 R
R
R 1.0 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.05 m
1.0 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.05 m

Firm clamping gives folds that are only dependent on flap width and Situations with loose clamping are less critical to curvature. Crease
curvature. Paperboard stiffness and crease quality are insignificant. The quality and paperboard stiffness affect the degree of flap bowing
forbidden region gives unsatisfactory folds

Flap Flap
Clamping Clamping
panel panel

Clamp Clamp

Finger Finger

Two examples of poor folding

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The packaging operation

The most common problem results when the folding does Key properties
not occur along the pre-marked crease. Key features for performing the packaging operation:
In graphical applications the finishing operation includes • grammage
the folding operation. Graphical products are mostly book • thickness
covers, catalogues, etc., so the folding angle is often 180 °. • flatness and dimensional stability
• moisture content
Packaging line efficiency • stiffness and stiffness ratio
Packaging line efficiency is expressed by the actual output • plybond
compared with the expected output. • creasing and folding efficiency
In determining the expected output in a given time it is • gluability or heat sealability for plastic-coated paperboard
important to establish a rate of packaging based on the real • water absorption
time available for packaging. This means that set up times, • tensile strength
routine maintenance time etc. are eliminated from the over- • tear strength
all production time used in the calculation. • delamination strength
During the time available for packaging it is important to • clean edges and surfaces
record the reasons for stoppages and periods of slower • freedom from hazardous contamination.
production speed. It is then possible over a period of time
to identify problems which need attention, particularly Packaging in practice
problems that may be packaging material related. Such Adequate packaging and protection of cartons prior to use
studies frequently reveal problems associated with ma- on the packaging line is necessary to avoid physical shape
chine settings and in the handling and storage of packag- distortion. This protection is essential for efficient feeding,
ing materials prior to use. erection and carton presentation. Moisture-proof wrap-
A material audit is a useful additional routine method of ping should be used by the cartonmaker when flatness,
checking. In this procedure the quantity of packaging ma- shape, and dimensional stability are critical. Extremes of
terial issued to the machine is compared with the number temperature and humidity should be avoided.
of saleable packages delivered from the machine over a It is very important to allow cartons to achieve tempera-
given period. ture equilibrium with the environment of the packaging
High efficiency in the packaging operation reduces room before the cartons are unwrapped. The time required
overall packaging costs. It should be remembered that low to achieve this depends on the type of packaging used
efficiency not only means wasted cartons. Often of much to supply the cartons, or carton blanks, and the differ-
greater cost significance is wasted product, wasted mach- ence in temperature between the store and the packaging
ine time, and losses in market share due to late and short room. If the cartons are colder than the packaging room
deliveries. All these factors should be taken into account. when they are unwrapped, moisture may condense on the
cartons causing shape distortion and loss of stiffness. See
Key paperboard characteristics the chapter General technical information in the Product
The key paperboard characteristics required for packaging Catalogue for information about warm-up times.
line efficiency are mainly related to strength, creasability, When cartons remain unused at the end of an order or
foldability, gluability, sealability, flatness, and dimensional day’s work, it is important to re-wrap them with moisture-
stability. Variability in these properties and in the relevant resistant material. The paperboard is manufactured to
structural design features of cartons and other forms of a set moisture content to match the expected relative
packaging based on paperboard can cause disturbances humidity (45–60% RH, at 20-22 ºC). Any significant dif-
in the optimum settings necessary to achieve efficient ference between the packaging room climate and the
performance in the packaging operation. cartons will affect the moisture content upwards or down-
Uniformity of all relevant properties within an order and wards causing changes in dimension and shape.
consistency in these properties from order to order is very The following factors are essential for good packaging:
important for good efficiency (which is also referred to as • The packaging line must have design features which
good runnability). make it suitable for handling the design and size of the
Uniformity in these properties is a feature of multi-ply cartons involved.
paperboard such as Solid Bleached Board and Folding • Adjustment of the variable settings is particularly relevant
Box Board. This is because these types of paperboard on machines which undergo regular carton size changes.
are based on primary fibre of known composition and Visual guides and accurate pre-setting techniques are
treatment, processed on fully automated paperboard now available.
machines. Regular attention must be paid to the mechanical main-
tenance and cleanliness of the packaging line.
• The training, skill and motivation of the operating and
engineering staff are critically important to good efficiency.

