Length is the only dimension of a paper edge protector that is genuinely free. Anything from 300 mm to 6,000 mm is cut to the millimetre, so the specification question is not what lengths exist but which length covers the edge without wasting board or freight.
Cut length data
| Application | Length | Reason |
|---|
| Pallet load | Load height | Deck to top layer in one piece |
| Banded carton | Band plus 100-150 mm each side | Covers the contact, not the carton |
| Panel stack | Panel length | One board per edge |
| Carton corner piece | 300-500 mm | Handled corner only |
| Tall load above 2.4 m | Two pieces with overlap | Cheaper freight than one long board |
Length follows the edge, not the product
For a pallet load the length is the load height, so the board reaches from the deck to the top layer. For a banded carton it is the band position plus 100-150 mm each side, not the carton height. For a panel stack it is the panel length so one board covers the whole edge in a single piece.
Getting this wrong wastes money in both directions: too short and the protection misses the contact point, too long and you pay for board and freight that does nothing.
Tolerance and squareness
Cut length is held to a working tolerance and the ends are square. Square ends matter because a ragged end is where a profile starts to tear, and because a ragged end jams automatic feeding equipment.
Where boards are fitted by hand, a length that is 5 mm under the load height is usually better than 5 mm over, because an over-length board is forced onto the deck and buckles at the bottom.
On a machine fed line the opposite can apply: a board that is short by a few millimetres may not be gripped, so the feed tolerance should be sent with the enquiry rather than discovered at start up. Two numbers, the nominal length and the tolerance the equipment accepts, avoid a full rework of the order.
Freight length, the hidden constraint
A 6,000 mm board needs a different container loading pattern from a 1,200 mm board, and the freight cost per meter rises at the extremes. Where the load is taller than about 2.4 m, two shorter pieces with an overlap are often cheaper than one long piece.
For export, the practical break points are 1,200 mm, 2,400 mm and 6,000 mm, because those match common container and pallet dimensions.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
What is the shortest length?
300 mm. Shorter pieces are possible but the cutting cost per piece rises.
What is the longest?
6,000 mm, and freight becomes the limiting factor above that.
What tolerance do you hold on length?
A working tolerance with square ends. Tell us the fit method and we will advise whether to cut under or over.
Can I mix lengths in one order?
Yes. Bundles are labelled by length so the line does not have to sort them.
Do you cut after printing?
We print on the board and then cut, so the print position stays consistent on every piece.
Samples and prices are issued from mona@hengnicepacking.com once cut length, wall thickness and quantity are known.
