AC double wall vs AAC triple wall: side-by-side numbers
AAC triple wall is 55% thicker than AC double wall (0.531 vs 0.344 in nominal). At the same ECT, the McKee formula rates a AAC triple wall box 24% stronger in compression; the trade is in size, crush resistance and print surface.
Side by side
AAC triple wall is 0.188 in thicker than AC double wall. On a 12 × 10 × 8 in box that makes the outside 0.38 in longer and wider and 0.56 in deeper, and at the same ECT the McKee estimate for AC double wall is 80% of the AAC triple wall figure.
| AC double wall | AAC triple wall | |
|---|---|---|
| Walls | double | triple |
| Nominal caliper, in | 0.3438 | 0.5313 |
| Flutes per foot | — | — |
| OD added to L and W, in | 0.688 | 1.063 |
| OD added to depth, in | 1.031 | 1.594 |
| McKee strength index, same ECT | 58.6 | 72.9 |
Same box, both boards
| Inside, in | BCT at 44 ECT, AC | BCT at 44 ECT, AAC | Boxes per pallet, AC | Boxes per pallet, AAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 8 × 6 | 909 | 1,130 | 119 | 112 |
| 16 × 12 × 10 | 1,133 | 1,409 | 32 | 32 |
| 24 × 18 × 18 | 1,388 | 1,725 | 6 | 6 |
44 ECT is used on both sides only to isolate thickness; in practice the two boards are made to different grades. Pallet: 48 × 40, loaded to 60 in, column stacked.
Where each fits
AC double wall
- Highest McKee estimate of the double walls at the same ECT
- Bulky: outside dimensions grow fastest
- Availability depends on plants running A flute
AAC triple wall
- By far the highest McKee estimate here, though McKee was fitted on smaller boxes, so treat bulk-bin numbers with care
- Heavy and stiff; needs equipment that can score thick board
- Common in gaylords rather than cases
Sources
- Foster, G. (1997). "Boxes, Corrugated." In Brody & Marsh (eds.), The Wiley Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology, 2nd ed. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-06397-5 (table reproduced in Wikipedia, "Corrugated fiberboard")
- Packaging Corporation of America: Profiles with a purpose
- McKee, Gander & Wachuta (1963), Paperboard Packaging 48(8)
Last reviewed . See all sources and how Packgent computes.