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 The packaging operation

Packaging features Description

Dimensional accuracy It is important that every carton blank used on the packaging line accurately conforms to
the specification drawing and has an identical profile. This is best achieved by laser cutting
of dies (forms) and routing of counter dies (make-readies).

Creasing It is important to use optimum creasing conditions (rule thickness, width and depth of
groove) to ensure consistent folding in packaging. If the folding resistance is too high in
relation to the paperboard stiffness it can result in panel bowing and poor runnability.
Each paperboard type requires its own specific tool settings to give the best result.

Frictional properties Ink and varnish specifications significantly influence print rub and surface slip.

Cutting Sharp clean cutting with the absence of swarf and shattering on the backs of the paper-
board.

Flatness This feature is particularly relevant to cartons which are supplied flat to the packaging line.
This feature can be influenced by printing (print-induced curl).

Correct alignment of glued Relevant to cartons which are side seamed by the cartonmaker. The glue flap must not be
side seam tapered or skewed as this will distort the carton.

Correct application of The right amount of glue must be correctly positioned. Otherwise glue may squeeze out
glue on side-seam glued either on the inside of the carton preventing opening, or on the outside causing adjacent
cartons cartons to stick together.

Strength of perforations Perforations must be neither too heavy so that they open during packaging, transit and
merchandising, nor be so light that the customer cannot open the package.

Carton opening force This is relevant in cartons side seamed by the cartonmaker and refers to the ease of open-
ing the carton on the packaging line. It is controlled by the creasing, by pre-folding of the
unfolded creases and by the pressure applied to the folded creases by the draw rolls on
the gluing machine. The opening force measured directly at the gluer is critical, because
subsequent tightness of packaging and storage conditions will cause this force to in-
crease with time. It can be checked by measuring the height of a fixed number of cartons
(the “bounce” feature). It is recommended that the storage of side-seamed cartons should
not exceed three months for optimum packaging line efficiency.

Overwrapping Where cartons are overwrapped with clear or printed film, the film must not stick to the
printed or varnished surface under the heat-sealed areas.

Special requirements In addition to the properties of paperboard and features of paperboard packaging already
discussed, there are additional requirements. These can be due to either the nature of
the product being packed, the packaging environment, or some aspect of distribution
and use which require additional extrusions, laminations or other functional coatings in
combination with the paperboard, e.g. for frozen foods and ovenable applications. These
additional treatments have implications for the packaging operation in terms of erection,
forming, or sealing.

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Deep drawing or thermo forming

Deep drawing or thermo forming

Deep drawing is a long-proven and highly developed tech- A container produced with deep drawing can use several
nology used to shape plates, trays and similar products closure possibilities:
from paperboard. However, it places very high demands • A plastic-coated paperboard top, which is sealed onto
on the paperboard. Deep drawing is also used for other the flange. The cover is often scored to facilitate opening.
materials such as paper and metal (aluminium). • A transparent plastic film is sealed to the flange. The seal
Provided that the paperboard is very strong and con- is often of the peel-seal type.
sistent in all relevant parameters, deep drawing is today • A transparent snap-on lid, which can be used as a
a most economical way of producing functional and reclosure.
attractive consumer food packs in large volumes. Very
high production rates, which contribute to low production Description of the deep drawing tool and method
costs, are possible. Deep drawing means the shaping of paperboard into rigid,
Printing the paperboard before deep drawing adds hollow shapes, sometimes with several cavities. Paper-
consumer appeal. The deep drawing process gives an board properties like tear strength and high elongation-to-
unlimited choice of sizes. Deep drawing also offers great break determine the depth of forming.
freedom in shape, for example rounded containers and A paperboard container often has a flange to facilitate
multi-cavity constructions, which makes it possible to the use of the tray. The flange will also increase the stiff-
produce paperboard plates with shapes similar to those ness, which is important since stiffness is reduced in the
of conventional tableware. creased and shaped areas.
Deep drawing is often performed with a plastic-coated The raw material for deep drawing is often a one-side
paperboard. A range of plastic coatings is available to suit plastic-coated paperboard. The printing operation is reel
all types of applications. The most common application fed and the paperboard is rewound after printing.
is the use of PE/PP-coated paperboard for paper plates. Depending on the depth of the tray, the forming process
However, another interesting development is the use of is performed in one or two steps.
PET-coated paperboard for deep-drawn/pressed single A normal plate is about 25 mm deep. The forming
and multi-cavity trays for: process requires only one step and no premoistening is
• Pizza – to be baked on the tray necessary. The maximum depth is about 45–50 mm and
• Pastry – baked or to be baked in the mould must be carried out in two steps. In the illustration a plate
• Ready-made meals in single or multi-cavity packages is shown as a one-step forming operation.
for microwave or convection oven heating.

