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When it comes to making high-quality jigsaw puzzles and board games, the quality of the grayboard used is of utmost importance.
It plays a critical role in determining the stability and durability of puzzle pieces, board games, and any other products.
This is why inspecting the grayboard used for puzzle and game manufacturing is vital to ensure it’s up to the required quality standards.
In this article, we share everything you need to know about producing and inspecting quality grayboards for puzzles and board games. Let’s delve right in.
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Gray Cardboard Classification: Differentiating Between Greyboard Grades
Before you purchase and inspect grayboard for quality, it’s essential to be aware that there are various grades and types of grey cardboard, which can differ in appearance and quality.
This variety gives grayboard excellent versatility. No matter your application, you can find the ideal greyboard quality grade to meet your requirements. Let’s go through the different variations of the greyboard below.
1.Single Gray, Double Gray, and Full Gray Greyboard
Based on appearance, gray cardboard is divided into the following grades:
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- Single gray greyboard is gray on one side only.
- Double gray paperboard is gray on both sides. If you look at its cut surface, you will notice a yellow middle.
- Full gray board is gray throughout. Both surfaces, as well as the core, are gray in appearance. It is the most challenging and robust grayboard of these three classes.
2.Posted and unpasted Greyboard
The difference between pasted and unpasted grayboard comes down to the manufacturing process.
A trimmed grayboard is produced in multiple layers, while an unpasted grayboard results from single-ply manufacturing.
As a result, pasted greyboard tends to be smoother, while unpasted grayboard has a rougher feel.
How to Inspect Grayboard for Quality: Characteristics of Premium Greyboard
Inspecting greyboard quality is straightforward because there are universal grayboard testing standards to follow.
These are the benchmarks we aim for as a grayboard manufacturing company. They are also the factors to pay attention to when inspecting samples or purchasing finished gray paper boards.
Let’s look at the attributes to evaluate, measure, and test to distinguish the quality of the greyboard.
1. Flat and Smooth Surface
The first thing to examine is the surface of the board. It should be even and smooth. It shouldn’t have bumps, black spots, crash marks, bubbles, impurities, waves, distortion, or other flaws.
Common issues to watch out for when inspecting grayboard include skin damage, delamination, peeling, warping, and breakage.
2. Grayboard Parameters
The size parameters are also a quality standard indicator for double gray paperboard. Does the board measure up to the stated dimensions, or does it deviate too much?
A small deviation in the specifications is allowed. The following are the acceptable errors that the greyboard parameters shouldn’t exceed:
- Dimensions: ± 3mm
- Thickness: ± 0.05mm
- Laminated Grayboard: ± 3mm
- Gram weight: ± 3-5%
The grain direction of the greyboard is also a critical consideration because it points to the hardness of the board. The direction of the grain is parallel to the length of the greyboard. If a greyboard sheet is 787 * 1092 in size, the grain direction is similar to 1092.
3. Low Grayboard Moisture Content
Low moisture content is another greyboard quality standard. It affects the stiffness of the grayboard and the structural integrity of grayboard products.
A high water content within the fibers results in soft and floppy greyboard.
So, what exactly does low moisture mean? A moisture content of 8% ~ 12% is generally acceptable. More specifically, the moisture content standard for different grades of grayboard is as follows:
- Single grey paper and double grey paper: 8%~10%
- Double gray paper 250g ~ 750g: 7%~9%
- Composite double-gray board: 8 %~ 14%
- Composite gray background whiteboard: 8 %~ 14%
- Composite full gray board: 8 % ~ 12%
Skewness or Squareness: This refers to the maximum value of the diagonal deviation of the greyboard. It’s usually expressed in mm. As a standard, the skewness should not exceed 3mm.
4. Stiffness and Folding Resistance
Good quality grey cardboard has just the right mix of hardness and tensile strength. If you bend the greyboard sheets at 30°, the corners of the cardboard shouldn’t separate or break.
Passing this functional test ensures the production of strong and stable jigsaw puzzles and board games. Grayboard that’s too soft and flexible would create puzzle pieces that flop instead of clicking together firmly.
Thick and hard grayboard is also hardwearing and makes for products that deliver a great user experience for a long time.
Expert Tip: Because of the use of recycled waste as raw material, grayboard attributes such as density, size, and appearance can vary slightly from batch to batch.
Controlling Grayboard Quality During the Production Process
The raw materials, the production equipment, and the manufacturing process influence the quality of grayboard.
The raw materials, machines, and tools must be up to standard to achieve the required grayboard smoothness and hardness. The tension adjustment, drying temperature, and other processes must be set up just right.
A commitment to a stringent quality control process is the cornerstone of product excellence. It takes meticulous inspections at each stage of the production process to eliminate potential issues and ensure the quality of the grayboard is as high as possible.
Here at Jabay, we employ qualified personnel who carry out numerous quality checks throughout the production process, starting from the raw materials to the storage stage.
Here are the inspection procedures we incorporate into our greyboard manufacturing process to ensure that the outcome is top-grade gray cardboard that meets or exceeds the above quality standards.
