Cardboard Cores
Cardboard cores (also referred to as paper cores) are cylindrical, tubular paper products that function as a central base which materials can be wrapped around. Cardboard cores are not limited to this purpose, however. Because of their versatility, cardboard cores have been utilized within a wide range of commercial and industrial applications, such as construction or shipping.
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Applications of Cardboard Cores
Applications for which cardboard cores can be used include retrieval and storage. Products that come in a sheet form can be easily wrapped around a cardboard core, making it much easier and more efficient for manufacturers to distribute certain amounts of the products at a time. Cardboard cores are used in many products you can find in your own home, such as toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, tinfoil rolls, wrapping paper rolls, and wax paper rolls. Such products as electrical and packing tape, stamps, labels, foam, ribbon, metal, electrical wires, or plastic can be tightly wound around the core’s surface. Since these products would otherwise take up a large amount of space if not wound, cardboard cores are a valuable and highly recommended component for storage.
In the industrial field, companies use cardboard cores for shipping, distribution, and storing purposes. Using this method protects the product from knotting, denting, bending, crinkling, or tearing, allowing the product to reach the customer in good condition. In distribution applications, cardboard cores can be mounted on a horizontal pole and then rotated, allowing its user access to a certain amount of the material at a time.
Cardboard Core Design and Customization
Paper tubes and cardboard tubes can be commonly confused with one another. Although they are both used as supportive and protective components, they carry out their function in different ways. While paper or cardboard tubes provide support and protection from the exterior, the support of the paper core comes from the interior. Because of this, cardboard cores must be able to withstand a large amount of pressure. Although cores can also be made with plastic, cardboard is a more sustainable, manageable, and affordable material to use. Cardboard and paper are easier for a manufacturer to cut, recycle, and add additional reinforcing materials to as needed.
Cardboard cores are a diverse product, and can be made in a broad range of thicknesses and sizes. Wood pulp fiber is the main material used to make cardboard cores. The tube shape is created by wrapping the wood pulp fiber around a rod in a spiral motion. The size of the core is determined by its length and its diameter. The diameter of the core depends on the diameter of the rod around which the fibers are wrapped. The tube moves slowly along the rod as more of the fibers are wrapped around, which increases the rod’s length. Once the desired length is achieved, the tube is cut, and the process begins again at the point where the previous tube was cut. The more layers added to the tube, the greater the tube’s thickness will be. The cardboard fibers are often stored in large rolls, and if the manufacturer desires more layers than one roll of fiber can make, additional layers can easily be made with more than one roll at a time. The greater the thickness of the core, the more durable the core will be. These three factors should always be taken into consideration when looking to purchase the appropriate cardboard core for your desired application.
Although it is possible to use some products without a cardboard core, cardboard cores are a more time and cost efficient alternative. A specific example of this is the poster tube, which is used to transport items that cannot be folded, such as artwork or important documents. Any post office, supply store, or shipping store will have poster tubes available for purchase in a variety of sizes, lengths, and thicknesses, although it would be difficult to find a poster tube longer than 48 inches due to shipping regulations.
Points to Consider When Purchasing Cardboard Cores
It is imperative to choose the right size tube to ensure optimum safety for your item. First, the tube should be slightly longer than the item itself to avoid damaging the item’s edges. A tube that is too large may cause the product to slide back and forth and thus put it at a greater risk of damage. If the tube is too small, there will not be enough room for a folded end or cap. These tubes can also be custom made, so anyone who supplies cardboard cores can assist you in finding the appropriate size for your item.
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