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FEFCO 0480

Machine-Erected Glued Tray

  • Available in a wide range of custom configurations & material selection.
  • Order 1 sample. Or order 100K+ units. Or anything in between.
  • Affordable delivery across North America.
  • Design support, warehousing, testing, assembly available.
  • Widest machinery capability in America via 30+ specialist partner plants.
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Product details

Top highlights

  • Tapered corner flaps prevent jams on automated tray erectors
  • Requires hot-melt or cold glue application during 3D machine forming
  • Optimized for automated lines rather than manual pack-bench assembly

About this product

A four-point glued open tray engineered specifically for high-speed automated packaging lines. It features distinct trapezoidal corner flaps, often called suspenders, that fold inward to create double-thick corners.

Because the tapered flaps are designed to clear machine plows and guide the blank smoothly into a forming mandrel, this tray trades the simple straight cuts of basic trays for consistent reliability at high volumes.

Common uses

  • Beverage and can collation
  • Produce and agricultural trays
  • High-volume retail-ready bases

Get a quote

Share what you know. We'll take it from there. Or email us at info@herculeindustrial.com

Best Price Guarantee

Already have a packaging quote? Let us beat it.

Send us the quote you have. We will beat it for the same specifications, quantity, and delivery requirements.

Upload a competing quote

Free quote review. No obligation.

30+specialist partner plants

We supply through the plant best suited to your price, material, production, and delivery requirements.

Why we can beat a lower quote

30+ plants give us more ways to lower the price.

Each plant has different machinery, material costs, order minimums, and freight rates. Our buying volume helps us secure better pricing. We then quote through the plant that gives you the lowest total price for your requirements.

Send us your current quote. Watch us beat it.

Attach it to the quote form or email it to us. We'll review it free and send you our price.

Upload a competing quoteinfo@herculeindustrial.com
Best Price Guarantee terms

To qualify, send a written supplier quote dated within the past 30 days and addressed to your company. It must cover the same dimensions, construction, material, print, finish, quantity, tooling, freight, delivery date, and delivery location. The guarantee does not cover taxes, expired quotes, liquidation or clearance sales, or obvious pricing errors.

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High-Volume Automated Packing Jobs

Beverage and canned goods collation

The glued corners provide lateral containment for heavy, dense products like cans or jars. The open top allows for rapid robotic drop-packing before the entire unit is shrink-wrapped or palletized.

Retail-ready shelf trays

When formed from fine-flute corrugated board, the clean outer walls offer an uninterrupted print surface for branding. The tray can be loaded automatically and shipped inside a master carton, ready to be pulled out and placed directly on a retail shelf.

Fresh produce and agricultural packing

The double-thick glued corners provide the necessary rigidity to support stacked loads of heavy produce. The open top ensures proper ventilation and easy access during retail display.

High-volume baked goods distribution

Fast robotic drop-packing lines use this tray to collate wrapped snacks or baked goods. The tapered flaps ensure the tray forms reliably at high speeds without interrupting the continuous packing flow.

Production Environments and Payloads

High-speed manufacturing lines

Operations running dozens of trays per minute rely on this package because its angled corner flaps smoothly navigate the plows and guides of a tray erector. This prevents the misfeeds and crashes that happen with straight-cut flaps at high speeds.

Automated beverage canning facilities

Canning lines require continuous, jam-free operation. The specific flap tapers of the 0480 tray match the erector equipment to keep the line moving without manual intervention.

High-throughput distribution centers

When manual tray folding is too slow to keep up with order volume, facilities switch to automated erectors. This tray provides the exact blank profile needed to feed those machines reliably.

When to Consider Manual or Straight-Cut Trays

Manual pack-bench fulfillment

If your team is assembling boxes by hand, holding four glued corners perfectly square while hot-melt sets is slow and ergonomically difficult. A friction-locking tray is a much faster, tool-free alternative for manual packing.

Running on simpler straight-cut equipment

The angled cuts on this tray require specific die-cutting equipment. If your tray erector can handle straight rectangular flaps without jamming, the 0452 tray offers a simpler production route.

Close variants and lookalike dielines

The closest library neighbors include 0436.1, EVC30021, 0436.1a. Use this as a variant check if a buyer brings an old code, sample, or dieline that looks close. The deciding details are usually the lock, slot, closure, wall build, part count, or fold sequence.

