A panel corner is where the vertical edge meets the horizontal edge, and it is the only point on the panel with no continuous protection. Edges can be covered with a straight length; the corner needs a part that turns, or it stays bare. That bare corner is what hits the floor, the pallet and the container wall.
The corner takes the first and the hardest contact
When a panel is stood on end, the corner carries the whole weight on a few square centimetres. When it is stacked, the corner is the first part to touch the one above. Either way the corner is where the pack fails first.
A U profile turned at the corner covers both faces and both edges through the turn, so there is no gap for the panel to break through.
Specification at a glance
Corner protection is specified by the panel thickness and by how many edges the notch has to serve. A single notch covers one corner; a length with two notches covers an end.
| Coverage | Parts | Note |
|---|
| One edge, both corners | 1 length, 2 notches | Best protection, no joint |
| Two edges, one corner | 2 lengths, 1 notch each | Joint sits on the corner |
| All four corners | 4 corner caps | Edges stay bare between caps |
| End of a stack | 1 length, 1 notch | Covers the exposed end |
| Long panel, short pack | 2 short lengths per corner | Cheapest, weakest corner |
Three ways to cover a corner
One bendable length per edge with a notch at each end: the most protection, the most board, and the cleanest result because there is no joint on the corner.
Two short pieces meeting at the corner: cheaper, but the joint is exactly where the impact lands, so the corner stays the weak point.
A moulded corner cap pushed over the corner: fast, but it only covers the corner itself and the edges are still bare between caps.
Stacking and the corner-to-corner contact
In a stack, corners sit on corners. A protector that covers both faces and the edge keeps the panels apart at the corner, so the stack bears on paper rather than on the panel corner.
Where four panels meet at a pallet corner, the protectors stack on each other. A consistent wall thickness across the order matters more than a heavy wall on one panel.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
Should the corner have a joint?
No if it can be avoided. A joint on the corner is where the impact lands.
How many notches per length?
One per corner the length has to turn. Two notches cover a whole end.
Does it fit a panel of any thickness?
Inner width is made to the panel, from 6 to 150 mm.
Can corner caps and U lengths be combined?
Yes, and it is common: lengths on the edges, caps on the exposed corners.
What about a stack of mixed thickness?
The thickest panel sets the inner width, or each thickness gets its own size.
Share the section drawing or a pack sample with mona@hengnicepacking.com and we will confirm feasibility before quoting.
