Testing of Packaging Materials

Flexible packaging materials

1. Yield
2. Thickness or Gauge
3. Density
4. Tensile strength and Elongation at break
5. Impact resistance
6. Water vapour transmission rate
7. Gas transmission rate
8. Overall migration residues
 Flexible packaging materials
9. Tear resistance
10. Puncture resistance
11. Seal strength
12. Pouch burst strength
13. Bond strength or ply adhesion
14. Specific gravity test
1. Yield
• Amount of area provided by a given mass of a
film of specified thickness
• Actual yield, Ya = A in cm2 /M in kg
• Normal yield, Yn = 1000/dt
d = density (g/ml); t = normal thickness (cm)
• eg. Thickness of 0.0592 mm thick PP
d = 0.87g/ml
• Yn = 194259.6 cm2/kg or 19.41m2/kg
2. Thickness or Gauge
• Micrometer screw gauge
• 100 gauge = 0.025 mm
 3. Density
• Condition specimen – Submerge in boiling water for 30
min, then keep at 270C for 24 h
• Test - Pipette 100 ml dilute alcohol (d=0.8-0.82g/ml) in
Drechsel bottle immersed in water bath, 270C
• Lower one specimen into dilute alcohol
• Add 0.2 ml DW at a time with stirring
• When specimen suspend in solution, density of solution
is same as density of sample.
• Determine density of solution using pyknometer or sp.
gravity bottle
 4. Tensile strength and Elongation at break

• Tensile strength – Force parallel to the plane of the

specimen required to produce failure of specified width
and length under specified condition of loading
• Tensile strength machine
– Should maintain constant rate of traverse of one grip
– Load scale should be within 0.1N
– Breaking load should fall between 15-85%
• Preparation of samples
– Plastics 50 mm length x 15 mm width
– Paper 180 mm length x 15 mm width
 Tensile strength and Elongation at break….

• Traverse speed of machine

– Plastics 500 mm/min
– Paper 150 mm/min
• Cut sample lengthwise and cross direction (5 nos each)
• Total length 50 mm longer than gauge length
• Measure thickness by micrometer
• Clamp between the grips of the machine
• Switch on the machine in pre adjusted speed
• Record load and elongation at break
 Tensile strength and Elongation at break…
CALCULATION
• Tensile strength at break (kg/cm2 from the original
area of cross section)
– Kgf/cross section area in cm2
– Express mean for lengthwise and crosswise
– Cross section area = width x thickness (cm)
• Elongation at break (% of the original length between
ref. lines)
– % E.B = L2.L1 x 100/ L1
 5. Impact resistance
• Measure the ability of the film to withstand the fracture
by shock
• Measure of toughness of material
• Combination of deformation and breaking properties
• Test
– Hold film flat and tight
– Drop the dart vertically at the centre of the film
– Increase the weight using attached weight
– Report dart weight if 50% specimen fails as impact failure
strength
 Impact resistance…
• Impact resistance tester with vacuum clamp
• Electrochemical device to support and release dart
• Hemispherical (3.81 cm dia) aluminum/ plastic head
fitted with shaft (11.5 cm long)
• Calculation
– Plot % of failure against total mass of the falling dart on a
graph
– Read the dart mass at which 50% of specimen fails as impact
failure load
 6. Water vapour transmission rate
• Quantity of water vapour (g) that will transmit from one
side to the other side of the film of an area (m2) in 24 h,
