When packing stemware in cardboard dividers, examine the bowl, stem and base separately. Bowl diameter alone does not define the cell, and lateral separation does not resolve every vertical force. Specify permitted supports, prevent contact between glasses and check that the arrangement remains practical during packing and unpacking.
Map the three parts of the glass
Record the maximum bowl width, base width and overall height. Identify where the widest section occurs and whether the shape is asymmetric. Glasses with equal capacity can have very different outside profiles. Measure the actual shipping version and consider dimensional variation where several production sources or batches are involved.
Prepare a side view marking the areas where the product designer permits support. Do not infer that a surface is suitable merely because it looks substantial. The stem and its junctions deserve particular attention: a packing arrangement that grips locally can introduce different forces from those expected during the intended journey. Show prohibited contacts clearly in the design brief.
Choose an explicit shipping orientation
Upright, horizontal or inverted packing should not be selected solely to save space. Each orientation changes supports, access and possible movement. Compare proposals with the glass manufacturer and packaging designer. The chosen configuration should be shown in an instruction that a packing operator can follow without interpreting a technical drawing from memory.
In a hypothetical example, the bowl is wider than the base. A cell sized around the bowl leaves additional space near the base, potentially allowing the glass to tilt. Examine whether divider height and supplementary components control that movement without using the stem as a locally clamped support. This is a geometry review, not a universal instruction to restrain every stem in the same way.
Check separation at several heights
A top view shows maximum size but does not reveal every possible contact. Review the distances between bowls, between bases and between each glass and the outer box. Consider movement within the freedom allowed by the arrangement. Divider walls should protect the regions that could meet under the configurations selected for validation.
Estic-Maillot cardboard partitions separate and locate fragile products. For stemware, this function should be studied alongside the base and upper protection. The divider is one component of the pack; it cannot be assumed to compensate for an unsuitable support or outer case. Allocate the role of each component before evaluating the finished assembly.
Avoid pressure introduced by closure
Close a prototype using all production components and inspect the contacts. A top pad positioned too low may press on the glass without being visible outside. A distorted base can also alter its position. Do not approve an arrangement that requires operators to compress the flaps unusually hard in order to close the box.
Reopen the package and document any marks. A contact trace on a protective component may reveal a support location, but it needs to be interpreted with the other observations. Define acceptable conditions for the glass, decoration and packaging before testing. Merely listening for broken glass is not a sufficient inspection method.
Trial loading and removal
Damage can occur before the pack leaves the site. Ask the people performing the operation to trial gripping, insertion and removal. Check that they do not need to press on the stem or force a bowl between divider walls. If the last cell becomes difficult to reach, review the sequence or geometry rather than accepting an awkward exceptional manoeuvre.
Include unpacking at the destination. A glass should not require a strong pull on a fragile area simply because access is restricted. Short illustrated instructions based on the approved prototype can support consistent handling. They should describe a usable arrangement, rather than compensate for a design that is difficult to operate even when its sequence is understood.
Define variants and incomplete packs
A tasting set may contain several glass shapes. Identify each position and review differences in bowl, base and height. If the same outer case is used for fewer glasses, include that configuration in the study. Empty cells can change balance or the behaviour of internal walls and should not automatically be treated as equivalent to the complete case.
Maintain a list of approved glass references. When a range changes, compare the dimensions and supports before reusing the old divider. A seemingly minor change in base geometry may affect fit more than a change in nominal capacity. Give purchasing and packing teams a clear trigger for requesting a review instead of expecting them to judge structural similarity visually.
Prepare the validation file
- Representative glasses and relevant product variants.
- Permitted supports and prohibited contact areas.
- Shipping orientation and loading matrix.
- Production box, base, top and closure components.
- Appearance and functional acceptance criteria.
- Distribution and storage conditions to be represented.
Select transport testing with a laboratory according to the journey and product. For prototype development, send the complete configuration to Estic-Maillot, including the glass manufacturer’s contact requirements and the packing operation. Keep the approved samples and instructions linked to the resulting packaging reference.
Frequently asked questions
Can bottle dividers be used for stemware?
Not automatically. Shapes, supports and sensitive areas differ. Check partition height, movement and base support with the actual glasses rather than relying on a similar overall size.
Should every gap around a glass be filled?
The aim is to control movement and contact, not to clamp every surface. Additional protection needs a defined function and must not introduce pressure on a fragile region.