Corrugated cardboard boxes are generally used in modern supply chains for the handling, storage, and distribution of numerous goods. These packages require suitable strength to maintain adequate protection within the package; however, the presence and configuration of any cutouts on the sidewalls significantly influence the packaging costs and secondary paperboard waste. This study aims to evaluate the performance of CCBs by considering the influence of different cutout configurations of sidewalls. The compression strength of various B-flute CCB dimensions (200 mm, 300 mm, 400 mm, 500 m, and 600 mm in length, with the same width and height of 300 mm), each for five cutout areas (0%, 4%, 16%, 36%, and 64%) were experimentally observed, and the results were compared with the McKee formula for estimation. The boxes with cutout areas of 0%, 4%, 16%, 36%, and 64% showed a linear decreasing tendency in compression force. A linear relationship was found between compression strength and an increase in cutout sizes. Packages with 0% and 4% cutouts did not show significant differences in compression strength (p < 0.05). Furthermore, this study shows a possible way to modify the McKee estimation for such boxes after obtaining empirical test data since the McKee formula works with a relatively high error rate on corrugated cardboard boxes with sidewall cutouts. Utilizing the numerical and experimental results, a favorable estimation map can be drawn up for packaging engineers to better manage material use and waste. The results of the study showed that the McKee formula does not appropriately estimate the box compression strength for various cutout sizes in itself.

Packaging made from corrugated cardboard is a widely used solution in modern supply chains for the handling, storage and distribution of goods. These packages are required to maintain adequate protection conditions; however, in many cases, the cardboard box dimensions, handles and/or ventilation holes, quality and their configuration could compromise its protection strength. This study observes and evaluates the performance of corrugated cardboard boxes made with B-flute boards by considering different cutout sizes from the side walls (0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80%) in various box length–width ratios of 200 mm, 300 mm, 400 mm, 500 mm and 600 mm in length and a constant 300 mm width and height. Box compression tests were performed in a laboratory, and results were compared with mathematical statistics. In each cutout case, the maximum compression force was observed with the box with dimensions of 400 × 300 × 300 mm. The measurement results showed that the 1.33 length-to-width ratio has the best maximum compression force result. The statistical tests showed that there is no significant difference between the 0% and 20% cutout groups.

The paper demonstrates the strength analysis of a solar energy driven racing car chassis with two different mechanical modeling, beam-bar and shell modeling. Weight reduction is also a key point in the stages of car design. Reducing the weight of the car results in higher fuel efficiency and usually better dynamical properties. The weight reduction was performed with three different materials, steel, aluminium-alloy and laminated fibre reinforced composites. The paper shows the complete mechanical modeling process from construction of the mechanical model to the analysis of the laminated composite chassis structure and the results of the weight reduction.

The finite element method is a widely used numerical method to analyze structures in virtual space. This method can be used in the packaging industry to determine the mechanical properties of corrugated boxes. This study aims to create and validate a numerical model to predict the compression force of corrugated cardboard boxes by considering the influence of different cutout configurations of sidewalls. The types of investigated boxes are the following: the width and height of the boxes are 300 mm in each case and the length dimension of the boxes varied from 200 mm to 600 mm with a 100 mm increment. The cutout rates were 0%, 4%, 16%, 36%, and 64% with respect to the total surface area of sidewalls of the boxes. For the finite element analysis, a homogenized linear elastic orthotropic material model with Hill plasticity was used. The results of linear regressions show very good estimations to the numerical and experimental box compression test (BCT) values in each tested box group. Therefore, the numerical model can give a good prediction for the BCT force values from 0% cutout to 64% cutout rates. The accuracy of the numerical model decreases a little when the cutout rates are high. Based on the results, this paper presents a numerical model that can be used in the packaging design to estimate the compression strength of corrugated cardboard boxes.