CARDBOARD
There are various types of paper suitable and unsuitable for offset printing. In offset printing, production is done using sheets. The most common maximum size (in sheet form, meaning the unfolded shape of the box) is 1,000mm x 1,400mm. If the box consists of two separate parts (such as a box lid or an inner separator), the given measurement in millimeters applies to only one of the parts.
The thickness of the paper is expressed by its weight per square meter, which is called paper grammage. The grammage varies depending on the paper manufacturer. The maximum thickness suitable for offset printing is 400g.
TYPES OF CARDBOARD
There are two different types of cardboard: coated cardboard and uncoated raw cardboard.
Chromo Cardboard: Its front surface is coated, making it suitable for color (CMYK+) printing. However, its gray back surface is not ideal for printing. It is suitable for all types of lamination.
Bristol Cardboard (American and Japanese): Its front surface is coated, making it suitable for color (CMYK+) printing. The back surface is white, making it more suitable for printing than Chromo Cardboard. However, since the whiteness is not as high as the front surface, the colors may not appear as vivid. It is also suitable for all types of lamination.
Kraft Cardboard: The front and back surfaces are nearly identical. It is not ideal for printing visuals or conveying a specific design composition. However, it is widely used due to its durability, recyclability, and natural appearance. As a lamination option, varnish and dispersion coatings are used as protective layers, but it is not suitable for cellophane coating.
Grey Cardboard: Both the front and back surfaces are entirely gray, making it unsuitable for printing. Since it has no coating on either side, it is the most economical option among the cardboard types. Due to the lack of printing, it does not require any lamination.
APPLICATIONS ON CARDBOARD BOXES
In addition to printing, foil stamping and embossing add an elegant and stylish appearance to the boxes. Embossing is available in different sizes, while foil stamping comes in various colors. Both applications require a mold called a cliché. These applications can be used on both coated and uncoated cardboard types. Additionally, other optional applications for coated cardboard include varnish, glitter varnish, cellophane, and colored cellophane.
PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF CARDBOARD BOXES
A die-cut mold enables the cardboard to take shape and form a box of specific dimensions. This mold is called a "die." Thanks to this die, boxes produced at different times can be manufactured to a consistent standard.
CARDBOARD BOX ASSEMBLY
For a finished box to take its final shape (folded form), it requires disassembled assembly. Disassembled assembly involves placing the box flaps into the appropriate slots. Another assembly method is glue-applied boxes. The distinctive feature of this type of cardboard box is that its folding points, including the base, are flexible, allowing the box to take shape with a single hand movement.
USAGE AREAS OF CARDBOARD BOXES
The pharmaceutical industry is the sector that uses cardboard boxes the most intensively. Medicine boxes are the most prominent example of this category.
