Program ECT

ECT determines the edgewise compression strength, bending stiffness, other mechanical properties, and cost of combined corrugated fiberboard from the basis weights and composition of linerboard and corrugating medium material and the flute profiles. The combined Board Code, component Basis Weight, Flute construction, Component Material Codes, and model Calibration are input. ECT applies a theory of microplate structures to the material and geometry inputs.

Single wall, double wall, and triple wall construction combinations can be analyzed. Flute constructions are selected from a library of default A-, C-, and B-flute profiles combined with other user created profiles. Component Material Codes are selected from the outputs of Program PPR. Material Codes for the single face, corrugating medium, and double back components can be selected from user specified paperboards or can be left unspecified to select the default linerboard (Dflt-L) or the default corrugating medium (Dflt-M), as appropriate.

The Basis Weight corresponding to each component analyzed by Program PPR can be used as when picking from a fixed inventory or a different basis weight can be input to predict how producing a selected paper at a different basis weight would affect combined board properties.

The Basis Weight and the Component Material Code corresponding to the weakest structural component that initiates failure in the edge crush structure are output in red. If all components have an equal cost, increasing the basis weight of this weakest component increases ECT strength at the lowest cost.