Grammage and ECT (Edge Crush Test) in the performance assessment of fibreboard boxes

Through new techniques and advancements, fibreboard manufacturers can now produce fibreboard with less material while maintaining its strength, measured through ECT. Transport Canada is interested in undertaking research to determine whether ECT value alone can be a sufficient specification in determining the performance capability of a single or doublewall corrugated fibreboard box or whether the grammage (i.e. basis weight) value is a necessary component in demonstrating fibreboard box performance in accordance with UN performance testing.In order to continuously meet the requirements of the standard, stakeholders (i.e. shippers who assemble combination packaging consisting of an inner package and outer fibreboard box) are required to demonstrate that all fibreboard specifications (ECT, flute, and grammage) are consistent with the specifications on file with Transport Canada when the packaging design was registered or are within the permitted variations within the Standard. The fibreboard industry in Canada markets fibreboard boxes by its ECT value. Because of the emphasis on ECT value, it is difficult for stakeholders to obtain the grammage information, and further, as the grammage values often differ from the original information or do not fall within permitted variation, stakeholders are required to retest the entire packaging design or demonstrate how the packaging can still meet same performance.The purpose of this study is to obtain a greater understanding of the performance of corrugated fibreboard boxes with varying grammage configurations but equivalent Edge Crush Test (ECT) values and determine if grammage requirements can be replaced by ECT values. This will be achieved by performing UN standardized performance testing on combination packagings, a packaging comprised of one or more inner packaging within an outer packaging. For this project, each combination packaging will be composed of a fibreboard box (outer packaging) and four (4) HDPE rounded-off square bottles (inner packagings). Fibreboard boxes tested will have equivalent ECT values and varying grammages. This study will aim to answer (2) main questions:Is grammage a necessary specification to ensure strength quality of fibreboard boxes and the performance of UN standardized combination packaging?Is ECT a sufficient specification to evaluate the strength and robustness of a fibreboard box and the performance of UN standardized combination packaging?