When products arrive scuffed inside cardboard dividers, locate the marks and reconstruct the contacts before changing the material. A scratch does not automatically prove that the board is too abrasive. It may originate during insertion, from an adjacent product, from a projecting feature or from movement during distribution. Distinguish these possibilities before adjusting cell clearance.
Photograph the pack before cleaning or moving it
Record the outside condition, then photograph the interior before removing products. Note orientation and cell positions. Marks on the board can indicate where contact occurred. Moving parts or cleaning surfaces too early can remove useful evidence, leaving an investigator with an isolated damaged item rather than its packing context.
Map product marks by cell, facing direction, height and orientation. Compare affected positions with undamaged ones. A recurring pattern may point to a particular location or loading stage. An isolated mark calls for closer examination of the local arrangement. Keep the observations distinct from the explanation initially proposed by the person reporting the issue.
Compare with the condition before dispatch
Look for inspection records or photographs taken during packing. Without an initial condition record, attributing a mark to transport is difficult. For an investigation, prepare a further sample with documented inspection before insertion, after insertion and after the agreed test journey. This separates damage created at the workstation from damage developing later.
A product may rub against a cell edge during loading even if it remains correctly separated afterwards. Observe insertion angle and handling. Include rework: repeatedly removing and replacing a product may happen in production despite being absent from the original instruction. If that operation is normal, it should be considered in the practical fit review.
Relate the mark to a possible contact surface
Compare the height of a trace with features that could reach it: board face, cut edge, neighbouring cap, accessory or closure. Check whether the mark’s shape corresponds to a suspected feature. This is a basis for a testable hypothesis, not final proof. A useful investigation identifies what observation would support or weaken each explanation.
Estic-Maillot cardboard partitions are intended to limit product-to-product contact and associated marking. Their design still needs to account for the actual finish and journey. An arrangement acceptable for a robust surface may be unsuitable for a sensitive label, coating or decoration, so retain the product-specific appearance requirements.
Assess clearance without jumping to a correction
More clearance can permit greater movement, but reducing it is not always the right response. A tight cell may increase contact during insertion or maintain pressure against the decoration. Compare both effects and check products at the dimensional extremes with the actual board. Avoid judging the design only from a convenient average sample.
In a hypothetical example, marks repeatedly appear on a label at the height of the divider’s upper edge. Two explanations merit attention: rubbing during loading or relative movement later. Inspection immediately after insertion followed by a documented trial helps distinguish them. An immediate board-thickness change could obscure the mechanism without establishing why the problem occurred.
Reproduce relevant distribution conditions
Vibration is among the stresses represented by certain packaging test programmes. The ISTA directory distinguishes different distribution simulations. A laboratory should select conditions suited to the actual flow. Shaking a box by hand may reveal obvious movement but does not, by itself, describe performance on a defined distribution route.
Use consistent preparation when comparing alternatives. Identify changes in material, clearance or height and inspect against the same criteria. Altering several factors at once can show an improvement without revealing its cause. A staged comparison makes it easier to preserve the solution when the product, decoration or packing operation changes later.
Agree an appearance criterion that people can apply
Specify the areas where marks are unacceptable and the inspection conditions. A slight trace on a hidden region may be acceptable for one product and unacceptable for another. This is a product requirement to agree before evaluating packaging variants, rather than a judgement to improvise after the test.
Keep photographs of typical defects and approved limit samples where useful. This improves consistency between suppliers, operators and receiving teams. A statement such as no scratches is difficult to apply consistently if people use different lighting, inspect different surfaces or disagree on whether the initial finish already contains the observed feature.
Include unaffected samples in the investigation
Undamaged products and divider cells can be informative. Compare their positions, fit and handling with affected ones. The difference may identify a particular neighbour, orientation or contact level. Preserve samples from the same batch where possible so that an investigation does not inadvertently compare different materials or product versions.
Record the number inspected and the number affected. A general report that some products were marked gives little basis for judging the distribution of the defect. Precise observations help the supplier decide what to examine next without implying statistical certainty that the available sample cannot support.
Send a focused investigation file
- Product, divider and box references and batches.
- Photographs before opening and a cell-position map.
- Available initial-condition and post-loading observations.
- Location, direction and shape of the marks.
- Known journey, duration and handling stages.
- Hypotheses and proposed comparisons.
Then share the evidence with Estic-Maillot to review the contacts. A correction may involve surface choice, geometry, loading sequence or another component. Link it to the observed mechanism and verify the production-representative arrangement rather than assuming that any material upgrade resolves scuffing.
Frequently asked questions
Should every cell be tightened when a product is scratched?
No. Locate the contact and the stage where the mark appears first. Reduced clearance can limit movement while increasing rubbing during insertion, so both effects need examination.
Does an undamaged outer box rule out vibration effects?
No. External appearance does not describe every internal movement. Examine products, partitions and the journey, then choose a relevant trial for the hypothesis being investigated.