Glossary of Terms
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
HDPE is a strong material. It is suitable for water-based chemicals, while not recommended for packing petroleum or solvent based items.
Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
LDPE feels a little soft. It can be squeezed and has good memory without stress cracking but is less resistant to chemicals. It can’t withstand high temperature.
Polypropylene (PP)
PP is recommended for non-solvent products requiring strong color clarity.
Polystyrene (PS)
PS is recommended for heat filling, as it can withstand temperatures up to 180ºF.
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
PET is FDA approved for all food types.PET has excellent clarity and is about 85% lighter than glass. It is shatterproof, antioxidant, moisture-proof and has a good solvent resistance.
Polyethylene terephthalate glycol(PETG)
PETG is a resin with good barrier properties and outstanding clarity, with as lightly higher tolerance to distortion temperatures as compared to PET.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
PVC is a material recommended for products containing alcohols and oils.
Acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene(ABS).
ABS is tough, hard, rigid, opaque plastic easily fabricated by injection molding, extrusion and thermoforming. More costly than general purpose and impact grades of polystyrene. Of limited use in packaging.
Blow Molding
Blow molding is used in the production of hollow plastic products such as plastic bottles.
Injection Molding
Injection molding is a manufacturing process of solid plastic products such as plastic bottles in the special shape, plastic jars and plastic accessories.
Extrusion
The shaping of a plastic material by forcing it through a specially shaped die.
Cosmo Round Bottles
Cosmo round bottles are also known as thebullet bottles, tall and skinnier, extremely popular for cosmetics packaging.
Boston Round Bottles
Boston round bottles are in cylindrical shape and have the short curved shoulders. A good choice for drugs and chemical packaging.
Cylinder Plastic Bottles
Cylinder plastic bottles have a squares houlder and a straight flat base. Widely used for many industries from cosmetics to chemicals.
F-style plastic bottles
F-style plastic bottles have straight orslanted handles, and is very convenient for carrying and packing. They are great choice for holding liquid products like water, oil, detergent, etc. Alsoyou can find dairy jugs are the right F-style.
Twin Neck Bottles
Twin neck bottles are also called the bettix bottles, have dual openings. Each bottles have a measuring chamber, from which the exact amount of liquid can be poured out.
Neck Finish
Neck Finishes are the screw-threaded opening of the plastic containers that can hold the cap or closure in place.
Threads
The twisted spiral on neck finish tomatch the corresponding cap or closure. It is very important to the sealability of the plastic bottle.
Wide mouth
Containers with a large finish opening, or those that have a large finish size in proportion to their capacity
Narrow mouth
The finish of a container that is small in proportion to the diameter of the body.
Bead
The collar beneath the neck where the capor closure rests.
Plastic Closures
The plastic caps that applied for sealingthe bottles or containers.
Applicator Cap
A closure designed to apply the contentsof the container.
Dispensing closure
A closure designed to be used to apply the contents of a container.
Dome
A closure that has a round surface.
Dropper cap
A bottle closure that features a dropper or rubber bulb designed to dispense liquids.
Brush cap
Brushes are attached to the inside of thecap. They can be used for the accurate application of ointments, creams or nailpolish.
Child Resistant Caps
Child Resistant Caps are usually 2 partcaps and they need to be pressed together to engage the take off mechanism.
Disc Tops
Disc Tops have a disc let into the top ofthe cap which pivots to open the cap. This allows for one handed openingnormally used for cosmetics.
Flip Tops
Flip Tops are a hinged cap used for dispensing cosmetics or sauces.
Nozzles & Over caps
Nozzles & Over caps fit into plastic dropper bottles, both are needed to seal the bottle.
Polycell Wadded Cap
Polycell Wadded Caps are spongy pads inthe top of the cap, they fill any unevenness on the top of the bottle. For plastic or glass containers.
Port Corks are closures made from natural cork with a black plastic cap, commonly used to reseal a Port bottle.
Screw Cap
Screw Cap suit jars with a continuous thread. These jars have an unbroken thread which goes round the top of the jar approximately one and a half turns.
