Cardboard typically refers to corrugated fiberboard, but
generally covers all heavy-duty paper products that are thicker and more
durable than regular paper. Corrugated fiberboard is what most people think of
as cardboard, and it is a popular packing material due to its lightweight and
relative eco-friendliness due in part to its recyclable and biodegradable
nature.
Paperboard
Paperboard is a single layered paper material typically
used for packaging that needs to be less durable than corrugated fiberboards,
such as folding cartons and set-up boxes. Paperboard can be configured as
containerboard, folding boxboard, solid board (bleached or unbleached), white
lined chipboard, or binder’s board.
Paperboard is one of the most frequently used packaging
materials, used across many different industries. There is a lot of paperboard
scrap created globally, and this should be recycled, having been first baled.
Many different baling machines can bale paperboard, and depending on the size
of the bale different gauges will be required. However, due to the massive variety
of paperboard available, there are no specific baling wires required for
paperboard baling. Dual ram, long stroke, auto tie, and manual tie horizontal
balers can all be used to bale paperboard.
You may encounter some problems when baling paperboard due
to estimating the gauge size required for the bale. For example, if you are
baling together many different types of paperboard, the pressure that the
baling wire needs to be strong enough but will also need to be different each
time with each different bale composition. That’s why if you’re baling many
different types of paperboard you should choose a wire on the lower gauge end
of the scale, in case a bale contains thicker paperboard than usual (e.g., a
bale composed of a higher percentage of white lined chipboard).
Corrugated
Fiberboard
Corrugated cardboards come in different forms and designs.
Typically you will be working with one of the following:
·
Single
Face Cardboard – the most economical cardboard to buy, it is thinner than
other cardboard but offers more protection than paperboard.
·
Single
Wall Cardboard – this cardboard has a flute between two layers of paper,
making this cardboard more durable than single face. Flutes gauges range from F
to A, with A being the thickest and F offering the least thickness and hence
the least protection from impact.
·
Double
Wall Cardboard – this cardboard offers better impact protection due to
its two layers.
·
Triple
Wall Cardboard – this cardboard is so strong that it often is used in
place of wood crates. It is used in heavy industrial applications.
All corrugated fiberboard products can be baled by
different cardboard balers, but they will require different gauge wires. If the
same number of cardboard sheets were baled into equal volumes, single face
cardboard would put the least pressure on the baling wire hence this requires a
higher gauge. Whereas triple wall cardboard would put the most pressure on the
baling wire and would require a thick gauge like 10 or 11.
If you have more questions pertaining to the suitability of
your cardboard in baling operations, and the different wire gauges that may be
suitable to your needs, contact Baling Wire Direct today.