FEFCO 0201: Regular slotted container (RSC)
The regular slotted container is the standard shipping box: one blank, four panels, and top and bottom flaps all cut to half the box width so the outer flaps meet in the middle. It wastes almost no board, and every corrugator and box plant can make it.
Dieline
Construction
- One blank scored into four body panels (L, W, L, W) plus a glue tab that forms the manufacturer's joint.
- Every flap has the same length: half the inside width. The outer flaps, on the length panels, meet edge to edge across the center.
- The inner flaps do not meet on a box that is longer than it is wide, which leaves a gap in the middle of the inner layer.
| Part | Size |
|---|---|
| Outer flaps, top and bottom | W ÷ 2 |
| Inner flaps, top and bottom | W ÷ 2 |
| Manufacturer's joint | glue tab, about 1¼ in |
Closure. Tape along the center seam, glue the outer flaps to the inner flaps, or staple. A fill-in pad between the inner flaps gives a flat floor when the product needs one.
Blank size
Nominal blank is (2L + 2W + tab) long by (H + W) wide. The rectangle has no cut-away waste apart from the slots.
| Board | Nominal blank, in | With allowances, in | Area, ft² |
|---|---|---|---|
| B flute | 45.25 × 18 | 45.75 × 18.25 | 5.8 |
| C flute | 45.25 × 18 | 45.88 × 18.31 | 5.83 |
| BC double wall | 45.25 × 18 | 46.38 × 18.56 | 5.98 |
Allowances add one caliper per vertical score and per flap score. Your box maker sets the real scores. Work out other sizes with the box blank calculator.
Estimated compression strength
Simplified McKee estimate for the empty box at 12 × 10 × 8 in. The flap style barely changes McKee's answer, because it depends on the walls; extra flap layers help with drops and side stacking more than with top-to-bottom load.
Estimate only. Confirm with an ASTM D642 test before relying on it. Run the McKee calculator.
When to use it
Good for
- Most cased goods that tolerate one center seam
- High-volume lines with automatic case erectors and sealers
- Buying from stock: almost all stock boxes are RSCs
Watch for
- Only one layer of board under the center seam
- Long, narrow boxes leave a wide gap between the inner flaps
Open the Spec Builder to check style, grade and dimensional weight for your product.
Sources
- Fibre Box Association, "Box Styles Basics" (2014), hosted by IoPP
- FEFCO: The FEFCO Code (International Fibreboard Case Code), 12th edition
- McKee, R.C., Gander, J.W. & Wachuta, J.R. (1963). "Compression strength formula for corrugated boxes." Paperboard Packaging 48(8): 149–159
Last reviewed . See all sources and how Packgent computes.