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Package Testing

One of the main objectives of packaging products is the safety of products contained within. It is always the responsibility of the manufacturers to test package ability to protect the product inside throughout the handling, distribution, and storage environment. They take help of package testing labs to evaluate their packaging according to the various established package testing standards.

What is Package Testing?

Package testing, sometimes also referred to as packaging testing is the measurement of properties involved with packaging. The properties measured during package testing include package strength testing, package integrity testing, thermal testing, shelf life study and even environmental impact among others.

Importance of Package Testing

As the packaging is done for the protection of products, it should be able to withstand the typical events related to distribution of the product. The product should reach the consumer without defect and loss of sterility. Certain products such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, many food items and even electronic goods must retain the correct orientation for proper removal and use. To ensure all these, packaging testing becomes essential.

Many countries specify regulations for certain types of consumer products like food, pharmaceutical drugs, medical devices, dangerous goods etc. For certain other products, the package testing may be important from the point of view of quality establishment among the consumers. In such cases, it is a pure business decision based on such factors as costs of packaging, costs of package testing, value of customers' good will, other potential costs that may result due to inadequate packaging etc.

Package tests are also conducted when a new packaging design is adopted by revising the current package design. It is always beneficial for the manufacturers to test packaging design before full scale manufacturing. This saves both, time and money for them.

Package Testing Methods

Following are some of the criteria on which packaging testing is conducted. The methods of packaging testing are also described.

Package Strength Testing

This is the seal strength testing which is also known as peel testing. It measures the strength of seals within packaging materials. This test can be used to evaluate consistency within the seal as well as for evaluation of the opening force of the package system. It is usually done by looking at a 1-in. cross section of the entire seal on a package. There is another method for seal testing where the whole package is covered and the strength and continuity of the entire length of the seal is measured. It measures the force needed to separate the entire lid of material containing the seal. There is another package testing method for strength measurement – the burst test. It is used to determine the packages strength and precession by pressurizing the package until it bursts.

Package Integrity Testing

Packages may sometimes lose their integrity due to certain events during processing or distribution. Packaging testing labs use several physical test methods to validate the package integrity. One of such package testing methods is he the Leak Testing. In this, pressure or vacuum is applied to packages placed inside airtight chambers to reveal leaks. Vacuum testing can detect very small leaks in packaging pouches. Dye penetration is also done sometimes for package leak testing. It involves applying dye evenly onto a package to detect the dye seeping into any defects. The other package leak testing method is by bubble emission. It involves submerging the package underwater and looking for leaks.

Shelf Life Study

Accelerated aging testing method is conducted to determine the shelf life and the expiration dates that have to be printed on packages. The accelerated aging test is carried out by subjecting the packaging product to unusual high levels of stress. These stress factors may include temperature, humidity, pressure, strain, etc. that are rapidly changed but in a controlled manner. Polymers are often kept at elevated temperatures so as to accelerate chemical breakdown.

Package Testing Labs

There are many package testing laboratories that provide analytical services, physical testing, performance testing as well as research and development support along with quality testing to comply with packaging test standards specified by national and international regulatory authorities. These package testing labs have their expert team of test specialists and designers who coordinate with the clients and define objectives for the package tests. All the results of the packaging tests are documented and delivered to the clients for analysis and evaluation. A good package testing lab always provides the facility of new or additional test series if it is found that the original objectives of testing have not been met. These package testing services apply globally to a wide range of industries that include electronics, food, consumer, industrial, chemicals, packers, retailers, brand owners, packaging materials manufacturers and more.

Package Testing Standards

Governments and other regulators publish certain packaging test methods on the basis of which the package tests are conducted to meet the specified standards. Some of the standards organizations that publish test methods for package testing include the following International Organization for Standardization, ISO

• American Society for Testing & Materials, ASTM International
• European Committee for Standardization, CEN
• Technical Association for Paper & Pulp Industry, TAPPI
• International Safe Transit Association
• American National Standards Institute, ANSI
• Japanese Industry Standards, JIS
• Military Specifications, MIL