SIDE VIEW

Creased paperboard Flange

TOP VIEW

A multi-functional package A paperboard container

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 Deep drawing or thermo forming

The paperboard is cut into round blanks, which are fed If the paperboard is pigment coated, the coat weight
into the machine. In this case the press operation lasts should be low to minimise the tendency for surface crack-
for two seconds and the tool has a temperature of 80 °C. ing during the forming operation. The coating formulation
A ready-made plate is pushed out of the tool and a new should be such as to give good release of the product from
paperboard blank is fed in. the heated forming tool.
In a two-step operation, the second tool is heated to
lock the shape (compare with ironing a shirt). During pre- Key properties
moisturing the paperboard is softened by adding water up Since the deep drawing operation performs a mechanical
to about 13% total moisture. The reels are well wrapped deformation the following strength properties are vital:
in plastic during the maturing period until cutting, creasing • strong, tough paperboard with high elongation-to-break
and deep drawing operations are performed. • high tear strength
Finally the edges are trimmed to provide neat and even • hygiene and low odour
edges on the flange. • very good adhesion of plastic coating.

Key paperboard characteristics Thickness

Different paperboard constructions behave in different The thermoforming process depends on three main
ways during deep drawing. The following general con- parameters: pressure, dwell time in the pressing stage
clusions about deep drawing and two common types of and sufficient heat transfer. These parameters can be
boards can be made: adjusted individually but are interdependent. Paperboard

MACHINE MOVEMENT
Press Press

PAPERBOARD BLANK

Female tool Male tool

A READY-MADE PLATE

The deep drawing tool for a round plate The press operation

Paperboard type Deep drawing conditions

Solid Bleached Board (pure chemical pulp) Suitable for all kinds of deep drawing operations, even
deep shapes.

Folding Box Board (mechanical pulp in centre ply) Most suitable for shallow shapes, otherwise delamination
might occur.

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Deep drawing or thermo forming

characteristics play an important role in ensuring good

heat transfer because good contact between the tools and
the paperboard is essential; this is achieved by maintain-
ing uniform thickness throughout the run. Because tools
Flange
are manufactured to match the thickness specification of
the chosen material, it is difficult to change to a different
material thickness without also changing the tools. When
an inappropriate material thickness results in poor heat
transfer, the operator may be forced to increase one of the
other two parameters (pressure or dwell time). However,
the resulting thermoforming may be sub-optimal due to
Compression
the inappropriate material thickness.

Deep drawing in practice

Creased paperboard
Consistency in strength properties and moisture content
from one consignment to the next is important so that ma-
chine settings can be adjusted according to documented
experience.
Elongation
Converters specialising in deep drawing invest in high-
speed machinery and exchange tools for 20–40 different
sizes.
The following factors are essential for good deep drawing: Forces affecting the paperboard during deep drawing
• No coating or light coating on the outside for minimum
surface cracking.
• An optimised container design to obtain maximum
stability.

Testing the deep drawing result

The deep drawing result is subjectively evaluated for
defects, cracks etc. (see below).

Problem Cause

The blanks tear during the deep drawing operation. Too brittle or too dry blanks due to a variation of moisture
content. They must be remoistened to give a satisfactory
result.

