INVESTIGATION OF CURVED FOLDING OF NATURAL FIBRE-BASED MATERIALS FOR APPLICATION IN TRANSPORT PACKAGING

Abstract

This master thesis describes the investigation of curved folding of natural fiber-based materials for application in transport packaging. The mail-order business leads to a strongly increased demand for packaging. As a result of growing demands on packaging, there is a trend towards heavier corrugated boards. Due to the resulting increase in material consumption, it is questionable whether the common support material construction method is the most suitable solution in all cases. Samples B-Flute and C-Flute of corrugated board are taken and initial tests like thickness, flat crush test, and edge crush test are done. Fabrication of straight and various curved bending lines on the selected samples under variation of creasing parameters like creasing depth which is the function of thickness, different creasing rules, and also the direction like machine direction and cross direction and therefore best combination is selected. Characterization of mechanical properties of samples is done and the influence of bending lines (straight or curved) on the mechanical properties. Comparison of mechanical properties of structure designed by curved folding with conventional transport packaging and in the end interpretation of results. Study findings indicated that C-Flute was higher than B-Flute in thickness tests, and during FCT and ECT tests, B-Flute was higher than C-Flute.