when the RH difference between two sides is maintained
at 90% at 37oC
• Shallow aluminium dishes
• Wax seal the open end containing desiccant (CaCl2) by
test specimen
• Expose dish to RH 92% and temperature 37oC
• Increase in weight of desiccant gives the amount of
water vapour transmitted by the specimen
 Water vapour transmission rate…
CALCULATION
• WVTR (g/m2/24h at 90%RH & 37oC)
= Q x 24 x 90 / A t (H1-H2)
Q = Qty of water vapour pass through test specimen of
area A (m2) for t h when the RH on either side is
maintained at H1-H2
94% RH - sat. solution of potassium nitrate
• Sealing wax = Combination of microcrystalline wax and
paraffin wax in 60:40 ratio
• Area of test specimenr – 50 cm2
7. Gas transmission rate
• Volumetric rate of transmission of gas under
known pressure differential through a known
area of film (mil/m2/24h atmos)
• Gas permeability apparatus- Davenport
• Procedure
– Unscrew the bolt holding down the upper half of the
permeability cell and remove it
– Apparatus have ‘X’ volume controlling insert fitted
in the lower half of the cell
– Place a dried circular filter paper on the top of the
insert
Gas transmission rate …
• Procedure …
– Spread the sample of film over the filter paper
– Replace the upper part of the film permeability sell
– Reinsert the bolts and tighten with box spanner
– Turn the test gas on and flush out the cell with a
brisk stream of gas for few sec.
– Then reduce the flow to a slow rate (no air should
diffuse back into the cell) – 1 bubble/ sec. through
liquid paraffin
– Evacuate the lower part of the cell using vacuum
pump at 0.2 mmHg
 Gas transmission rate …
• Procedure …
– Connect vacuum gauge between apparatus and vacuum
pump rapidly when gauge indicates 0.2mm Hg or
lower
– Tilt the apparatus to left until the mercury runs out of
the reservoir into the manometer and partially fill it
– Return the apparatus to normal position and set the
movable scale to convenient starting point immediately
– Start a stopwatch and begin to take readings at suitable
time intervals
Gas transmission rate …
• Calculation
GTR (ml/m2/24h at 1 atmos)
= 273 x PV x 24 x 104/ A x T x P
P – Rate of pressure change in capillary (cm.Hg per h)
V – Total volume (ml) of the space between lower
surface of film and top of Hg column in the capillary
A – Area of the specimen (23.77 cm2)
T – Temp in Ko (273oC)
P – Pressure difference (76 cm Hg)
8. Overall migration residues
• Mass transfer of materials from plastics to
foods under specified conditions
• Global migration test – Measure
gravimetrically the amount of migrants
from plastics to different food stimulating
solvents based on categorization of foods
Overall migration residues…
Method
• Fill the pouch with pre-heated stimulant at test
temperature and close it
• Expose to specified temperature for specified
duration of time
• Remove the pouch and quickly transfer the
extractant into clean glass beaker with three
washing with stimulant
• Evaporate the extractant to about 50-60ml and
transfer to a clean tarred stainless steel dish along
with three washings
• Evaporate to dryness in oven at 100oC
• Cool this in a desiccator for 30 min and weigh
Overall migration residues…
Calculation
• Extractives (mg/dm2 and mg/l)
• CMR = Mass of residue (mg) x 100 mg/dm2
----------------------------------------------------------------