Finished articles warp during drying in storage. Blanks too moist.

The pigment coating cracks and partly peels A brittle pigment coating has been used.
during forming.

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 Terms and concepts

Terms and concepts

Anisotropy of biomass also releases carbon dioxide. However, in the

The property of being directionally dependent. For paper- latter case, almost the same amount of carbon dioxide as
board this usually refers to the difference in strength- and that released is absorbed by photosynthesis during the
stiffness properties depending on for which sheet direc- growth of the equivalent amount of biomass.
tion (MD or CD) they are assessed.
Compostable
Biodegradable A term describing matter which will biodegrade in a com-
A broad term which usually describes matter that can posting process (aerobic degradation). All compostable
be broken down either through an aerobic (compost- products are biodegradable by default but the opposite
ing) process or an anaerobic (digestion) process into is not necessarily true. “Compostable” often refers to the
its organic parts. Inorganic materials, either alone or in standards defining expected performance in an industrial
compounds with organic materials, will not biodegrade. composting facility, such as the American standard ASTM
The term “biodegradable” is not very well defined with 6400 and EN 13432. The standards define within which
regard to the expected quality of the degraded matter, nor time frame the products should degrade to a certain frag-
is any specific time frame required. This means that many ment size and quality, and also place clear limits on the
organic products can claim to be biodegradable because ecotoxicity and heavy metal content of the final compost.
in a broad sense they will eventually degrade over time in
a variety of ambient environments. Continuous cooking process
The chemical pulping process which feeds a continuous
Biogenic energy stream of chipped wood through a digester. The fibres
Energy which is fuelled by constituents derived from the are detached from each other by dissolving the lignin in a
life processes of either plants or other living organisms. liquor consisting of a solution of caustic soda and sodium
sulphide. The chips travel vertically through the digesting
Biomass tower while gradually being dissolved. At the bottom of
A renewable energy source derived from living materials the tower the fibres are pumped to subsequent bleaching
in contrast to one derived from geological processes. steps and then further to the board machine. The opposite
Usually the term describes wood-, plant- and waste resi- way to perform chemical pulping is the batch process, in
dues used in incineration as a replacement for fossil fuel. which large batches are cooked in a container and then
Biomass is also used in biochemical energy plants such ejected before a new batch is loaded.
as anaerobic digestion plants.
Defibration
Blank (carton) The process of separating wood fibres from each other.
A die-cut specimen of a carton or box which has not yet The two main processes are mechanical or chemical
been glued, erected and filled. defibration (pulping).

Broke De-inking
Also referred to as “mill broke”. During the manufacturing The process of removing printing ink and other impurities
process, waste paper or paperboard is recovered and re- when preparing recycled fibre from printed waste paper
pulped for reuse in new paperboard. This waste paper or for a new papermaking process. The most common
board is called “broke”. A sort of in-house recycled fibre, technique is to add caustic soda to the pulp in the pulping
broke can contain coating particles, dye and fillers. process and then remove the freed ink and other smaller
particles by the flotation technique, whereby the small ink
Carbon dioxide particles and impurities attach themselves to air bubbles
The chemical compound CO2, which naturally occurs in induced into the low consistency stock. The term DIP
the atmosphere. In a natural process called photosyn- (de-inked pulp) is commonly used. Other important steps
thesis, carbon dioxide is absorbed by plants, algae and in recycled pulp production are high consistency cleaning
bacteria and transformed into carbohydrates (energy) and screening in multiple steps.
and oxygen with the help of sunlight and water. Carbon
dioxide is a greenhouse gas. The combustion of fossil
fuels, e.g. oil and natural gas, releases the fossil carbon
dioxide stored in the fuel. The composting or combustion

