Letter and Legal Size Archives Box Spacer Boards

July, 1991

Scope

This specification covers the requirements for letter and legal size archives box spacer boards made from corrugated paperboard. (See [Figure 5-1] and [Figure 5-2].)

Requirements

Construction

The spacer boards shall be made from corrugated paperboard with a single wall construction (three-layer lamination) and type "B" fluting that runs parallel with the length of the board. Each spacer board shall have 5 score lines at each end, running perpendicular with the length of the board. The corners shall be rounded. The edges shall be serrated.

Dimensions

Letter Size Spacer Board
A letter size spacer board shall measure 9 3/4 inches in height and 25 3/4 inches in width. The allowable variation for each dimension shall be plus or minus 1/16 inch.

Legal Size Spacer Board
A legal size spacer board shall measure 9 3/4 inches in height and 30 3/4 inches in width. The allowable variation for each dimension shall be plus or minus 1/16 inch.

Score Lines
Each spacer board shall have 5 score lines at each end, running perpendicular with the length of the board. The score lines shall be spaced at 1 inch intervals. For the letter size spacer board, the innermost score line shall begin 7 1/16 inches in from each end. For the legal size spacer board, the innermost score line shall begin 8 inches in from each end.

Paperboard

Composition
The paperboard for the box shall be made from cotton or linen pulp, fully bleached chemical wood pulp, or a mixture. The paperboard shall be free of groundwood (ASTM D 1030, X 5 Spot Stains and TAPPI T-236cm-85), alum-rosin sizing (ASTM D549-88), particles of metal, waxes, plasticizers (i.e. wet strength additives), plastics, and shall contain less than 0.0008 percent reducible sulfur (TAPPI T-406om-88). Surfaces shall be free of knots, shives, and abrasive particles.

Sizing
Alkaline sizing (surface, internal, or both) shall be used. (ASTM D4988-89)

Alkaline Reserve
The paperboard shall have a minimum of 3 percent calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, or a combination of both evenly distributed throughout all plies and layers, when tested according to ASTM D4988-89.

Hydrogen Ion Concentration (ph)
The pH value of the paperboard shall be between 8.0 and 10.0 when tested according to TAPPI T-509om-88.

Lignin
To demonstrate the adequacy of bleaching or lignin removal, all plies and layers of the paperboard shall give a negative reading to the phloroglucinol test when tested according to ASTM D1030 or shall have a Kappa number of 5 or less when tested according to TAPPI T-236cm-85.

Color retention
Dyes used to color the paperboard shall show no bleeding when soaked in distilled water for 48 hours while held in direct contact with white bond paper. The board shall not show a loss or gain of more than 5 points of brightness after exposure in a Sunlighter II apparatus for 96 hours or a fadeometer for 36 hours, when tested according to TAPPI T-452om-87.

Adhesive

A stable adhesive shall be used when adhering the two paperboard facings to each side of the fluted inner paperboard sheet. When aged in an oven at 50 degrees centigrade and 87 percent relative humidity, the adhesive used shall not soften or run, but shall hold the components of the corrugated paperboard firmly together. The properties of the adhesive shall not detract from the properties of the paperboard (i.e. reduce the alkaline reserve, increase the percentage of sulfur, decrease the pH, decrease the stiffness). The adhesive shall not be visible through or alter the color of the paperboard. If it is necessary to buffer the adhesive, the same buffer as in the paperboard (i.e. calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, or a combination of both) shall be used.

Workmanship

Each spacer board shall meet the requirements stated in this specification, shall be constructed in accordance with good commercial practice, and shall be free of imperfections that may affect its utility or aesthetic appearance.

Each spacer board shall be made to the dimensions specified. All edges shall be serrated uniformly and shall be free of untrimmed paper fragments. The corners of the spacer boards shall be evenly rounded and smooth. The plane of the spacer boards shall be flat and shall show no warping, twisting, buckling, or other distortion. The fluted inner paperboard sheet shall not be compressed on the surface or at the edges. The spacer boards shall contain no surface dirt (smudges, fingerprints, and the like) and no oozed adhesive and shall not be marred (dents, bumps, and the like) in any way.

Scores shall be uniform and deep enough to permit easy, precise folding and the retention of maximum strength along the score line. All score lines shall be free of fraying, cracks, and breaks.

The adhesive shall be uniformly applied to all surfaces to provide a firm, even attachment of all components.