- Raw material inspection: First, we make sure the incoming raw materials for grayboard production are up to standard. Qualified quality control personnel use a machine to check the physical attributes of the raw materials for compliance. They also ensure proper storage of the input material as it awaits its turn in the machines.
- Hydraulic Jigsaw testing: The incoming grayboard goes into the hydraulic test machine, where grayboard dregs are for testing. The hydraulic supervisor carries out the testing and takes pictures and video of the process and outcome.
- Semi-finished product testing: Quality control personnel check the semi-finished product for potential issues. Only after passing the inspection does the grayboard proceed to the next stage.
- Laminated grayboard testing: After lamination, quality control checks the moisture content of the grayboard. If the moisture is too high, we wait for the moisture content to reach an acceptable level before proceeding to the next step.
- Random checks: The quality control inspector performs random checks throughout the process. If an issue such as a high number of paper dregs is noted, the process is stopped until the issue is resolved
- Foreign trade inspection: It’s essential to ensure that the production facilities and processes are free from foreign materials such as sharp objects, insects, blood stains, hair, mold, and other phenomena. If present, these substances can mar the appearance and quality of the grayboard.
- Proper storage of finished gray cardboard: Proper storage is vital to maintain the quality of the finished grayboard. Gray cardboard should be laid flat in storage. The gray cardboard material should be stored in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated area. It shouldn’t be exposed to high humidity or direct sunlight, as this can reduce its service life.
- Overall quality control: The total quality control supervisor oversees the entire grayboard production process, ensuring that the inspection requirements and quality standards are met.
raw material warehouse
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Greyboard Inspection and Quality
What is Greyboard Made of?
Greyboard is a solid board of 100% recycled waste paper and wood pulp.
The pulp is processed and pressed together to create a compact board with a high level of stiffness.
The recycled flecks give the grayboard a ‘raw’ or ‘unfinished’ look.
How Is Grayboard Made?
Here is an overview of what the greyboard manufacturing process entails:
First, the recycled raw materials are mashed and heated in large pressurized vessels known as digesters. It transforms the chips into pulp treated with several chemicals to make it more robust and flexible.
The pulp is extracted and washed to eliminate most of the chemicals. It then goes through the recovery process, where the substances are evaporated further.
The pulp is then washed and treated with additives to enhance its qualities, such as moisture resistance.
The pulp is now ready for the grayboard-producing machines, where it’s compressed to create gray cardboard.
What is the difference between a chipboard and a Greyboard?
There is no difference between chipboard and greyboard. Chipboard is just another name for grayboard or greyboard. Greyboard is known as chipboard in the US.
What is the Difference Between Double Grey and Full Grey Board?
Double gray and full gray gray boards differ in two ways:
- Appearance: While both classes of greyboard are grey on both sides, the color of the core is different. The middle of the double gray board has a light yellow hue, while the core of the all-gray beard is gray.
- Stiffness: The greyboard is more complex and robust than the double gray chipboard. This is because the pulp content is higher in the entire greyboard than in the double board.
What do single-ply and multi-ply greyboards mean?
These terms indicate how the gray paper board is manufactured.
Single ply means that the grayboard is composed of a single layer. Multi-plyOn the other hand, multi-gray paperboard manufacturing is when two or more layers of grayboard are bonded together to produce laminated grayboard.
What is the Thickness of Quality Greyboard?
Grayboard is manufactured in a variety of thicknesses.
The thickness is expressed in millimeters (mm) or micrometers (microns).
Grayboard thickness typically ranges from 0.3mm (300 microns) to 5mm (5000 microns)
The intended application and customer requirements determine how thick the grayboard you use should be. For example, the puzzle grayboard should be at least 1.5 mm thick to stabilize the puzzle.
What GSM is Greyboard?
Grammage refers to the weight of greyboard per unit area, e.g., grams per square meter (gsm). The range of grammage for the gray board is 300 – 3000 gsm.
Is Greyboard Eco-Friendly and Biodegradable?
Since it’s made of 100% recycled materials, greyboard is a sustainable and environmentally friendly solid board.
Not only does it contribute to reducing waste, but it is also 100% recyclable and biodegradable.
What’s more? It’s also non-toxic and suitable for producing puzzles and board games for kids.
What are the Quality Certifications for Grayboard?
Quality grayboard bears quality and safety certifications such as ISO, CE, CPC, ROHS, and SGS.
In addition, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification standard is awarded to Grayboard, which boasts high sustainability in its production.
Conclusion
Smoothness, flatness, stiffness, and low moisture content are the traits that define high-quality grayboard for puzzles and board game manufacturing. It takes a strict quality control process to achieve this level of grayboard excellence.
At Jabay, we proudly supply top-level Grayboard tailored for puzzle production and board game manufacturing.
Our expertise, technology, and stringent quality checks guarantee that your greyboard products stand out.
Please contact us if you want a high-quality greyboard for puzzles, games, and crafts projects or want to learn more about gray paperboard manufacturing and quality standards.
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