Rust prevention is a vital asset for manufacturers and distributors of metal goods. Unpredictable shipping conditions paired with corrosion susceptible metals mean precautions must be taken to protect these materials. CorShield® VpCI®-146 Paper by Cortec® is specially manufactured to pack metal parts and get them to customers in premium condition.
CorShield® VpCI®-146 is a biobased product which has been certified by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and may be recycled into a variety of new paper products after use. The paper is 100% recycled content paper with a water-based coating that contains vapour phase corrosion inhibitors. When the paper is wrapped around a metal part or placed in an enclosed container, these inhibitors vaporise and spread throughout the compartment as they are attracted to metal surfaces. The inhibitors form a protective molecular layer that remains and replenishes itself until the package is opened. The metal part can be used immediately after unwrapping the paper without needing to clean it.
This packaging material can be used for a variety of components, including bearings, auto parts, sheet metal, tools, gauges and propellers, among others. VpCI®-146 is available in various sizes and formats, such as precut sheeting (4 x 8 inches to 36 x 36 inches), stock perforated rolls in 12 x 12 inch pieces for easy tear-off, stock uncut rolls in sizes ranging from 12 to 48 inches wide to 183 meters long, as well as custom uncut rolls and custom perforations. Cradle pack pallets are also available at a discount for those who want to order large quantities and reduce the amount of cardboard typically used to individually box each roll.
When packaging, all workers must do is make sure the part is clean and dry, then wrap the paper around the metal, taping folds in place if necessary. Some workers may prefer dispensing paper by tearing it off a perforated roll. This can now be done to fit standard pallet sizes, thanks to expanded perf capabilities at Cortec®. Whatever the size or precut condition, a common practice is to ‘sandwich’ parts between pieces of CorShield® VpCI®-146 Paper to separate and protect them from corrosion inside a bin or on a pallet.
There is also potential for the packaging process to be automated. In 2020, one brake rotor manufacturer began automating this process, using a machine to automatically cut pieces from a 48 inch (1.2 meter) wide roll of CorShield®VpCI®-146 Paper. A robot would sandwich the layers of paper and rotors on a pallet, which was then automatically wrapped in Cor-Pak® VpCI® Stretch Film (another corrosion inhibiting packaging material made by Cortec®) before being shipped out.
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