Common packing jobs for interlocking grids
Glass and bottle shipping
Isolates fragile cylinders and prevents glass-on-glass impact. The grid keeps bottles upright and absorbs lateral shocks during transit.
High-density small parts
Useful for cosmetics, vials, or electronics where many small items share one master carton. Fine flutes maximize the number of cells in a tight space.
Heavy industrial components
Cut from heavy-duty double-wall board, the grid separates heavy machined parts while providing enough vertical support to allow pallets to stack high in the warehouse.
Returnable transport packaging
When cut from durable board, the rigid grid handles multiple shipping cycles, making it useful for moving cast parts or sub-assemblies between facilities.
Industry and packing environments
High-volume fulfillment
Operations packing hundreds of boxes a day usually avoid loose strips. Receiving pre-assembled, diagonally collapsed grids allows packers to pop the partition open and drop it into the box in seconds.
Manual kitting and assembly
For lower-volume or frequently changing kitting, receiving flat, loose strips saves pallet space and shifts the assembly work to the packing bench.
Automated pick-and-place lines
Robotic filling requires precise, predictable product positioning. A rigid interlocking grid maintains exact cell dimensions, ensuring automated arms can drop items without catching on loose flaps.
When to consider a different partition style
Need for perimeter shock absorption
The 0933 grid sits flush against the outer box walls. If the items in the outermost cells are fragile and need a crumple zone to handle side impacts, compare the FEFCO 0934, which features an empty perimeter buffer.
Single-axis separation
If you only need to separate two or three items in a straight line, a simple folded divider like the FEFCO 0920 or 0929 avoids the complexity of intersecting slots.
Delivery state and production route choices
Loose strips versus pre-assembled delivery
Loose strips are cheaper to manufacture and ship, but require considerable manual labor to align and slide together. Pre-assembled grids cost more upfront but speed up the packing line.
Straight slots versus chamfered lead-ins
Straight slots can be cut rapidly on dedicated partition slotters. Adding angled chamfers to the slots makes manual assembly much easier, but changes the production route to flatbed die-cutting.
Board thickness and slot tolerance
The width of the slots must exactly match the thickness of the corrugated board. Changing the board grade later requires recalculating the slots to prevent the grid from binding or becoming too loose.
Corrugated versus solid board
Standard corrugated board provides excellent cushioning, but generates paper dust. For cosmetics or medical vials, solid board reduces dust and allows for much smaller cell sizes.
Adjusting the grid layout and fit
Cell count and dimensions
The grid can be scaled to create almost any number of compartments by adding more intersecting strips, provided the overall footprint fits the master carton.
Slot chamfers for manual assembly
Widening the entry point of the slots helps operators slide the strips together without crushing the flutes, though this requires a different cutting method.
Directional flute alignment
The flutes on the intersecting strips can be oriented vertically to maximize the stacking strength of the master carton, acting as internal support columns.
Board and packing details
Vertical stacking strength limits
Because half the board height is removed at each intersection, the grid's crush resistance relies on the remaining vertical edges. Heavy top loads should be tested to ensure the joints do not buckle.
Material and slot modifications
Solid board construction
Replaces corrugated board with dense solid board for dust-sensitive environments or extremely small cell requirements.
Additional notes
Solid board for small cells
For cosmetics or small vials, solid board is often used instead of corrugated to reduce dust and allow for much smaller cell sizes.
Related inserts and dividers
FAQs
Assembly and packing
Can these grids be inserted by automated machinery?
Conventional linear folder-gluers cannot handle intersecting slotted webs. Automated insertion requires specialized capital equipment and pre-assembled grids from the converter. Most operations insert them by hand.
Shipping and route
Does this partition protect items from drops?
It prevents items from colliding with each other and adds substantial vertical stacking strength. However, because the outer cells touch the master box walls, perimeter items will absorb direct side impacts.
Materials and fit
Can I use the same grid design if I switch to a thicker board?
No. The slot widths are cut exactly to the board's thickness. If you switch to a thicker board, the strips will bind and crush during assembly. If you switch to a thinner board, the grid will be loose and floppy.
Production route
Why do angled slots change how the grid is manufactured?
Straight slots can be produced rapidly on dedicated partition slotters. Angled entry points require a flatbed or rotary die-cutter, which changes the production route and setup process.
Delivery format
How are these delivered on pallets?
They can be shipped as flat, loose strips to maximize pallet density, or as pre-assembled, diagonally collapsed grids that take up slightly more space but reduce packing labor.
Materials and fit
What is the smallest cell size possible?
With standard corrugated board, cell size is limited by the flute thickness and the slotting equipment. For tight grids, such as 8x8mm cells, solid board is typically required.
Shipping and route
Can this grid be used for returnable transport?
Yes. When cut from heavy-duty double-wall board, the rigid intersecting walls can handle multiple trips between facilities, making it useful for moving industrial parts or sub-assemblies.
Assembly and packing
How do packers assemble the loose strips?
Operators orient the longitudinal webs with their slots facing up, and the transverse webs with their slots facing down, then slide them together perpendicularly until the slots lock at the midpoint.
