Packaging Terms - Display Pack

ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene): A class of plastics often used in electronic appliances.

Blister pack: A thermoformed cavity that is sealed to an insert card with a product in between. Blister packs are a popular, cost-effective packaging solution that displays a product so it is clearly seen, without being touched, as it hangs on a retail shelf.

Blow Molding: Blow molding expands a piece of hot plastic against the internal surfaces of a heated two-piece mold with compressed air. This process is used in injection molding when making hollow pieces, such as bottles, cans and jars.

Boxboard: A type of paperboard used in the manufacture of light non-corrugated containers. It can be plain, lined or clay-coated. Examples of boxboard include shoe boxes, cereal boxes, pasta boxes, toilet paper rolls, gift boxes, cake mix boxes, toothpaste boxes, tissue boxes and paper egg cartons.

CAD: Computer-Aided Design software that engineers use in product design.

Carton: A container made of board or plastic, used for storing and/or shipping product.

Cellophane: A thin, transparent film formed from cellulose fibers. Cellophane is widely used in food packaging due to its high moisture-barrier properties. Cellophane is extremely flexible and easily heat sealed. Used as windows of food boxes, such as pasta and pastry.

Clamshell: A rigid, thin thermoformed plastic container with a hinged lid and a positive snap closure so the package can be easily opened and resealed. An insert card displays graphics and copy, and is placed inside the clamshell. Clamshells can be configured in many ways, enabling the package to hang or stand upright.

Composite Material: Engineered materials which consist of more than one material type and utilizes the strengths of each material (for example, fiberglass obtains its strength from glass and flexibility from polymer).

Containerboard: Corrugated or combined paperboard used in the manufacture of shipping containers.

Corrugated Board: A type of composite paperboard created by sandwiching a fluted board between two flat sheets of board. Lightweight yet extremely strong, corrugated board is widely used for shipping and packaging heavy and/or fragile merchandise and point-of-purchase displays.

Delamination: Separations usually caused by inadequate or insufficient adhesion in laminated or plied goods.

Die: A steel block containing an opening through which plastic is extruded, which is then shaped to the desired form.

Die Lines: Vertical or horizontal marks on extruded material and in finished product caused by damaged die elements or contamination.

Display Boxes™ : A trademarked plastic container made by Display Pack . Display Boxes are used as product packaging for everything from inexpensive fishing lures to expensive Military Compasses. These sturdy clamshells offer true positive lid locks called CardLock™ (a feature firmly holding printed Insert Cards in place). Display Boxes are made from recyclable materials (PET/RPET).

Elasticity: The ability of paper or plastic to rebound back to its original state after deformation.

Electro Static Dissipation Materials (ESD): Critical to electronics and industrial applications, ESD materials prevent unwanted charge build up on the surface of molded parts that could otherwise transfer to sensitive components (for example, a plastic gasoline carrier).

Embossing: The process used to produce a raised surface on smooth material by stamping or impressing on it an engraved die.

Extensibility: The ability of paper or plastic to be stretched without breaking.

Filling machine: A device that measures a predetermined volume, weight or number of product and fills it into a bag, bottle, box, container, sack or other type of package.

Foil: Metallic application used in printing (such as wedding invitations, greeting cards, business cards and stationery).

Heat Sealing: The process of joining two or more thermoplastic films or sheets with heat fusion, usually aided by pressure.

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE): Used to make plastic bottles, milk cartons and other products. Often referred to as No.2 Plastic, it produces toxic fumes when burned.

High Grade Paper (HG): Relatively valuable types of paper such as computer printout, white ledger and tab cards.

HIPS: High Impact Polystyrene is an inexpensive, easily processed plastic used for the manufacture of toys, household appliances, calculators and computer housings.

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE): A polymer that, when coated onto paperboard, creates a moisture and vapor barrier and improves heat sealing . LDPE is a widely used polycoating for paperboard. Often referred as No.4 Plastic.

Pallet: A flat, sturdy, wooden carrier used to safely stack packaged product and transport via forklift or other mobile carrier.

Paperboard: A general term for heavyweight grades of paper that are used for containers, boxes, cartons and packaging materials. It includes containerboard, boxboard and other paperboard.

Paper Stock: Scrap or waste papers that have been sorted and baled into specific grades.

PET: A thermoplastic created when two substances react to form a resin with good resistance and barrier properties against sunlight, oil and grease.

