Glossary
Common terms used in the packaging and printing industries
A
APET (Amorphous Polyethylene Terephthalate)
A clear resin plastic sheet or film used for packaging
Auto Bottom
A type of end closure for a folding carton where the bottom panels automatically lock closed when the carton is folded to profile.
B
B-Flute
Corrugated substrate. Roughly 1/8″ thick or 3.2 mm.
Base
The bottom of the two parts of a rigid setup box.
Bleed
Used in conjuction with print material. Printing that is designed to extend beyond the trim line to allow for proper finishing.
C
C1S (Coated One Side)
Refers to paperboard that is coated on one side of the sheet and uncoated on the other. The coated side is finished to a smooth texture while the uncoated side is more fibrous or unfinished surface.
C2S (Coated Two Side)
Refers to board that is coated with a smooth finish on both sides of the paperboard sheet.
CAD
Acronym for “Computer Aided Design”. CAD is used in the drafting process of packaging development.
Caliper
The measurement of thickness of paperboard. Most often expressed in thousandths of an inch (e.g. 24pt or .024)
Carton
Any box style that can fold and ship flat.
CCNB (Clay Coated News Back)
Recycled paperboard that is not bleached, has a white, clay coated finish on one side and an unfinished, gray second side. Common runs at MPB use .018 pt to .028 pt CCNB.
CCKB (Clay Coated Kraft Back)
Recycled paperboard that is not bleached, has a white, clay coated finish on one side and an unfinished, brown or “kraft” second side. Common runs at MPB use .018 pt to .028 pt CCKB.
Chipboard
Paperboard that is unfinished both sides. Chipboard is usually kraft or gray in color. Common runs at MPB use .018 pt to .028 pt chipboard for folding cartons and .035 pt to .060 pt for rigid setup box.
Coating
A protective layer added on top of a printed or unprinted sheet that offers different finishes. (e.g. gloss, matte)
Aqueous Coating
A finish applied to a printed piece like another layer of ink. An AQ (aqueous) Coating is a fast drying, water based, clear, shiny finish that is generally thinner, and less shiny than UV Coating.
UV Coating
A finish applied to paper that is cured with ultra-violet light, and leaves a shiny finish.
Cradling
Nesting rigid setup box bases, lids, or trays together until bases and lids are joined together and packed as a finished product. This saves space for warehousing or shipping costs when applicable to ship lids and bases separately or in tray orders.
Curl
A term when referring to a distortion of paperboard often due to changes in the moisture content of the paperboard through changes in humidity or other atmospheric conditions.
Cutting Die
Often a wooden or metal plate with inset rule used in a die cutting machine for cutting, perforating, and creasing to form stock material.
D
Deboss
The process of creating a design that is pressed into the substrate, leaving the design/image below the surface of the paper.
Die Cutting
A fabrication process that uses specialized machines and tools to convert stock material into finished product or shaped parts to be further processed, by cutting, forming, and shearing with a large hydraulic or mechanical press.
Die Line
The digital representation of the die. Often used in digitally registering print with die layout.
Die Plate
A metal sheet containing the etched imagery of the graphic design. This metal sheet is mounted to a printing press cylinder, and is used to correctly transfer ink onto paperboard.
Digital Printer
A printer that converts digital files directly to print without using plates or other machinery. This form of printing is often used on small quantity runs and for creating pre-run mockups.
Digital Proof
A printing proof made with a digital printer/press rather than an offset or letterpress. This is often used in cases that require quick turnaround time for proofing as well as offer lower initial cost as it does not require a press setup.
E
E-Flute
One of the thinnest corrugated substrates. Roughly 1/16″ thick or 1.5 – 2 mm.
Emboss
The process of creating a slightly raised image on the surface of a substrate through pressing.
F
Foil
A thin layer of metal attached to a mylar carrier that can be offset onto paper through the use of hot stamping.
Folding Carton
A Folding carton is a style of packaging that utilizes paperboard to create a die cut, folded, and glued carton that ships to end user flat and requires folding prior to use.
Four Color Process (4CP)
Printing process that uses 4 ink colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) to create any needed solid color or full color image.
G
Grain
The direction the fibers of a paper stock run. Grain direction directly influences the strength of a piece of paperboard, as well as how it interacts with atmospheric conditions.
H
Hand Glueing
The process of applying glue to a work-in-process part by hand rather than through the use of automated machinery. This is often necessary in very low quantity orders or in applications where automation is not possible.
Hot Stamping
A printing process where metallic or pigmented foil is applied to a sheet with the use of a heated metal die or plate. This also commonly leaves a debossed (impressed) feel to the design as well.
