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A.C.L.
Applied color lettering. Colored lettering or design of a ceramic nature fused onto bottles. Employs screen printing to transfer glass frit (powdered glass colorant) to the surface of a bottle or glass container. The design is fired, heated in a lehr, and becomes permanently fused.
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ABS
Acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS). Tough, hard, rigid, opaque plastic easily fabricated by injection molding, extrusion and thermoforming. More costly than general purpose and impact grades of polystyrene. Of limited use in packaging.
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Accelerated Test
Laboratory performance test of a container or coating to evaluate its performance in a shorter time interval than that required under actual service conditions. Example: Performing chemical-resistance tests at elevated temperatures.
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Acid Rain
Acid rain refers to a mixture of wet and dry deposition (deposited material) from the atmosphere containing higher than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids. The precursors, or chemical forerunners, of acid rain formation result from both natural sources - volcanoes and decaying vegetation - and man-made sources - primarily emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) resulting from fossil fuel combustion. When fossil fuels are combusted, acid-forming nitrogen and sulfur oxides are released to the atmosphere. These compounds are transformed in the atmosphere. These compounds are transformed in the atmosphere, often traveling thousands of kilometers from their original source, and then fall out on land and water surfaces as acid rain. Acid rain is best known for the damage it causes to forests and lakes. Less well known are the many ways it damages freshwater and coastal ecosystems, soils and even ancient historical monuments, or the heavy metals these acids help release into groundwater.
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Acrylic
Thermoplastic materials, such as Lucite and Plexiglas, made by polymerization of monomeric esters of acrylic acids.
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Acrylonitrile
Abbreviation AN. Rigid, natural crystal color, transparent, generally excellent barrier properties, fair resistance to water permeation, good impact strength. Used in thermoforming.
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Additive
A material such as a hardener, softener, preservative, slip agent, etc., added to a base material in order to achieve a specific result.
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Adhesive Bleed
Exudation, or ooze, especially from pressure-sensitive label material. It is the result of cold flow, excessive roll winding tension, excessive heat or improper converting procedures.
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Aerosol
Describes any container which consists of (1) a gas-tight, pressure resistant container, (2) a valve (3) a desired product, and (4) a self-contained propellent which forces the product from the container when the valve is opened. Products dispensed from aerosol packages include true aerosols, "wet" sprays (coarse particles), foams, pastes, syrups and powders.
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Aerosol Components
Extruded aluminum containers, plastic coated bottles, closures and overcaps. Aerosol bottles and containers are available in various sizes, shoulder configurations, diameters, and neck finishes. Decorating options are available.
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Aerosol Propellents
Liquefied or compressed gases that are packed with a product in a pressure-propulsion container in order to provide sufficient pressure to propel the product through a valve to give the form of discharge desired.
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Aerosol Services
The filling of aerosol products, either customer-supplied or original formulations. Decorating options are available.
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A-Flute
A piece of corrugation with a height of 3/16 inch excluding the facing, generally spaced about 33 to 39 flutes per foot.
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AlphaSeal
A Unipac (formerly 3M Cap-Seal) product. A range of one piece lining materials with a substrate choice of either unbleached virgin pulpwood or folding box board. Both conform to the stringent requirements of food approval bodies in a majority of countries. Can be used to line plastic and metal closures. The functionality of the AlphaSeal liner depends on the facing material applied to the pulpwood or box board substrate. Choices for facing material include polyester, PVDC, Saran, aluminum/foil/polyester, SA-66, univinyl, or aluminum foil. Depending on facing material selected, the AlphaSeal provides a general purpose sealing of bottles containing wet or dry products, solvents, weak acids and alkalines, and can provide a gas barrier.
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Alternative Fuels
Alternative fuels, as described by the U.S. DOE, include bio-diesel, electricity, ethanol, methanol, natural gas, propane and hydrogen. Some alternative transportation fuels, such as ethanol and bio-diesel, are renewable while others, such as propane and natural gas, are non-renewable.
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Amber Glass
A brown-colored glass used principally for beer, medicine and liquor containers. The color decreases the effect of some forms of light which would be injurious to the contents of the container.
