PRODUCT CONSTRUCTION

MATERIAL

Flexible Vinyl – The world’s most versatile plastic that can take on several different forms. Vinyl is actually a form of PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride). Some vinyl is easier to radio frequency seal than others. Vinyl construction makes the product durable and yet a less expensive alternative to completely rigid plastics. Vinyl is available in literally hundreds of colors and/or textures.

Rigid Vinyl – A form of vinyl that can be easily molded to create a unique design. This form of vinyl is most commonly used for media packaging albums. Commonly referred to as PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) and comes in many forms and can range from opaque-rigid to clear flexible. The thicker the vinyl the more rigid the product. Rigid Vinyl is more difficult to seal than flexible vinyl.

Poly – A durable, rigid material best suited for the rugged environment. It is easy to clean and lasts longer than its vinyl equivalent and is not RF (Radio Frequency) sealable.

Paperboard – A more economical alternative to vinyl or poly that most often has a process color design on the paper. It is not as durable or made to last as long as its vinyl and poly counterparts.

SBS board – we use this for our glued products. It is more lightweight than Blister board and is most often used for mailer piece or lighter jobs. The AOL product you receive in the mail is a good example of using this type of board.

Blister board – we use this for our heat-sealed products. It has a stronger fiber weave and is more durable over time. The blister coating is applied to the panel that will have the tray attached to it. Audio books are a great example of using this type of board.

Newsprint board – we do not use this type of board currently. This board is described as having a white printable surface on the outside and on the flip side it is gray, newsprint like look. This can be printed on. Good examples are the labeling on cake pan or other cookware products.

Clay coated board – we do not use this type of board currently. This board has a white printable surface and on the inside it looks like a cardboard bag. If you do not need to print on the inside of the product and want to save costs, this is the way to go.

Gauge – The thickness of the material(s) being used to create the package. For example, vinyl 12 ga. represents that the vinyl thickness is 12 gauge. The larger the gauge, the thicker the material.

Chipboard – The cardboard like material used to add stiffness and durability to a package. Thickness can vary depending on the design and users need.

Rivet – A small piece of metal used to hold the ring metal into a ring binder. It is usually seen on the spine or back cover of a ring binder. Depending on the package, rivets can be concealed, rivet less or exposed.

Ring Capacity – The amount of material to be held in a particular ring metal. The size of the ring metal is determined by measuring the inside dimension of the ring metal not the ring binder spine width.

Ring Metal Style – The type of ring metal selected for a ring binder based on ring capacity and user preference. The most commonly used ring metal styles are round, straight D, “Angle D”, or oval.

Sheet Size – The dimension of the paper or other material being placed into the package. Standard sizes, based on the paper size printers’ use, are the most popular. Most people stay with a standard sheet size so they can use a stock ring metal.

Vinyl Scrim – Vinyl scrim is reinforcement for a product. It is a loose fabric mesh that is in a sheet of vinyl that will not crack apart. Scrim is sealed in the spine of an album with spine bars and if a crack (cold or from use) forms at the top or bottom of the spine hinge, the scrim will prevent the crack from continuing down the spine. The will keep the album from cracking apart at the hinges. A few negatives are that scrim costs more than regular vinyl, it cannot extend beyond the product edge because it cannot be cut sealed, and for the most part it needs to be cut to size in Layout and hand placed on orders even when automated tooling is used.

Mechanics

Dies – The tool used in the completion of the product. There are several types of dies that are used such as a sealing die, foil/hot-stamping die, or cutting die. A sealing die is created for the outside dimension of the product to RF(radio frequency) seal the product together. A foil/hot-stamping die is a magnesium plate that has a design etched into it and is used in the product decoration process.

Die Cutting – The use of a press to cut the material to a specific size, shape or unique design. This is commonly used to create business card slits into ring binders and also used in the thermoforming process.

Mold – The tool used to form all PVC trays and/or parts.

2D/3D Drawings – Engineered drawings to represent what the final product will look like – a design rendering of the finished product. Customers always need to sign off on the drawing prior to the tooling being created.