New Quality Level of Packaging Components from Paperboard through Technology Improvement in 3D Forming

Abstract

SUMMARYThree-dimensional forming is a key technology for the application of sustainable materials, like paperboard, in packaging technology. Until now, deep drawing is not considered as a suitable process for manufacturing of packaging components with advanced geometrical design because of the sensitive process and a large number of failure mechanisms. To better understand and apply the physics of deep drawing, the process was studied by experimental investigations. Therefore, an evaluation strategy for formed parts was developed to describe their quality by measurable values. The influence of the technological parameters temperature configuration, moisture content of material and blank holder force on the quality of formed parts was described by a statistic regression model. This model gives an indication of the quantity and the direction of effects that parameter changes have on the quality of 3D-formed parts. An optimization of the process according to quality criteria showed that, in a first step, the quality of cylindrically drawn paperboard parts was increased drastically compared with that of the state of the art. Furthermore, the existing limits in the height of formed parts were exceeded, and the geometrical shape of the base offered far more opportunities for packaging design than expected. The process turned out to be suitable for a flexible manufacturing of packaging components for multipart packages from paperboard, which are highly sustainable in terms of recycling and reuse of fibres and thereby able to compete in the marketing-oriented packaging sector.

The Occurrence of Rupture in Deep-Drawing of Paperboard

“…All deep-drawing experiments were performed using the equipment at Technische Universität Dresden, Germany, which was described in detail by Hauptmann andMajschak (2011) andHauptmann (2010). The deep-drawing tools are denoted as the punch, die, and blankholder throughout this publication; the die representing the female part, and the punch representing the male part.…”

Effect of Blank Holding Force on the Gas Tightness of Paperboard Trays Manufactured by the Press Forming Process

“…The effect of the blank holding force on the quality of the formed product has been discussed in previous studies (Hauptmann and Majschak 2011;Tanninen et al 2014). In this study, the blank holding force was varied to create trays with different rim surface qualities to observe the effect of blank holding force with respect to the MAP-tight sealability.…”

“…These articles describe the effect of process parameters, adjustability, and tooling technology Leminen et al 2013) functionality of materials in forming (Vishtal and Retulainen 2012;Tanninen et al 2014;Zeng et al 2013) and also the gas tightness of trays (Hauptmann and Majschak 2011). However, tray-shaped, paperboard-based, and polymer-coated packages have not yet become a significant competitor to polymer-based packages when the use of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is required.…”

Analysis of Dominant Process Parameters in Deep-Drawing of Paperboard

“…Hauptmann and Majschak (2011) suggest contracting individual quality parameters into an overall quality measure (Q). This approach includes a broad range of quality decreasing features and can obtain paramount accuracy.…”

“…The separation distances can be used to calculate the mean separation distance (̂, mm unit) and the evenness of the wrinkle distribution with Eq. 5, (5) To effectively utilize the determined quality values in an experimental setting with a high number of measurement points or for industrial quality assurance, the wrinkle quantity and evenness had to be condensed into a single quality value (Q), similar to Hauptmann and Majschak (2011). The single values were weighted to account for their attribution towards a high quality.…”