1. Scope

1.1 This practice provides information on corrugated fiberboard for the prospective user who wants guidance in selecting attributes of materials and box construction based on performance requirements. These attributes should be part of specifications which establish levels of the qualities a shipping container must have in order to be acceptable to the purchaser or user. The attributes and qualities should be testable, using standard methods that are recognized by both the buyer and seller. This practice will assist users in developing specifications for corrugated containers through an analysis of performance requirements and subsequent relationships to fiberboard materials and box construction attributes. This practice is intended to provide specific corrugated container performance standards as opposed to packaged product performance evaluation through distribution and handling environments, such as Practice D4169 .

1.2 The attributes and their levels should be based on the intended use of the box, including the handling and environment it will encounter. Many packaging regulations include detailed descriptions of the materials that may be used and style, closure, or other construction details of allowed shipping containers. These regulations are presented as minimum requirements; they may be exceeded for functional reasons, but there is no regulatory reason to do so. Rail and motor freight classifications applicable for surface common carrier transportation have established minimum requirements for certain attributes of corrugated packaging. These may or may not be appropriate for application in the complete distribution system, as they encompass only containerboard or combined corrugated board not finished boxes and are not intended to provide for the distribution system beyond the transportation segment.

1.3 Corrugated containers for packaging of hazardous materials for transportation must comply with federal regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (Code of Federal Regulations, CFR 49).

1.4 Lists and Descriptions of Performance and Material Characteristics and Related Test Procedures For further information on the development of performance-based specifications, please refer to the sections on Specifications and Test Procedures of the Fibre Box Handbook.

1.5 The values stated in both SI and inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. Within the text, the inch-pound units are shown in brackets. The values stated in each system are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other.

1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ASTM Standards

D585 Practice for Sampling and Accepting a Single Lot of Paper, Paperboard, Fiberboard, and Related Product

D642 Test Method for Determining Compressive Resistance of Shipping Containers, Components, and Unit Loads

D685 Practice for Conditioning Paper and Paper Products for Testing

D996 Terminology of Packaging and Distribution Environments

D4169 Practice for Performance Testing of Shipping Containers and Systems

D4727/D4727M Specification for Corrugated and Solid Fiberboard Sheet Stock (Container Grade) and Cut Shapes

D5118/D5118M Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard Shipping Boxes

D5168 Practice for Fabrication and Closure of Triple-Wall Corrugated Fiberboard Containers

D5276 Test Method for Drop Test of Loaded Containers by Free Fall

E122 Practice for Calculating Sample Size to Estimate, With Specified Precision, the Average for a Characteristic of a Lot or Process

Other Publications

TAPPI Methods

Keywords

box; containment; corrugated; fiberboard; performance; rough handling; stacking; Boxes; Containment systems/applications; Corrugated board/fiberboard materials/applications; Fiberboard containers; Performance--containers/packaging/shipping; Rough handling; Selection guides--materials; Stacking test ;

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 55.160 (Cases. Boxes. Crates)

DOI: 10.1520/D5639_D5639M-09

ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.