MANUFACTURING DEFECTS IN

CORRUGATED BOARD/ BOXES,

THEIR CAUSES AND REMEDIES
BY
DEEPAK KILLAWALA

PRESENTED AT
32nd CERTIFICATE COURSE IN CORRUGATED
PACKAGING
WICMA AUDITORIUM,
237, MITTAL INDL. ESTATE NO.3,
M.V.ROAD, ANDHERI (E),
MUMBAI-400 059

AUGUST 01.2012
MANUFACTURING DEFECTS
IN CORRUGATED BOARD/
BOXES, THEIR CAUSES AND
REMEDIES
1. INTRODUCTION

2. CORRUGATOR DEFECTS

3. CORRUGATOR ROLL DEFECTS

4. PASTING OPERATION DEFECTS

5. CREASING & CUTTING AND SLOTTING

OPERATION RELATED PROBLEMS

6. DIE CUTTING PROBLEMS

7. STITCHING RELATED PROBLEMS

8. PRINTING DEFECTS

9. CONCLUSION AND REFERENCES

 BLISTERS
VARIOUS SHAPED LOOSE, UNBONDED AREAS IN EITHER LINER.
LINERS APPEAR TO BULGE IRREGULARLY AWAY FROM FLUTES.

CAUSES REMEDIES

1. THIN STREAK IN LINER 1. CHANGE LINER

2. SPOTTY GLUE APPLICATION AT 2. ADJUST FINGERS

FINGERS
3. LOOSE CORRUGATION 3. CHECK MEDIUM MOISTURE

4. WET STREAK IN LINER OR MEDIUM 4. CHANGE ROLL IF CANNOT

BALANCE MOISTURE
 COCKLES
APPEAR AS WRINKLES IN THE LINER BETWEEN THE FLUTE TIPS

CAUSES REMEDIES

1. ADHESIVE APPLICATION TOO HEAVY 1. REDUCE ADHESIVE

2. TOO MUCH HEAT 2. RUN AT FASTER SPEEDS OR

BYPASS PRE-HEATERS WITH
MINIMUM POSSIBLE GLUELINE
 CORRUGATIONS – CUT AT FINGERS

PERFORATIONS IN THE MEDIUM AT THE TIPS OF THE FLUTES IN LINE WITH THE
FINGERS.

CAUSES REMEDDIES
1. DIRTY FINGERS 1. CLEAN FINGERS
2. FINGERS TOO TIGHT 2. RELIEVE FINGERS
3. BURR ON FINGERS 3. FILE OR CHANGE FINGERS
4. DIRTY CORRUGATING ROLLS (SILLICATE) 4. CLEAN ROLLS
5. WET CORRUGATING MEDIUM 5. INCREASE WRAP ON
PRECONDITIONER OR ADJUST
FINGERS FOR TYPE OF
MEDIUM
 CORRUGATIONS – CUT OR FRACTURED

CORRUGATING MEDIUM WHICH HAS BEEN CUT OR FRACTURED ALONG SIDES OR

TIPS OF FLUTES.

CAUSES
1. HIGH TENSION ON MEDIUM
2. MEDIUM TOO WET OR DRY
3. CORRUGATING ROLLS TOO TIGHT
4. DIRTY OR WORN CORRU. ROLLS
5. ROLL MEDIUM OUT OF ROUNDNESS
6. CORRU. ROLLS NOT PARALLEL
REMEDIES
1. ADJUST BRAKE PRESSURE
2. INCREASE WRAP ON PRECONDIONER
OR ADJUST SHOWERS
3. REDUCE PRESSURE BETWEEN ROLLS
4. CHECK, CLEAN, REGRIND OR REPLACE
5. SLOW CORRUGATOR, CHANGE ROLL
6. ALLIGN CORRUGATING ROLLS
 CORRUGATIONS – LEANING

CORRUGATIONS ARE LEANING OR TILTED TO ONE SIDE, BUT OTHERWISE WELL

FORMED.

CAUSES REMEDIES
1. CORRUGATING ROLLS NOT PARALLEL 1. ADJUST ALIGNMENT OF
CORRUGATING ROLLS

2. WET MEDIUM 2. INCREASE WRAP OF MEDIUM

ON PRE-CONDITIONER

3. UNEVEN PRESSURE ON CORRUGATING 3. EQUALISE PRESSURE

ROLLS
 WARPED BOARD
BOARD DOES NOT LIE FLAT ON THE LEVEL SURFACE.

