March 13, 2018 in Ask the Expert
Answers from the expert
Question: Can you please explain the different types of Plastic Corrugated?
Answer: Yes, there are several variations of plastic corrugated with different configurations and different advantages.
The first and most common is Profile Sheet.
Example: Corrugated Profile Sheet
Plastic corrugated profile sheet is available in both polyethylene and polypropylene from 2mm up to 25mm in thickness. It is made by an extrusion process forcing heated resin through a hardened metal die. When the resin is pressed through the die it creates a sheet that has flat surfaces to both sides and an I-beam structure between the two flat surfaces.
Profile Sheet is the most diverse to work with since it is available in so many different thicknesses and can be extruded at variable weights.
The next sheet type is Laminated Sheet.
Plastic corrugated laminated sheet comes is only available in Polyethylene. Laminated sheet is made in a very similar way to paper corrugated fiber. Most commonly made with two flat sheets on each side with a third wave pattern sheet in the middle. Instead of glue being used to attach the sheets together they are brought together while the resin is hot and the layers are melted together. There is another form of laminated sheet called single face. This version only has one flat side and the wave pattern is exposed on the opposite side. Single face laminated sheet can be rolled and is much more pliable than the standard laminated sheet.
Example: Corrugated Laminated Sheet
The newest and last variation of Corrugated Plastic is Honeycomb or Bubble sheet
Available in polypropylene and comes in multiple thicknesses. It has two flat surfaces with either a honeycomb type pattern in the middle or a bubble format in the middle. It has better rigidity in both directions and is incredibly flat on the sides. Although more expensive than the other two options this sheet variation has some performance advantages in particular applications.
No matter what combination is best suited for your project corrugated plastic is a perfect replacement when there is an opportunity to reuse the packaging or the packaging or display needs to withstand weather or other variables in the environment. Unlike paper products it is also archive safe and does not contaminate the environment like paper dust making it a great alternative for clean room applications. It can also be customized economically when compared to molded plastic products or thermal formed products.
Example: Corrugated Plastic Honeycomb or Bubble sheet