Corrugated Boxes: How It’s Made Step By Step Process | Georgia-Pacific

Summary

The video script from GP Corrugated takes viewers through the intricate process of manufacturing corrugated sheets and containers. It begins with the creation of corrugated board from raw materials like container board and paper liner, using a machine called a corrugator. The process involves heat, pressure, and adhesive to form a strong, fluted medium. The single face web is then combined with a double face liner in the double glue unit, where it's bonded and passed through heated plates for curing. The finished board is cut to size, and the material is further processed into boxes by machines like rotary die cutters and flexo folder gluers. The production includes quality checks, high-speed detection systems, and recycling of scrap material. GP Corrugated emphasizes safety, sustainability, innovation, quality, customer focus, and value creation as core values, positioning itself as a leading supplier in the industry.

Takeaways

• 📦 **Manufacturing Process**: GP corrugated specializes in producing a range of corrugated packaging products, starting with the creation of corrugated board through a series of machines known as a corrugator.
• 🌿 **Sustainable Materials**: The raw materials for corrugated board include container board grades of paper liner made from the long fibers of softwood trees and medium fluted layers made from shorter fibers of hardwood trees.
• 🔧 **Corrugation Machine**: A single phaser machine is used to combine liner and medium to form a single face web, which is then bonded with cornstarch-based adhesive to create the corrugated board.
• 🔥 **Heat and Pressure**: The corrugating rolls in the single phaser machine use high heat and pressure to form the flutes that give the board its strength and cushioning capability.
• 🔄 **Efficient Splicing**: A splicer device allows for seamless transitions between rolls of paper without stopping the machine, which is crucial for maintaining production efficiency.
• 🔽 **Temperature Control**: The paper is passed around heated rolls or preheaters to reach the proper temperature for the corrugating process, with control over the heat exposure to ensure the integrity of the paper.
• 🛍️ **Double Wall Board**: For double wall board production, two single face webs are combined at the double glue unit, which applies adhesive to the flute tips and joins the outside liner to the single face web.
• ✂️ **Cutting and Shaping**: After the board is formed, it passes through a shear, then a slitter scorer that slits the board to the proper width and places scores for specific dimensions.
• 📏 **Precision Cutting**: The cut off knife ensures precise cutting to the dimensions requested for the finished corrugated sheet, with the ability to combine different orders on the same width and grade of paper.
• 🔳 **Quality Control**: The stacker beds accumulate sheets into stacks for quality checks before strapping and shipment, ensuring that the corrugated sheets meet the required standards.
• 📈 **Conversion to Boxes**: Converting machines transform corrugated sheets into boxes, with rotary die cutters and flexo folder gluers being the primary types of machines used for this process.

Q & A

What is the primary material used for making the flat facings of the corrugated board?

The flat facings of the corrugated board are primarily made from the long fibers of softwood trees.

How is the strength and cushioning capability of the corrugated board achieved?

The strength and cushioning capability are achieved through the flutes formed by passing the medium through a set of corrugating rolls under high heat and pressure.

What is the purpose of the single phaser in the production of corrugated board?

The single phaser combines a liner and a medium to form a single face web, which is a crucial step in making corrugated board.

How is the adhesive applied to the flute tips during the production process?

The adhesive is applied to the flute tips by a glue roll that turns against a metering roll to control the proper amount of adhesive delivered to the flute tips.

What is the role of the double glue unit in the corrugated board production?

The double glue unit applies cornstarch-based adhesive to the flute tips and joins the outside or double face liner to the single face web as the board is pulled into the double backer.

How does the double backer contribute to the curing of the adhesive bond?

The double backer has a series of heated plates that continue to transfer heat into the board to cure the adhesive bond.

What is the function of the shear in the corrugated board production line?

The shear serves to cut the board to permit order changes, creating a small gap to allow the slitter scorer sections to adjust for the board path.

What are the two main types of converting machines that turn corrugated sheets into boxes?

The two main types of converting machines are rotary die cutters and flexo folder gluers.

How does the rotary die cutter differ from the flexo folder gluer in terms of box production?

The rotary die cutter can produce multiple boxes from each sheet, whereas the flexo folder gluer yields one box for every sheet.

What is the purpose of the Clear Vision high-speed detection system?

The Clear Vision system is used to monitor glue placement and gap measurements on every box, detecting any out-of-spec boxes that are then marked for removal before reaching the customer.

How does the UV marking system help in identifying off-quality boxes?

Any out-of-spec box detected by the Clear Vision system is sprayed with a UV coating. A black light then detects this UV coating and ejects the bundle for an operator to remove the off-quality box.

What is the final step in the production process before the corrugated sheets are ready for delivery?

The final step includes strapping each bundle together for stability in transit and ease in handling, inserting load tags for identification, and preparing the load for shipping to the customer.