CAUSES REMEDIES
1. WET LINER 1. INCREASE WRAP ON
PRE-HEATER OR REDUCE
SPEED

2. EXCESS MOISTURE ON SINGLE 2. a) INCREASE LINER PRE-

FACE SIDE HEATER WRAP
b) INCREASE OPERATING
SPEED IF PRACTICAL
c) USE MIN. ADHESIVE IN
SINGLE FACER
 WASHBOARDING
REFERS TO APPEARANCE OF SINGLE FACE OR DOUBLE FACE LINER WHICH
STANDS TO FOLLOW FLUTE FORMATION (MOST PREVALENT IN LIGHT WEIGHT
LINERS.

CAUSES
1. EXCESSIVE ADHESIVE APPLICATION
2. IMPROPER VISCOSITY
3. GLUE ROLL SPEED NOT MATCHING
PAPER WEB SPEED
4. EXCESSIVE MOISTURE IN THE LINERN
REMEDIES
1. ADJUST DOCTORING ROLL
2. ADJUST VISCOSITY
3. ADJUST GLUE ROLL SPEED
4. INCREASE WRAP OF LINER
ON PRE-HEATER
WASHBOARDING IS CAUSED BY EXCESS ADHESIVE
 ROLL IN PROPER ADJUSTMENT
FLUTE PATTERN GIVEN SHOWS ROLL IN CORRECT ALIGNMENT AND UNDER
UNIFORM PRESSURE.

OPERATOR SIDE CENTER DRIVE SIDE

 IMPORTANCE OF TEETH PROFILE

GEAR TEETH IN CONTACT GEAR TEETH PROFILE

 PASTING OPERATION RELATED PROBLEMS
PASTING OPERATION IS CARRIED OUT TO JOIN CORRUGATE TO PAPER TO
PRODUCE 3-PLY, 5-PLY, 7-PLY SHEET.

CAUSES
1. CRUSHING OF FLUTES
2. EXCESSIVE ADHESIVE APPLICATION
3. LESS APPLICATION OF ADHESIVE
4. UNEVEN ADHESIVE APPLICATION
5. SHEET NOT MOVING STRAIGHT
6. CORRODED, WORN OUT AND
PITTED ROLLERS
REMEDIES
1. INCREASE GAP BETWEEN ROLLERS
2. a) ADJUST DOCTORING ROLL
b) REDUCE ADHESIVE VISCOSITY
3. INCREASE VISCOSITY
4. CHECK SURFACE OF APPLICATOR
ROLL
5. EQUALISE PRESSURE AT BOTH ENDS
6. MACHINE, GRIND AND ELECTRO-
PLATE ROLLERS OR REPLACE
 ROTARY CREASER RELATED PROBLEMS
CAUSES
1. SHEET CRACKING DUE TO DRY BOARD
2. SHEET CRACKING DUE TO NOT USING
CORRECT CREASING HEAD
3. ROUGH CUTTING
4. MACHINE VIBRATIONS
REMEDIES
1. MAINTAIN MOISTURE IN THE
SHEETS
2. USE RIGHT CREASING HEAD
3. a) SET GAP BETWEEN CUTTERS
b) GRIND OR CHANGE CUTTERS
4. a) CUTTERS JAMMED
b) DAMAGED BEARINGS OR GEARS
 ECCENTRIC SLOTTING MACHINE RELATED PROBLEMS

CAUSES REMEDIES
1. RAGGED SLOTS OR ROUGH CUTTING 1. IMPROPER LAMINATION OR WORN OUT
SLOTTING KNIFE AND SIDE CUTTERS,
ADJUST CUTTER SCREWS
 PUNCHING OR DIE CUTTING RELATED PROBLEMS