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Terms and concepts

Dot gain meter. Density can also be calculated using reflective data
The phenomena in printing whereby halftone dots in from a spectrophotometer.
screened images appear or become larger than intended
on the finished printed surface compared to the original Ink trap
screened image. Also known as Tone Value Increase (TVI). The measurable property describing the amount of ink
transferred onto a previously printed ink film. The amount
Filler of ink transferred onto another ink is measured with a
Pigments such as clay or titanium dioxide added to the densitometer. The value is compared to the density the ink
pulp to improve the opacity of thin papers. would have if printed onto plain paper. The ink trap amount
is described in percent. Ink trapping characteristics are
Fines governed by the setting speed of the first ink to be laid
Smaller fragments of fibres which have come loose in down. This setting speed influences the tack build-up in
the chipping and defibration process. Fines from chemi- the first ink. When the first ink film has high tack (i.e. resist-
cal pulping and mechanical pulping have very different ance to ink splitting), the second ink to be laid down on
characteristics. top of the first one will transfer more easily, and the main
ink split when exiting the printing nip will thus occur in the
Grain direction second ink film. Tack development can be influenced by
The grain direction of a paperboard sheet is the same as both the ink manufacturer and the coating characteristics
the dominant fibre direction. This is parallel to the machine of the paper or paperboard.
direction (MD) in the paperboard-making process.
Integrated process
Halo (flexo printing) An integrated mill has both pulp production and pa-
The halo effect in flexographic printing describes the perboard manufacturing at the same site and often in a
increased ink amount around the perimeter of the printed continuous pulping process. The level of integration can
image. This is a result of ink being pressed out over the be elevated by integrating other processes, such as a
edge of the raised printing form when the form is pressed sawmill, and bioenergy solutions.
against the substrate.
Makeready
I-beam principle The term can have two different meanings. “Makeready
An I-beam is a construction element, (usually a steel beam) time” or “makeready procedures” refer to all the prepara-
which has been designed to resist a large load and is tion steps required to set up and adjust a paper converting
strong compared to how much of its mass bears the load. machine, printing press or finishing equipment.
The cross section of such a beam resembles the capital In a different context, “the makeready” refers to the coun-
letter "I". An I-beam has wide horizontal flanges to absorb ter die used in the die-cutting operation.
tensile- and compression forces and a vertical web, or
waist, to resist shear forces. Stress from the bending force Market pulp
will be highest furthest from the neutral length axis, that is, Market pulp refers to pulp sold on the pulp market in bale
at the flanges. By concentrating the bulk of stress-absorb- or sheet form by pulp producers to paper, paperboard
ing material at this point it is possible to minimise the need mills or other fibre-forming industries, such as those mak-
for material closer to the neutral axis. In paperboard mak- ing formed trays, etc.
ing this is done by using strong and dense chemical pulp
in outer layers as "flanges" and weaker, bulkier pulp (either Migration
mechanical or recycled) in between the layers making up Migration in the context of food packaging describes the
the "web". extent to which foreign substances transfer to the packed
food from the surrounding materials. The sources of such
Ink density foreign substances can be packaging materials, inks, glue
A unit describing the amount of ink being transferred or other added materials. Different types of food vary in
from the printing press to the surface of the paper or their susceptibility to migration, depending mainly on their
paperboard. Ink density is an optical unit with a logarith- moisture- and fat content. Substances with a molecular
mic scale. When measuring density, the amount of light mass over 1,000 Dalton or molecule chains larger than 24
absorbed by the ink within a defined area is evaluated carbon atoms are unlikely to migrate from a material over
against a reference value from either a standard reflecting to food.
calibration tile or unprinted paper of the same sort. The
different colours – cyan, magenta and yellow – can be
measured using red, green and blue filters in the densito-

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 Terms and concepts

Mono material Safety (product)