Board, Glue, and Machine Clearances

Board thickness and glue spring-back

Thick double-wall corrugated board creates outward tension when folded. This spring-back force fights the hot-melt glue before it fully sets, risking popped corners. If heavy board is required for product weight, the machine compression time and glue formulation must be verified.

Surface coatings and adhesion

High-gloss finishes or heavy wax coatings on the inner side panels or outer corner flaps can repel standard hot-melt adhesives. Discuss any moisture-resistant or premium print finishes early to ensure the glue bond will hold.

Machine mandrel clearance

The exact dimensions of the tray must match the forming mandrel on your specific tray erector. Even minor deviations can cause the blank to catch or fold incorrectly during the plunge stroke.

Payload weight and base support

Heavy items like canned goods place significant stress on the base. Depending on the payload, you may need to adjust the board grade or specify offset base scores to maintain a perfectly square shape under load.

Flap Tapers and Base Adjustments

Flap taper angles

The exact angle of the trapezoidal corner flaps can be adjusted to match the specific clearances of your tray erector forming mandrel and plows.

Offset base scores

For thicker board grades, the base corner scores can be stepped or offset. This relieves corner tension during folding and helps the tray maintain a perfectly square shape.

Layer step crease calibration

Because the corner flaps fold inward, they add a layer of board thickness that the side walls must wrap around. The crease lines on the side panels can be precisely offset to accommodate this extra material, preventing the finished tray walls from bowing outward.

Board and packing details

Die-cutter stripping reliability

The base slots generate internal offcut waste. These chads must be reliably stripped on the die-cutter to prevent press jams during high-volume production runs.

Base Slot Adjustments

Straight vs. offset base slots

The base corners can be cut with straight slots for standard applications, or offset slots to improve die-stripping reliability and corner squaring on heavier boards.

Additional notes

Print surfaces and glue zones

If you require premium graphics, keep in mind that the areas where the corner flaps meet the side panels must remain unvarnished to ensure a strong, permanent glue bond.

Related Tray Styles

0452: Straight-Flap Glued Tray

A similar 4-point glued tray that uses straight rectangular corner flaps, allowing it to be manufactured without custom die-cutting tooling.

EVC30021: Glued Tray with Bench Support

EngView neighbor that can look close in CAD. Review it if a sample or dieline seems similar, then verify closure style, slots, wall build, and assembly before treating it as a substitute.

FAQs

Production and Assembly

Can this tray be run on a standard folder-gluer?

No. Standard linear folder-gluers fold and glue boxes flat. This tray must be erected into its 3D shape around a mandrel while the glue is applied, requiring a dedicated automated tray erector.

Is this tray suitable for manual assembly?

It is a poor fit for hand packing. Manually folding and holding four corners perfectly square while applying and setting adhesive is inefficient. If you are packing by hand, a self-locking tray is usually a better choice.

Shipping and Route

Can this tray be shipped through parcel networks?

Not on its own. Because it has an open top, it provides no protection against items falling out or top-down impacts. It must be placed inside a sealed master carton or fully shrink-wrapped for courier transit.

Material and Fit

Does board thickness affect the tray performance?

Yes, heavily. Thicker boards require precise adjustments to the fold allowances so the side walls do not bow outward. Heavy double-wall boards also exert strong spring-back forces that can cause the glued corners to pop open if the machine compression time is not sufficient.

Tooling and Route

Why does this tray require specific cutting equipment?

The angled, trapezoidal cuts on the corner flaps cannot be made by the straight knives of a standard rotary slotter. It requires a flatbed or rotary die-cutter to create the specific flap profile that prevents machine jams.

Production and Assembly

How do machine specifications affect the tray design?

The make and model of your automated tray erector dictate the exact taper angle of the corner flaps and the required clearances around the forming mandrel. These details must be matched to prevent misfeeds during high-speed runs.

What type of adhesive works best for the corner flaps?

Most automated tray erectors use hot-melt glue for a fast set time, though cold glue can be used depending on the machine speed and board finish. Coated or waxed boards may require specialized adhesives.

Material and Fit

How does the 0480 differ from a standard slotted tray?

The primary difference is the shape of the corner flaps. The 0480 uses tapered, trapezoidal flaps that fold inward without catching on machine plows, whereas standard slotted trays use straight rectangular flaps.