Multilayer Packaging Lexicon

Multilayer Packaging Lexicon

Humans like to communicate in acronyms, abbreviations and inside lingo.   After I set up an appointment for a medical test, I got a call back.  They said I didn’t have an oth.  ” What’s an oth ?”  ” An authorization, sir ”   Brings to mind the scene in ” The Heat”

The flexible packaging business is no exception.  The written descriptions of multilayer packaging structures can be confusing.  Here are some plain explanations of commonly encountered cryptic abbreviations followed by some examples:

/  designates a dividing line between two layers
adh.  short for “adhesive”
BOPP  biaxially oriented polypropylene
COPP  copolymer polypropylene
CPP  cast polypropylene
EAA  ethylene acrylic acid
EVA  or VA  ethylene vinyl acetate ( should specify % of VA copolymer )
EVOH  ethylene vinyl alcohol  natural habitat is in the core layer of coex for barrier
ga.   gauge  one mil = 100 ” gauge”  manufacturers chisel thickness, so “.94 ga.” is as close to 1 mil as you’ll find for PET; 
       “48 ga.” is popular in PP

foil   foil
HDPE  High Density Polyethylene
LDPE  Low Density Polyethylene ( most common sealant layer of a flexible lamination )
LLDPE  Linear Low Density Polyethylene
MDPE  Medium Density Polyethylene
METOPP  Metallized Oriented Polypropylene
METPET  Metallized Polyester
NYL    nylon
PA  nylon
PE  polyethylene
PET  polyester ( not to be confused with polyethylene terephthalate which has the same abbreviation )
PPFP  paper poly foil poly
poly  polyethylene
PP  polypropylene
prt   print
PVDC  polyvinylidene dichloride ( a/k/a Saran )
surlyn    Surlyn
tie    tie layer ( always found in coextrustions, never in laminations ).  necessary to deal with the difference in rheology ( viscosity ) of different layers.  
wht  white

Thus, a callout like this:

PE / adh. / METPET/ adh / CPP

would in English mean:  LDPE sealant layer ( the PE layer is always the sealant layer ) laminated to metallized polyester laminated to cast polypropylene.

When you encounter ” LAM” in between slashes, it means same thing as adhesive.  short for “lamination “

There are a zillion possible combinations.  If you run into one you can’t translate, call us.

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