Area exposed in cm2

• Maximum limit value = 60mg/l or 10mg/dm2
9. Tear resistance
• Initiation method
– Apply tension to ends of specimen so that it
tears across its width, by the extension of a
right angled discontinuity in one of its long
edges to the opposite edge
– Tear strength meter with a rate of grip
separation of 250 mm/ min
– Tear resistance
• Maximum force (Newtons)/ Thickness (mm)
Tear resistance…
• Trouser tear method
– Tearing force is the average force required to
propagate a teat at a constant tearing speed across
a test specimen
– Tearing resistance is the tearing force divided by
the specimen thickness
• Principle
– A rectangular test specimen having a longitudinal
slit extending over half its length is subjected to a
tensile test on the trouser legs formed by the slit
– The average force required to tear the specimen
completely along its length is used to calculate
the tear resistance of the materials
 Tear resistance…
• Method
– Measure the thickness of the material
– Set the initial separation of the grips to 75 mm
– Carefully clam and align the specimen legs in the grips
– Speed of the testing shall be 250mm/min
– Start the machine and record the load necessary to
propagate the tear through the entire length of the
specimens
• Calculation
– Tear resistance = Ft/d
Ft – Tearing force in newtons
d – Thickness in mm
10. Puncture resistance
• Performed to determine the ability of the material
to withstand puncture
Method
• Cut the specimen to fit between the opposing faces
to flat metal plates having concentric openings
• Measure the thickness of the specimen at its
approximate value
• One of the plates have a circular opening 6mm in
diameter to allow the passage of a stainless steel
needle
Puncture resistance…
Method
• Lower plate shall have an opening 25 mm in
diameter to provide a fixed free area through
which the specimen can elongate while being
subject to the pressure of the needle point
• Position the needle perpendicular to the specimen
• Needle shall be at a rate of 500mm/min
• Measure the maximum force required to perform
the puncture operation to nearest 2N
Calculation
• PR = Force (N) / Thickness (mm)
11. Seal strength
• Determined by measuring the force required to
pull apart the pieces of film which have been
sealed
Method (Dynamic load test)
• Cut the edges of specimen perpendicular to the
direction of the seal
• Clam each leg of specimen in the testing
equipment (Tensile strength tester)
• Sealed area of the specimen should be equidistant
between the clamps with at least 50mm leg
between the seal and clamp
Seal strength…
• Method (Dynamic load test)
• Align the specimen in the clamps and allow
sufficient slack
• Rate of loading shall be such that the lower clamp
moves at the rate of 300mm/min
• Record the maximum stress applied to he
specimen at yield or breakage
• Result expressed as kg/cm for peel and kg/cm2 for
shear
12. Pouch burst strength
• Pouch burst strength tester
• Place the half air filled pouch in the
equipment and close it
• Pierce air inlet needle into the pouch
• Release air gradually to the pouch with a
pump till it burst
• Note the pressure in psig from the gauge
 Paper and paperboards
1. Thickness
2. Grammage
3. Bursting strength
4. Puncture resistance
5. Water absorptiveness / Cobb’s test
6. Tearing resistance
7. Flat crush, ring stiffness, edge crush resistance
8. Stiffness
9. Compression test
10. Transport worthiness test
1. Thickness
• Thickness or Caliper is the perpendicular distance
between two principal surfaces of paper
• Micrometer screw gauge
• Thickness measured in mm or mils or points
• 1 mil= 1 point = 1/1000”
• Conditioning – Expose the samples at 64% RH
and 27oC for at least 24 h
• Use saturated sodium nitrite in desiccator to get
64%RH
2. Grammage
• Basis weight or grammage is weight per
unit area of paper (g/m2)
• Cut the specimen into a size of 10 x 10 cm
• Keep in the substance indicator
• Express the weight of paper as GSM
3. Bursting strength
• Bursting strength is the hydrostatic pressure in
kg/cm2 or pounds/ inch2 required to produce
rupture of material when the pressure is increased
at a controlled constant rate through a rubber
diaphragm of 1:20 inch in diameter
• Used to measure a resistance to rupture
• Gives an indication of tensile strength and stretch
of paper
Bursting strength…
• Bursting strength tester
– Clamp the sample 12x12 cm in position
– Apply hydrostatic pressure until the specimen
ruptures
– Record the maximum registered pressure
– Make atleast 10 acceptable tests to each side
– Report values lbs/sq.inch or kg/sqcm
Bursting strength…
• Burst factor
Burst factor = Bursting strength (kg/sqcm) x 100
-------------------------------------------
Grammage (GSM) of paper
– Kraft paper is graded according to BF
– Grade A – BF > 30
– Grade B – BF 20-30
– Grade C – BF < 20
4. Puncture resistance
• Important in manufacture of shipping
containers
• Beach puncture test indicates the ability of
container components to resist damage
caused by objects
• Gives better assessment of the combined
board strength than the burst
Puncture resistance…
• Puncture resistance tester
– Place sample in clamping jaw
– Place sample with the outside surface down
– Release the pendulum so that the pointer
puncture the samples completely
– Record the result as ounce inch per tear inch as
shown on the scale or beach units
5. Water absorptiveness or Cobb’s test

