Shipping Carton

Reading the code FEFCO 0400

The 04 series holds the folder-type boxes and trays: usually one-piece, unglued constructions erected by folding the die-cut blank around or under the product. This is the series of trays, folders and mailers that hold their shape by geometry — locking tabs, ears and hinged lids instead of a glued joint.

Within the series, 0400 is the design published as the Four-Panel Folder. The four-digit code carries the full structural intent — specify it to any converter and both sides mean the same construction; only dimensions and board grade remain to be agreed.

How the case behaves

The blank is four panels in a row joined by creases: the product sits on the base panel, the two side panels fold up against it and the top panel closes over it. Nothing is glued in manufacture; the folder is closed around the product with tape, a band or an outer sleeve. Because the ends stay open, the panel sizes follow the product exactly.

Typical uses

Flat goods that need edge protection more than a sealed box: books and catalogues, framed prints, panels and boards, and products that ship inside an outer sleeve or case.

Dimensions and board

The parameters above — internal length, width and depth, plus any construction-specific values this style needs — drive the whole blank: panel layout, flap depths and slot positions all derive from them, validated against the template's supported range. The 2D dieline and the 3D fold preview regenerate together from the same parametric structure.

A corrugated dieline is a starting point for production, not a substitute for converter judgment: flute profile, board grade and joint style all affect final dimensions and crush behavior. Confirm tolerances and material with your manufacturer before mass production — and erect the structure on screen first, so flap collisions and proportion problems surface before any tooling is ordered.

Industries and applications

Converters cut the Shipping Carton (FEFCO 0400) for shipping and transit cartons and book and media mailers.

Shipping cartons are judged on stacking strength and the speed of closing on the packing bench.

What is Shipping Carton — Four-Panel Folder?

FEFCO 0400 is the four-panel folder: a single corrugated blank that wraps around the product, with a base, two side walls and a top panel folding one after the other. It is the simplest wrap in the 04 series and the base of many book and flat-pack folders.

Which dimensions does the Shipping Carton — Four-Panel Folder dieline need?

4 parameters drive the blank: L (length), W (width), D (depth), Corrugated board thickness (mm). Each value is validated against the template's supported range, and the whole dieline regenerates from them.

Can I see how Shipping Carton — Four-Panel Folder folds before cutting it?

Yes. The interactive 3D fold preview and the 2D dieline are generated from the same parametric model, so the fold you watch on screen is the geometry of the sheet you cut. Open the template in the studio to fold it at your own dimensions; 3D folding comes with the Workshop and Line plans.