Tamper Caps
Tamper Caps have a band under them which detaches when the cap is removed the band stays on the container.
Valve cap
A closure that includes a valve to regulate the flow of the product from the container.
Deep Screw Cap
A cap having a deeper skirt (more”H”) and generally a heavier thread than the 400 finish series.
Continuous Thread Closure
Anon-interrupted spiral design threaded closure. The main purpose of a CT closure is to mate with corresponding bottle threads and provide sealing andre-sealing of the container.
Closure Height
The overall height of the closure proper.Closure height is measured from the closure top to the open end of the closure. Closure height can be considered in terms of “inside height” or “outside height.”
Closure Removal Torque
The amount of force necessary to loosen, open, or remove a closure from a bottle.
Closure Skirt
The vertical wall of a closure.
Closure Stripping Torque
The amount of force required to cause the closure and/or bottle finish to distort and override the matching closure-bottle threads.
Cocking
Mis-application of a closure to a container. The closure’s appearance is uneven on the container or it is pulled off to one side, due to an uneven downward pull of threads. Cocking is normally caused by over torquing or an out of spec.
Cavita tions
The number of molding stations within amold.
Cavity
A mold component which forms the exterioror external surface of the closure.
Core
A mold component which forms the internal surface of the closure. The core also includes the threads.
Cycle
The sequence of operations in a processto complete one set of parts. The cycle is taken at a point in the operation and ends when this point again starts.
Cycle Time
The time during which one molding cycle is completed.
I-dimension
The diameter of the opening of the container measured from the inside wall to the inside wall.
E-dim ension
The smaller diameter of the inside of theclosure measured “thread to thread.” The “E” dimension corresponds to the “E” (outside wall) of the container.
Orif ice
An opening in a plug, fitment, or dispensing cap through which the product is dispensed.
Shrink Factor
The change in dimension which a closure undergoes after being molded. Shrinking is generally caused by cooling and subsequent contraction of the plastic material.
Gasket
A liner applied between adjoining parts to make a tight seal.
Backing Liner
A compressible material, usually pulp orfoamed polyethylene, to which the facing liner is attached or adhered. This compressible material compensates for any irregularities on the sealingsurface.
Foil Wads
Foil Wads are polycell wads with a layerof foil. The foil layer protects the polywad (LDPE) from the chemicals in thebottle.
Heat Induction Wad
Heat Induction Wads have a layer of foil witha wax-like product on the underside. The wad can be fixed to the bottle after heating.
Amber
A yellowish-brown color of plastic containers used to protect light-sensitive contents.
Natural color
Describes the translucent a ppearance of aplastic material which has not been colored.
Capacity
The volume of space inside a container that holds a given amount of product.
Overflow capability
The max volume when a containers full filled to the very top.
Standard Capacity
The normal volume when plastic bottles filled with contents up to the shoulder area.
Screen Printing
Screen printing is a printing technique whereby a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil.
Offset printing
Offset printing is a commonly used printing technique in which the inked image is transferred (or”offset”) from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface.
Thermal transfer printing
Thermal transfer printing is a digital printing process in which material is applied to the product by melting acoating of ribbon so that it stays glued to the material on which the print is applied
Hot stamping
Hot stamping is a dry printing method of lithography in which pre dried ink or foils are transferred to a surface athigh temperatures.
Drop test
A test of strength accomplished by dropping an object in a specified manner fora specified number of times, or until the article fails from impact.
Flame treating
A method of exposing plastics to an openflame to increase the polarity of the surface, rendering it more receptive toinks, lacquers, paints, adhesives, etc.
Label Panel
The body part of plastic containers wherelabels or printings can be applied.
Carton Pack
The packing quantity when a carton been full filled with a specific plastic product.
Artwork
The original design intended for reproduction.
PMS Book:’Pantone Matching System’.
A book put out by Pantone Inc. consisting of color formula guides used as the color standards in the printing industry.
Shelf life (or storage life)
The length of time a product can be stored under specified temperature conditions and still remain usable.