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Ampul
Also ampoule, ampule, ampoul. A relatively small container made from a glass or plastic tube, the end of which is drawn into a stem and closed by fusion after filling. The bottom may be flat, convex or drawn out as required. Opening is achieved by breaking the stem.
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Ampules/Accessories
Glass and plastic ampules, and accessories such as holders, breakers, sleeves, etc.
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AN
Acrylonitrile. A monomer with the following properties: rigid, natural crystal color, transparent, generally excellent barrier properties, fair resistance to water permeation, good impact strength. Material used in thermoforming.
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Animal Healthcare Products
Injection molded plastic items, such as open-tip syringes, nasal inoculation syringes and bolus dispensing guns, are available in USDA/FDA compliant and approved resins.
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Anneal
A controlled temperature process in which glass is gradually cooled in ovens or lehrs to avoid the creation of stresses and strains within the glass due to natural or uneven cooling. The annealing temperature in glass is about 1000 degrees F.
View the Annealing Glass Video >
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Antioxidant
A chemical substance that can be added to plastic resin to minimize or prevent the effects of oxygen attack on the plastic (e.g., yellowing or degradation). Such chemical attack by oxygen may render a plastic brittle or cause it to lose desired mechanical properties.
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Anti-Skid Corrugated
Corrugated board with embossed or chemically-treated surface, to increase coefficient of friction, so containers made from the treated board will produce a more stable pallet or unit load.
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Antistatic Agent
A substance applied to the surface of a plastic article, or incorporated in the plastic from which the article is to be made, so as to render the surface of the plastic less susceptible to accumulation of electrostatic charges which attract and hold fine dirt or dust on the surface. There are two types: (1) metallic devices, and (2) chemical additives, either internal or surface applied.
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Applicator Cap
A container closure designed so that it may be used to apply the contents of the container, such as oil and grease spouts or daubers.
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Applicator Rod
Short glass rod 2 mm to 4 mm in diameter used in conjunction with an applicator cap. The end which enters the cap is cut square. The other end may have a variety of glazed finishes.
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AQL
Acceptable quality level. The maximum percentage or proportion of variant (or defective) units in a lot or batch that, for the purposes of acceptance sampling, can be considered satisfactory as a process average.
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Aromatherapy Packaging
Items used to package aromatherapy products, including glass and aluminum bottles, vials, perfume samplers and candle holders.
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Aseptic Packaging
A technique for creating a shelf-stable container by placing a commercially sterile product into a commercially sterile container. The process involves sterilizing a product and its intended container (usually separately) and then bringing them together within a sterile environment for filling and sealing. The sealed container is designed to maintain a sterile product until the seal is broken. In addition, when packaged aseptically, the product does not require refrigeration until the package seal is broken. Used for drink boxes, wine (bag-in-box), tomato products and soy milk.
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Assembly
A wide variety of assembly services such as collating, filling, gluing, labeling, bagging, shrink wrapping, bag sealing, blister sealing, display assembly, package assembly, inspection, and bulk mail preparation are available. Some companies follow strict anti-contamination procedures to ensure a clean pack.
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Atomizers
Various styles of atomizers and purse sprayers are available, including metal, aluminum, molded glass, plastic, and pastel enamel.
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Autoclavable
Products produced from resins that can withstand 250 degrees for 45 minutes.
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Autoclave
A pressure vessel into which steam or other vapor can be introduced at a suitably high temperature to sterilize packages or other objects placed therein. Similar pressure vessels used for sterilizing food products packed in glass jars or cans are normally called retorts.
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Average Wall Thickness
A number obtained by adding the thickest wall section measurement of a container to the thinnest wall section and dividing by two. It does not describe the distribution of plastic material in a container.
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Avoirdupois Weight
System of weights used in Great Britain and U.S. for the measure of goods other than gems, precious metals and drugs. Designated by "oz" or "oz av" and "lb" or "lb av". Sometimes, when a container is meant to hold a specific product such as honey or talcum powder, the bottle capacity is stated in auvoirdupois ounces rather than in fluid ounces. For example, a typical 1 lb. honey bottle holds 11 to 12 fluid ounces.
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