Identification Markings

The following information shall be legibly punched on the center bottom of each spacer board: name of manufacturer, pH range, year of manufacture, and the word letter for spacer boards intended for letter size archives boxes or legal for spacer boards intended for legal size archives boxes.

Preparation for Delivery

Packaging

The spacer boards shall be packed in a standard commercial container that is sealed with tape. The number of spacer boards to be packed in each container shall be specified in the purchase order.

Marking

The outside of each packing container shall be legibly marked with the following information: the purchase order number and the type, size, and number of spacer boards packed in the container.

Quality Assurance Provisions

Tests

Test procedures and controls specified in this document shall be used to determine the quality of the product. Other procedures and controls must be approved by the National Archives before test results will be accepted. Unless otherwise indicated, the tests shall be performed at and the samples conditioned to standard conditions of 73 degrees Fahrenheit (plus or minus 3.5 degrees) and 50 percent relative humidity (plus or minus 2 percent RH.) (See TAPPI T - 402om-88.)

Test Methods

• The requirements for paperboard quality and characteristics shall be tested in accordance with specified test methods of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI).


• Publications describing these tests may be ordered directly from the technical associations at the following addresses:



• ASTM - American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race Street Philadelphia, PA 19103


• TAPPI - The Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry, One Dunwoody Park, Atlanta, Georgia 30348

The requirements for paperboard quality shall be tested according to the following methods:

Responsibility for Tests

Unless otherwise specified in the purchase order, the supplier is responsible for the performance of all requirements specified herein. Unless otherwise specified, the supplier may use his or her own facilities or any commercial laboratory acceptable to the National Archives. The National Archives reserves the right to perform any of the tests set forth in the specification where such tests are deemed necessary to assure that supplies and services conform to prescribed requirements.

Inspection

Examination Criteria

An examination shall be made so determine whether the spacer board complies with the Requirements section (see pages 1-3). The qualities and characteristics that shall be regarded as unacceptable in the spacer board are listed below.

• Not style specified


• Not dimensions specified


• Not materials (qualities or characteristics) specified


• Not color specified


• Not construction specified


• Not identification markings specified

• Edges not serrated evenly, not free of untrimmed paper fragments


• Scores not deep enough to permit precise folding during construction; fraying, cracks, or breaks along any scores


• Plane of the spacer board warped, twisted, buckled, or otherwise distorted


• Fluted inner paperboard sheet compressed on the surface or at the edges


• Comers not evenly rounded and smooth


• Surfaces not clean or smooth: not free of oozed adhesive, smudges, fingerprints or dirt; not free of lumps or indentations


• Surfaces not free of blisters, knots, or shives


• Surfaces torn, scuffed, or otherwise physically marred

An examination shall be made to determine whether the packaging of the spacer boards for delivery complies with the requirements of Preparation for Delivery section of this specification. The characteristics that shall be regarded as unacceptable in the packaging are listed below.

• Not number of spacer boards per container specified in contract


• Container not sealed with tape


• Container not legibly marked with the purchase order number


• Container not legibly marked with type of spacer boards within


• Container not legibly marked with size of spacer boards within


• Container not legibly marked with number of spacer boards within

Unless otherwise specified in the purchase order, the supplier is responsible for the performance of all inspection requirements specified herein. The National Archives reserves the right to perform any of the inspections set forth in the specification where such inspections are deemed necessary to assure that supplies and service conform to the prescribed requirements.

Sampling for Examination

Construction and Workmanship
To sample spacer boards for construction and workmanship, spacer boards shall be selected according to MI-STD 105E at inspection level S-2 with an acceptable quality level of 4.0 percent defective from each lot of material offered.

Testing
To sample spacer boards for testing, spacer boards shall be selected according to MIL-STD-105E at inspection level S-2 with an acceptable quality level of 2.5 percent defective from each lot of material offered.

Preparation for Delivery
To sample spacer boards for compliance with packaging and marking requirements, spacer boards shall be selected according to MIL-STD-105E at inspection level S-2 with an acceptable quality level of 4.0 defective from each lot of material offered.

Sampling Method
The sampling of spacer boards for examination shall be carried out according to methods specified in sampling procedures and "Tables for Inspection by Attributes", MIL-STD-105E, issued January 2,1990 and available from Naval Publications and Forms Center; Standardization Document Order Department, Building 4, Section D; 700 Robbins Avenue; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111-5094.

Ordering Information

The following information shall be included in the purchase order:

• Title and date of the specification


• Number and type of spacer boards required


• Purchase order number


• Number of spacer boards per shipping container


• Special delivery conditions