The considerable risks for damages due to vibration, shocks, drops etc. during the transport and handling of products are the main reason behind the use of blocking and filling materials in industrial packaging.
Blocking materials are used in order to immobilize the product and assure the right cushioning, while void filling materials are utilized to totally fill the empty spaces around the packed product.
The four main blocking and filling materials are:
Please note: Honeycomb, bubble wrap, and foam are the other materials used for this purpose although it is not the main field of application for such products.
There is a wide range of materials suitable for blocking & filling applications:
The characteristics of the product, the transport and handling determine the choice of material used to decrease the impact of from transport and handling.
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Paper Pad is suitable as a blocking as well as a filling material, hence can also be used for wrapping. It is suitable especially for fragile parts and irregular shaped products. Cost reduction, flexible packaging system and adaptation to the customers’ needs, wide range of paper combinations, recyclability, and reliability are its main advantages.
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Air Pad is a fast, easy to use and efficient void filling solution which can also be used as a blocking material for lightweight products. It is only suitable for regular shaped products without sharp edges. The system is economical, easy to use for versatile applications, reliable, clean and environmentally friendly. It creates very little waste since the main part of the finished packaging product consists of air.
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Foam-in-place is a fast, easy, and versatile process for on-line and on-site production of productive polyurethane foam packages. This solution has the advantages of being economical, fast, easy, versatile and yet offering high protection.
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Loose fill is a void filling and blocking packaging material which can be made of polystyrene, as well as corn starch and recycled paper. It is suitable to fill small spaces and for products and kits of small series, hence it is a flexible packaging material. However, it is expensive, and it has low shock absorption and low capability of blocking.
This chart compares the materials that are developed mainly for blocking & void fill applications
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Air Pad
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Loose Fill
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Paper Pad
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Main Application
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void fill
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void fill
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blocking and
void fill
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Storage Cost
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low
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high
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low
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Cost / m3
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low
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medium
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medium/low
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Initial Investment
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rentable
machines
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no need
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rentable
machines
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Humidity Sensitivity
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low
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low (EPS)
high (starch & paper)
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high
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Recyclability
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good
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not good (EPS)
good (starch & paper)
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good
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Cost Efficiency
dependant on the operator
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little
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little
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much
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