• To find out the penetration of aqueous

liquid into paper
• To assess the suitability of CFB for shipping
containers
• Specifies the amount of water absorbed by a
specified area of a paper in a given length of
time
Water absorptiveness or Cobb’s test…
• Cobb test apparatus
– Specimen holder consists of a metal cylinder
– Clamp cylinder tightly over the specimen,
which in turn is supported underneath by a
rubber mat placed over a flat metal plate
– Allow a water column of 0.6 to 1 cm height to
stand on the specimen for specified time (for
paper – 1’; for paperboard – 30’)
– Find out the weight of water absorbed after
wiping the adherent water with blotting paper
– Compute weight of water absorbed by one sq m
of sample
6. Tearing resistance
• Papers tear straight along the grain or MD
and somewhat irregular across the grain
• Measure the resistance of paper against
tearing forces
Tearing strength tester
– Clamp the conditioned sample in jaws
– Make a pre-cut using knife attached to
equipment
 Tearing resistance…
Tearing strength tester
– Release the pendulum when it swings continuing the
tear along the guideline made by precut
– The indicator needle moves along the scales
depending on the resistance and gives the force
– If no weight is used, multiply the reading with 16 and
express tearing force in gm
– Use higher fixing weights 3200-6400
Calculation
Tear factor = Tearing strength(g) (MD &CD) x100
---------------------------------------------
GSM
7a. Flat crush
• Means ability of the flutes in CFB to resist
vertical crushing force applied in a plane
perpendicular to the flutes
• Limited to 3 ply CFB
• Measures the values of some of the factors
involved in fabrication of board and
corrugating medium
Flat crush…
• Gaydon compression tester
– Cut circularly the specimen 5 sq inch area
– No crushing of flutes at the cut edges
– Keep flat on the lower platten of the equipment
– Apply load in the direction perpendicular to the
flutes
– Crush specimen between the two parallel
plattens
– Record the peak load sustained before total
collapse of flutes
– Report in N/cm2
7b. Ring stiffness
• Indirect measure of the stiffness of the
corrugated media
• Derives its name because of the shape of the
specimen subjected to the test
Ring stiffness…
• Cut samples of size 6” x ½“
• Ensure edges are parallel
• Place the specimen in the annular groove of the
holder
• Effect compression on the specimen at a direction
perpendicular to the width of the cut specimen
• Note peak crush value for each specimen
• Report the average in N
7c. Edgewise crush stiffness
• Indicate edgewise rigidity of the board and probable
crushing resistance
• Cut 10 rectangular test specimen with flutes
perpendicular to the long edges
• Place the sample centrally on the lower platen with its
shorter edges perpendicular to the platens
• Support by guide blocks so that the surface of the test
piece in contact with the platen are straight, parallel to
each other and at right angles to the CB facings
• Apply load until the test piece fails
• Record the maximum load sustained in nearest N
• ECR (R) = F x103/ l (F-max. load in N; l- long
dimension of test piece in mm)
8. Stiffness
• Taber stiffness meter
– Cut the test specimen (1½“ x 2¾“)
– Insert the test strip between clamp jaws
– Tighten jaws by turning clamp screws
– Position test strips so that its lower edge rests
on the bottom gauge
– Apply pressure with one finger on the lever
control switch either left or right direction
Stiffness…
• Taber stiffness meter
– Release the finger pressure when the mark on
the pendulum aligns to the 7½” or 15” mark on
the driving disk
– This in turn breaks the driving disc and
indicates the exact reading of the material being
tested
– Determine the reading after the test material
deflects to the left and right
– Record the readings in g. cm
9.Compression test
• Measure stackability of the box both under
dynamic and static conditions
• Factors influencing compression strength
– Substance and stiffness of the liner and media
– Formation and type of corrugation
– Combination of corrugations
– Quantity and uniformity of bonding medium
– Combinations of plies
– Bending stiffness of the board
– Cutting and creasing of the board
– Moisture content
– Style of the box as well as inner fitments
 Compression test
• Universal compression strength tester
– Have a platen movement fixed at a given speed
– CS comes from the load carrying capacity of the
vertical panels
– Load generally concentrated at the corners
– Box fails when the lateral bulge becomes sufficiently
large and failure lines transmit into the center of the
panel usually beginning from the corners
– When flutes run vertically in the direction of the
stacking, the box will have better load carrying
capacity
– For combinations it is better that the heavier liner
may be placed inside
 Compression test
• Universal compression strength tester
– Compression strength measures the load at
which the board collapses under laboratory
conditions
10.Transport worthiness test
• Vibration test
• Rolling test
• Drop test
 10a.Vibration test
• To determine the ability of a container with its internal
fitments and means of closure to provide sufficient
protection against damage to its contents when subjected
to the vibrations of transportations
• Vibration table consists of a bed, which is driven by two
eccentrics, one at each end connected to phase eachother
• A platform is attached to the top of the vibration bed
• The platform describes a circular harmonic type
vibration, when it is in operation
• The amplitude of the vibration is one inch and frequency
varied from 120 to 350 cycles per min
• One hour ride on the vibration table is approx.
equivalent to 1000 miles journey by rail
10 b. Rolling test
• Performed for testing the strength of the transport
package and protection that it offers to its contents
when the package confronts the hazard of rolling
• 20 rolls along with three differential axis
10 c. Drop test
• Purpose is to stimulate those hazards which
are encountered during handling of the
packages by the men and equipment
• Two main types of tests
For Light packages
– It has release mechanisms from where the
package is suspended by means of sling, which
allows it to drop in any desired position
Drop test…
• For Heavy packages
– Consists of table top and a trap door. The
package is held in position on the table top and
a trap door is opened this allowing the package
to fall to the floor. The height and position of
fall and the types of floor can again be altered
– Drop tester
– Drop height 3 feet
– Total 10 sequential drops