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Glossary
Amber - yellowish, brown color of glass or plastic containers used primarily to protect light sensitive contents
Bail - curved handle of a pail
Blowmolding - process used for forming hollow containers in which the plastic is placed inside a mold and forced outward via air pressure to assume the shape of that mold cavity
Closed-head - container that has a top and bottom endsseamed to the body, also known as a tight-head
Closure - metal or plastic cap which produces a primary seal when properly applied to the container
C-T closure - "continuous-thread" design that begins near the bottom of the closure skirt and continues upward toward the liner
C-T finish - continuous thread finish that features an uninterrupted protruding helix on the neck of a container to accommodate a screw type closure
Dispensing closure - aclosure designed to be used to apply the contents of a container
Drop test - test of strength accomplished by dropping an object in a specified manner for a specified number of times, or until the article fails from impact
Dropper cap - bottle closure that features a dropper or rubber bulb designed to dispense liquids
Ears - Parts on the side of a can or pail to which a bail or handle is inserted for easier carrying
Extrusion - The shaping of a plastic material by forcing it through a specially shaped die
F-style can - rectangular base can fitted with a screw cap
Finish - portion of the neck of a container designed to accommodate a particular closure
Fittings - parts necessary to complete the closure of a can including plugs, screw necks, spouts, bungs, caps, etc...
Flame treating - method of exposing plastics to an open flame to increase the polarity of the surface, rendering it more receptive to inks, lacquers, paints, adhesives, etc.
Gasket - liner applied to adjoining parts to make a tight seal
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) - rigid and less permeable thermoplastic material displaying a high tolerance to distortion temperatures
Injection blowmolding - two stage, plastic bottle manufacturing process. First, a preform (or parison) is injection molded forming the bottle finish. The preform is then transferred to a blow mold where the bottle takes its ultimate shape
Largeware - term given to containers over one gallon in capacity
Linerless closure - closure manufactured to function without the use of a liner
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) - low density grade and somewhat pliable thermoplastic material with improved resistance to impact
Multilayer bottles - bottles comprised of layers of specially selected coextruded plastics so the barrier qualities of the container are improved and the unique characteristics of each material is retained
Neck - part of the container where the bottle cross section tapers to form the finish
Orifice - opening in a dispensing closure or fitment from which the product is dispensed
Phenolic - generic name for phenol formaldehyde thermosetting plastic that is molded or cast
Polyethylene (PET) - resin with barrier properties, clarity and resistance to impact, grease, oil, cold and sunlight
Polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) - resin with good barrier properties and outstanding clarity and slightly higher tolerance to distortion temperatures compared with PET
Polypropylene (PP) - lightweight, durable rigid plastic made by the polymerization of propylene in the presence of an organometallic catalyst
Polystyrene (PS) - thermoplastic compound used to make plastic containers, closures, etc.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) - thermoplastic material composed of polymers of vinyl chloride with exceptional resistance to water, alcohols, concentrated acids and alkalis
Shelf life - length of time a product can be stored under specified temperature conditions and still remain usable
Tamper-evident - device which shows visible signs the container has been opened
Thread - profile of a container finish which will accommodate specific closures
Unlined - closure with no liner
Widemouth - containers with a large finish opening, or those that have a large finish size in proportion to their capacity
Window stripe - also known as "view stripe", transparent vertical stripe on a molded container used to monitor the level of the contents