Cardboard is made of corrugated paper[paper?:paper sample maker cutting machine] which is mainly divided into 5 types by the flute structure.Different types cardboard are used in different applications. The larger the flutes, the more strength and cushioning cardboard provide. Cardboard with smaller flutes folds easier and has better printability. Main flute type of corrugated paper are as follows:
A Flute
The A flute profile has the largest flutes with 36 flutes per linear foot with each flute at 1/4-inch wide. A-flute corrugated paper[corrugated paper?:DCP-H series sample cutter plotter] is the thickest and has the best cushioning and stacking properties. It also offers excellent stiffness and crush resistance. These properties make it ideal for protecting fragile items.
B Flute
B-flute corrugated paper is 1/8-inch wide and is the second largest. It has a lower arch than the A-flute, and thus able to fit 49 flutes per linear foot. This also provides a stiff, flat surface for printing[printing?:printing cutting finishing solution] and die cutting[die cutting?:die cutting]. It has good puncture resistance and is normally used by packagers as pads, partitions and other forms of inner packing.
C Flute
The C flute corrugated paper splits the difference between A and B flutes. The C flutes are 11/64-inch wide, with 41 flutes per linear foot. It is the most widely used flute type, with approximately 80 percent of corrugated containers made out of this type. C-flute corrugated paper offers good crush resistance and good stacking strength.
E Flute
The E flute has the most flutes per linear foot with 94 flutes at 1/16-inch wide. The number of flutes gives this corrugated paper the greatest crush resistance and best surface for printing. The thin profile of this board helps reduce box size and thus, storage space. The E-flute corrugated paper is typically used for cosmetic boxes and boxes for fragile items like glass and ceramic. It is also used for pizza boxes.
F Flute
The F flute corrugated paper has flutes that are almost half the thickness (1/32 of an inch) of an E flute, fitting 128 flutes per linear foot. The dimensions of the F flute means that converters and packagers can reduce the amount of fiber in packaging[packaging?:DCP-H series packaging sample cutter plotter] whilst making a more rigid box. It is normally used for specialty packaging, point-of-purchase displays, jewellery, cosmetics and shoe boxes. McDonald's uses this type of corrugated paper to box its Big Macs.
