The means of closing a box is an important aspect of design. It affects the types of equipment available to production lines, the measured laboratory performance, the field performance, and the ability of end-users to easily and safely open the box.
Box closures include:
- Adhesive, water-based or hot-melt adhesive-Adhesives are applied manually or by machine. Starch-based adhesives is the choice of a corrugator as it is economic. Starch works as a medium for molds, lichens, and fungus, so to prevent it, antifungals are added in it before use.
- Staples – staples are used to attach the box flaps. Small (nominally ½ inch crown) staples can be applied to a box with a post stapler. Wider crown (nominally 1¼ inch) staples can be applied with a blind clincher
- Box sealing tape, pressure-sensitive-taps are available in various widths i.e. 36, 48, and 72 mm widths and several thicknesses. BOPP and PET are used as a backing. Taping is done either manually or by semi-automatic Case sealer.
- Filament tape, reinforced pressure-sensitive tape used to close boxes.
- Gummed paper tape – consists of a heavy paper in which adhesive is activated by water for bonding to the box.
- Reinforced water activated gummed tape. Two plies of paper with reinforcing filaments embedded between
- Strapping– straps are generally used for unitizing, made up of plastic(PP, PE, PET, PVC), metal(SS steel), etc. and available various width.
- Shrinkwrap– it is a thin film of LLDPE, LDPE, etc. which shrinks with the application of heat resulting in wrapping a box from all sides.it is costlier amongst all as it needs hot tunnel and material consumption will be more. However, the packed box will be protected from the environment as it will work as a barrier.