Hinged Lid
A rigid setup box style lid that is attached to the base tray and hinges forward to create a finished enclosure (e.g. cigar boxes).
I
Inserts
Various styled packaging that goes inside of a carton or box; often used to hold/secure or display a product.
L
Landscape
Refers to a layout that is wider than it is tall.
Letterpress
Printing process that uses a hard raised image plate to directly transfer ink to paper under pressure.
Lid
The top of the two part rigid setup box.
Full Telescoping
A Rigid Setup Box is full telescoping when the base and lid depths are the same.
Partial Telescoping
A Rigid Setup Box is partial telescoping when the lid is more shallow than the base
Shoebox
A Rigid Setup Box is a shoe box when the lid has a 1″ depth exactly.
Loose Wrapping
Adhering the wrap of a rigid setup box only by the edges of the box rather than applying full glue coverage.
LTL
Acronym that stands for Less Than Truckload. This is a shipping term that refers to a shipment that does not require the full capacity of a semi-truck to ship.
M
Master Carton
The carton, usually made of thicker corrugated material to increase protection for the product in shipping, that contains the smaller, finished product.
Matte
A dull or flat finish that has no gloss or sheen.
Mock-up
A pre-production manufacturing of a product, usually only one or two parts, to verify box engineering meets standards and specifications prior to a full production run at quantity.
Mylar
A clear polyester film made from stretched polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and is used for its high tensile strength and chemical and dimensional stability.
O
Offset Printing (Lithography)
A printing process where ink is transferred from a flat metal plate to a rubber cylinder blanket; then transferred to paper under pressure.
Over Run
Percentage of parts produced, through production process, beyond ordered quantity.
P
Pad
Various substrates that are cut to specification and sold as flats. These are used to “pad” or block products into packaging/boxes to fill voids and add protection for products.
Palletization
Palletizing product is the process of combining master cartons or loose product onto a pallet in preparations of final shipping or moving product during varying production processes.
Paperboard
Commonly referred to as “cardboard”, however there is no fluting as you would find in corrugated material. This material provides rigidity for packaging as it generally starts at .008″ thick and increases as box rigidity requirements necessitate.
Portrait
Refers to a layout that is taller than it is wide.
Press Proof
A pre-production printing proof made on a printing press. Often made to verify correct color, layout, and quality of print prior to full production.
Price Per Thousand
The price for 1000 parts of any given total run quantity. Divide this by 1000 to find Price Per Unit cost.
Price Per Unit
The price per each piece of a given total run quantity.
Protein Glue
A type of glue commonly used in book binding and rigid box manufacturing. Also referred to as “cake” glue.
R
Random Pull Inspection
A process of quality check during the manufacturing of a product, whereas, a part is randomly pulled from the production line and inspected.
Registration
How the printing, die cutting, and assembly of a product fits together in relationship to each other. Misregistration between elements of the packaging can lead to misplaced type or graphics or the box not functioning properly.
Rigid Setup Box
A rigid setup box is a type of packaging that comes to end user pre-assembled and is not collapsible. This style of box offers increased durability and a higher level of perceived quality over flat ship style boxes and cartons.
RTE (Reverse Tuck End)
A folding carton style box where the end closures of the carton tuck in from opposite sides.
S
SBS Board
Solid Bleach Sulfate is a commonly used substrate for packaging. This type of paperboard can be coated one side or both sides, and is white throughout the entirety of the paperboard.
Simplex (Kwikset)
A two part (base and lid) folding carton that ships flat and is assembled by end user.
Sleeve
A folding carton, open on both ends, that fits over an existing box or finished product to increase protection and marketing potential.
SST (Standard Straight Tuck)
A folding carton style box where the end closures of the carton tuck from the same direction/panel.
Stand-Off Trap
A type of insert that stands off of the bottom of a box or folding carton that holds the enclosed product into place.
Strip Wrapping
A technique used to wrap large rigid setup boxes where it is not possible or impractical to wrap with one individual piece of wrap. This technique uses two to four strips of paper to wrap the outer panels of the box, and one base panel to finish the bottom of the box.
T
Thumb Notch
A half moon shaped cut out that allows for easier opening of folding cartons and rigid setup boxes.
Tight Wrapping
The most common form of wrapping for a rigid setup box. In this process, a wrap sheet is covered fully on one side with glue and adhered to a box board fully.
Tray
A rigid setup box base where there is no lid.
Turn In
The portion of the wrap paper of a rigid setup box that is folded and adhered to the interior portion of the box.
V
Vat
A type of chipboard that has been dyed on one or both sides (most commonly white).
Y
Yield
Percentage of non-defective parts of all manufactured parts made. Also, percentage of usable material to waste material created throughout manufacturing process.