CAUSES REMEDIES

1. POOR PRINT PUNCH REGISTRATION 1. CORRECT PRINTING AND

PASTING REGISTRATION

2. TRIM NOT STRIPPING PROPERLY 2. PROVIDE PROPER NICK DEPTH

AND GAP, DAMAGED CUTTING
RULE OR IMPROPER CORKING

3. PAPER CREASE FRACTURES 3. PROVIDE CREASING RULE OF

CORRECT THICKNESS,
REDUCE PRESSURE, IF EXCESS
DRY SHEET CAN ALSO CAUSE
FRACTURES

4. SHEET NOT EJECTING FROM DIE 4. PROVIDE CORK OF RIGHT

QUALITY AND IN QUANTITY
5. TRIM SEPARATES IN MACHINE 5. INCREASE NICKING

6. INACCURATE CREASING AND 6. PROVIDE RULE OF CORRECT

CUTTING (DEFLECTION OF RULE) THICKNESS AND HEIGHT

7. NON-UNIFORM CUTTING AND 7. DAMAGED CUTTING PLATE

CREASING NEEDS CHANGE
 CAUSES REMEDIES

8. EXCESSIVE MACHINE DEFLECTION 8. HIGH LOAD DUE TO MORE

CUTTING AND CREASING LENGTH
OR BLUNT CUTTING RULES.
CHANGE DIE OR CUTTING RULES

9. BLANK CONSISTENTLY UNCUT IN 9. LESS MAC READY OR LOW RULE

ONE AREA HEIGHT

10. SLOT IS STRIPPING DUE TO 10. PROVIDE TAPPER SLOTS

IMPROPER SHAPE

WARNING: SAFETY GUARDS SHOULD NOT BE BY-PASSED AS IT CAN LEAD TO

SERIOUS ACCIDENT OF OPERATOR’S HAND.

 STITCHING RELATED PROBLEMS

CAUSES REMEDIES

1. CORROSION OF STITCHING WIRE 1. PROVIDE CORRECT ELECTRO

PLATING ON WIRE

2. BREAKING OF STITCHING WIRE 2. PROVIDE SOFT WIRE

3. STITCHING WIRE LEGS BUCKLED 3. WIRE SIZE BEING USED

OR DULL WIRE CUTTER

4. IMPROPER STITCH SPACING 4. TRAIN OPERATOR

5. WRONG PLACEMENT OF 5. MAINTAIN CORRECT GAP FROM

END STITCH THE FLAP SCORE LINE
 PRINTING DEFECTS
CAUSES REMEDIES

1. INCORRECT INK FORMATION 1. CHECK EACH BATCH OF INK WITH

STANDARD COLOUR SWATCH

2. INK VISIBLE ON THE OTHER SIDE, 2. REDUCE INK APPLICATION

EXCESSIVE INK APPLICATION

3. POOR PRINTING DEFINITION 3. REPLACE DEFECTIVE PRINTING PLATES

4. IMPROPER PRINT REGISTRATION 4. COLOURS BEING OUT OF REGISTER,

ADJUST ONE COLOUR AT A TIME

5. INK OUT OF BOUNDARY (SMEAR) 5. EXCESSIVE INK APPLICATION OR

DIRTY PRINTING PLATES. REDUCE
INK OR CHANGE PRINTING PLATES

6. DIRTY PRINTING 6. DRY AND DUSTY BOARD. GET BOARD

WITH BETTER SURFACE FINISH

7. DISTORTED IMAGE DUE TO 7. REDUCE THE PRESSURE

HIGH PRINTING PRESSURE

8. IMAGE DISTORTION 8. DUE TO DAMAGED PRINTING PLATES,

REPLACE PLATES
THANKS ARE DUE TO

• WICMA & FCBM

• Mr. Pankaj D. Shah
• Mr. Baldev Mehta
• Mr. Y. M. Rao
• All the Participants
 LIST OF REFERENCES

1. CORRUGATED BOX MANUFACTURERS HAND BOOK BY S& S CORRUGATED PAPER

MACHINER CO. INC.
2. PAPER AND BOARD, ITS MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY, CONVERSION AND
USAGE BY ROBERT R.A. HIGHAM (VOL. 1 & 2).
3. STARCH PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY BY J.A. RADLEY.
4. CORRUGATED SHIPPING CONTAINERS, AN ENGINEERING APPROACH BY GEORGE
G. MALTENFORT.
5. ROLL APPLICATION OF ADHESIVES BY RAYMOND R. MYRES.
6. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED DURING PRODUCTION AND ON-THE-SPOT
SOLUTIONS BY SURINDER SINGH BHURJEE.
7. CORRUGATING DEFECTS TERMINOLOGY BY TAPPI PRESS.