A packaging material which consists mainly of one type of “Safety” in this context refers to the suitability of the pa-
material, such as paper, aluminium, tin or glass. The term perboard for its intended use, with particular reference to
is used in the context of licence fees for various European meeting food safety regulations when the food is in direct
collection, sorting and recycling systems. The fees for contact with the paperboard surface.
mono materials are considerably lower (up to five-fold/
kg) than for composite materials. The threshold for being Secondary packaging
considered as a mono material varies slightly, but the most Secondary packaging is used to contain a number of
stringent level is used by the German Duales System Deut- grouped unit packages (primary packages) merely in
schland GmbH (DSD). This states that the packaging must order to display the unit packages until their purchase or
consist of a minimum of 95% of one of the main packaging to simplify shelf replenishment. Secondary packaging can
materials. This rules out some plastic coated paperboard, always be removed without changing the characteristics
in which typically 15-20 g/m2 of plastic (PE/PET/PP) is and function of the unit packages. Secondary packaging
extrusion coated onto a paperboard with a grammage is often made of paperboard or corrugated board. When
of between 240 to 300 g/m2. However, liquid packaging secondary packaging plays a significant promotional role,
board (LPB) has received special dispensation and has its it is often referred to as display outers.
own licence threshold, which is lower than that for normal
composites. Slit and chop
These terms refer to the two main cutting directions when
Multi-layer sheeting a paperboard web from a reel. The cut made in
Multi-layer or multi-ply paperboard is a board constructed the unwinding direction (which is also the machine direc-
from more than one fibre layer. The layers are pressed tion) is called the slit. The cut made across the web per-
together in a wet state directly in the board machine. The pendicular to the machine direction at certain intervals is
different layers can consist of different types of pulp and called the chop. The slit is thus always parallel to the fibre
have different ratios between their long and short fibres. direction and the chop perpendicular to the fibre direction.

Pulping Stock
Pulping describes the process of converting the chipped The stock is the final stage of the pulp before it is pumped
logs to individual, separated fibres, i.e. defibration. onto the wire mesh to form the sheet. In contrast to pulp,
which is normally a single type of fibre produced by one
Refining defibration process, stock can consist of a blend of dif-
Refining occurs at two stages of the paperboard-making ferent fibres (this composition is called “the furnish”) plus
process. In mechanical pulp production, the wood chips additives as colouring additives and retention chemicals
are fed into a refiner to be ground to separate the fibres to retain fines in the paperboard structure, thus promot-
from each other. The process can be aided by steam or ing strength. The fibres may also at this stage have been
chemicals to promote defibration. refined.
The second stage of refining occurs during stock prepara-
tion just before the board machine. A series of low consist- Swarf
ency refiners beat the fibres gently to enlarge the fibre Swarf refers to the shavings or chips from the edges of a
contact area, which in turn increases the stock’s bonding material which has been exposed to mechanical con-
abilities and sheet-forming ability but lowers its bulk. verting operations such as die-cutting or punching. This
occurs mainly with paperboards which have been coated
Register with metallised film or foil, but can also occur with very
Register describes the degree of precision with which hard coatings such as UV varnishes.
subsequent printing and converting steps can align with
each other relative to the design. The term “misregister” Transport packaging
is used when this alignment varies throughout one batch Also called tertiary packaging, transport packaging
or run. Misregister can occur for many reasons, such as facilitates the safe and efficient transportation of grouped
vibrations in machines, or poor hygro-stability or flatness sales units with or without secondary packaging. The
in the paperboard sheet. dominant material is corrugated board, although it is pos-
sible to replace corrugated transport packaging with stiffer
Renewable resource secondary packaging plus shrink wrap or stretch film on a
A renewable resource is one which naturally regenerates pallet load.
itself within a reasonable period of time. These resources
are part of our normal ecosystem. The term is often used
in discussions about renewable energy.

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Terms and concepts

Unit package
This is also known as primary packaging or sales packag-
ing. A unit package contains one sales unit at the point of
purchase by the consumer. Unit packaging is made of a
variety of materials such as paperboard, glass, plastic, tin
or aluminium.

Virgin fibre
Also called primary wood fibre, virgin fibre is the fresh fibre
produced from harvested forests as opposed to recycled
fibre.

Wet end
The wet end refers to the wire section of the board ma-
chine where the stock is pumped onto a mesh to form the
fibre network. The wet end stops where the press section
starts. At the wet end, the water content of the stock is
reduced from approximately 98% to 80% by means of
drainage.

Yield
The term “yield’ describes how much pulp can be pro-
duced from a defined amount of timber. The yield from
mechanical pulping is typically 85 to 95%, while from
chemical pulping it is about 45%. The lower yield from
chemical pulping is due to the delignification process that
removes the lignin in the pulp. The lignin is then used as a
biofuel in the process of recovering the cooking chemicals.

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