hat is cardboard engineering? The term doesn’t exist on Wikipedia. Web searches for “definition of cardboard engineering” and other similar questions find no results. You will not find “cardboard engineering” on any US site (they call it paperboard but “paperboard engineering” cannot be found either.) And yet, if you put “cardboard engineering” into Google.com it reports over 3,000,000 results, whilst a search for “cardboard engineers” produces
So, back to the original question – what is cardboard engineering? In order to find out, let’s take a look at these diversified examples – all producing quite different things but each area describing itself as being involved in cardboard engineering.
Companies who make cardboard boxes and packaging employ cardboard engineering skills to create products which might range from a fairly ordinary rectangular box to a highly innovative product to act as a presentation pack. The term “cardboard engineering” also seems to cover closing mechanisms with names like crash lock bottoms, side panel locks and tuck lock tops.
Companies involved in producing point of sale products also utilise cardboard engineering techniques in the design of POS units from giant floor standing displays to counter top dispensers. Larger POS companies employ highly sophisticated CAD design systems, cutting plotters and large format printers in their design departments and work in a variety of materials which can include corrugated board, display board and folding box board.
There are lots of cardboard engineers who utilise their skills as a hobby, creating models and automata. This group is closely related to others with crafts and hobby interest in paper engineering, card making, making books by hand and origami. These groups actually account for the largest numbers of participants with millions of world-wide enthusiasts.
However, there is one area where cardboard engineering can create quite a stir – particul