Plastic: A synthetic material (polymer ) that changes shape when pressure is applied. Shape is retained when pressure is released.

Polycarbonate: Strong, impact resistant plastic often used for bullet proof materials and eyeglasses.

Polyethylene: A family of resins obtained from polymerization of ethylene.

Polyethylene Teraphtalate (PET): A type of plastic that is clear or colored transparent with high gloss that is used for carbonated beverage bottles and some household cleanser containers. Often referred to as No.1 Plastic.

Polymer: A natural or synthetic substance or mixture, usually of high molecular mass, whose molecules are formed polymerization and consist usually of a linked sequence of identical chemical units. Cellulose, lignin, nucleic acids, hair and horn are among a vast number of naturally occurring polymers. Nylon, rayon and rubber are important synthetic polymers.

Polypropylene (PP): A tough, lightweight, rigid thermoplastic resin that is moisture-resistant. Used for making molded objects such as plates, ropes and toys, battery cases, dairy tubs, jar lids, straws and syrup bottles. Often referred to as No. 5 Plastic.

Polystyrene (PS): Plastic with a smooth surface that cracks easily when bent. Used for fast food packaging, styrofoam cups and packing peanuts. Often referred to as No. 6 Plastic.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): Environmentally indestructible plastic that releases toxic hydrochloric acid when burned. It is resistant to water, acid and abrasion. PVC is often used to make plastic pipes, cable jackets, plastic cards and window and door frames, as well as flexible transparent food packaging. Often referred to as V-3 or No. 3 Plastic.

Post-Industrial Material: Industrial manufacturing scrap .

Primary packaging: Packaging that immediately envelops a product, such as blister packs , clamshells and trays.

Radio frequency identification device (RFID): A smart tag embedded with a microchip transmitter that allows manufacturers to collect and track information about the location and status of products, from the assembly line to the retail store.

Recycled Paperboard: Recycled paperboard is made from 100% recovered paper that has been diverted from the solid waste stream and then collected, separated, cleaned and recycled for use.

Recycling: Process by which materials that would otherwise become solid waste are collected, separated or processed and returned to the economic mainstream to be reused in the form of raw materials or finished goods.

Resin: Can be either synthetic (polymers) or natural (plant secretions) and used as a binder in varnishes, printing ink and plastics.

Scrap: That portion of solid waste which can be economically recycled.

Secondary packaging: Outer packaging used to ship and distribute product, such as cartons , containers and pallets.

Shrink wrapping: A technique of packaging in which the strains in a plastic film are released by raising the temperature of the film, thus causing it to shrink over the package.

Skin packaging: A method of packaging by which thin, clear plastic is shrunk onto an object backed by printed card.

Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS): A premium paperboard grade used in frozen/refrigerated food packaging.

Sustainable Packaging: Packaging that is made from earth-friendly, recycled and/or recyclable materials. It meets market criteria (such as Wal-Mart’s scorecard) for performance and cost.

Thermoforming: The process of forming a thermoplastic sheet into a three-dimensional shape by clamping the sheet in a frame, heating it to render it soft, then applying differential pressure to make the sheet conform to the shape of a mold or die positioned below the frame. This process is used to make blisters , clamshells, Display Boxes™ and high-tolerance trays .

Thermoplastic (TPO): Plastics which can be reformed repeatedly by application of heat and pressure.

Tray: A multi-cavity package thermoformed from plastic that holds numerous parts or products. Trays are often used as standalone retail-store displays. Trays can be custom designed, using a wide variety of materials and colors, for many applications. Insert trays can hold one product or a group of products for visual appeal and are typically placed into folding cartons or custom clamshells. Dunnage trays can be shaped to fit a particular product, including indentations and stacking or de-nesting features for easy stacking and removal from tight shipping boxes. Trays can be embossed to allow for identification, logos or finger holes for easy handling. Flocked Trays contain several small compartments used for displaying collectible items (such as coins) or packaging items such as silverware, cosmetics and jewelry.

Vacuum Forming: Using negative pressure or vacuum to mold material to a specific shape.

Vegetable Based Inks: Ink made with vegetable oil, such as soybean or corn oil, as a substitute for petroleum. Safer for the environment than petroleum-based inks.

Water Based Coatings: A water based varnish or lacquer applied over a printed or non printed area to protect the product and or to increase gloss.

Wrapping machine: A machine that wraps a flexible material, such as plastic film, around a product or group of products.

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