FT 323-Food Packaging & Labelling

Lesson 5: Package Performance Testing

Package Performance Testing:
Ensuring Product Integrity
Package performance testing is essential for ensuring product integrity. It minimizes
damage and guarantees that products arrive in optimal condition. Losses from
damaged goods amount to $10 billion annually.
Hazards of the Distribution
Environment
Packages face many hazards during distribution. Temperature extremes range from -
40°F to 140°F. Relative humidity fluctuates between 5% and 95%. Stacking and transit
can cause compression and vibration damage.

Temperature Extremes High Humidity

-40°F to 140°F can affect material 5% to 95% can reduce material
integrity. strength.

Compression
Stacking can cause package collapse.
Atmospheric Conditioning of
Packaging
Atmospheric conditioning simulates distribution conditions. It controls temperature and
humidity. This accelerates aging and evaluates material response. Standards like ASTM
D4332 are followed.

Temperature Control Humidity Control UV Exposure

Regulations in Testing Methods

Regulations ensure compliance. ISTA, ASTM, and ISO set packaging standards.
Compliance reduces damage and costs. It also ensures customer satisfaction.

ISTA (International Safe Transit Association) ASTM

(American Society for Testing and Materials)
Sets standards for safe transit.
Develops material and testing
standards.

ISO
Provides global packaging standards.
ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)

Some key ASTM standards in packaging testing include:

• ASTM D5276 – Drop Test:

Evaluates the impact resistance of packages when dropped from different heights onto various surfaces.

• ASTM D4169 – Performance Testing for Shipping Containers

Simulates the distribution environment to test a package’s ability to protect its contents under real-world shipping conditions.

• ASTM D4728 – Vibration Testing

Assesses how packages respond to different vibration patterns during transit, ensuring they can withstand transportation conditions.

• ASTM D642 – Compression Testing

Determines the maximum load a package can withstand before collapsing, essential for stacking in warehouses.

• ASTM D4332 – Environmental Conditioning

Simulates environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity changes to test material durability.
Common ISTA Testing Procedures:
ISTA has different series of test protocols designed for various packaging and shipping scenarios. Below are some key ISTA test series and their purposes:

2️ISTA 2 Series – Partial Simulation Tests

1️ISTA 1 Series – Non-Simulation Integrity Tests •Purpose: Combines basic integrity tests with some elements of real-
•Purpose: Basic strength tests for packaged products without simulating real-world transport. world simulation.
•Example: ISTA 1A (small packages) and ISTA 1B (bulk packages). •Example: ISTA 2A (small parcels).
•Tests Include: Drop testing, compression, and vibration. •Tests Include: Drop, vibration, and compression testing with
•Best For: Early-stage package development, screening for weak designs. environmental conditioning.
•Best For: Evaluating packaging before full-scale distribution.

3️ISTA 3 Series – General Simulation Performance Tests 4️ISTA 6 Series – Custom Tests for Specific Retailers
•Purpose: Fully simulates actual shipping and handling conditions. •Purpose: Developed in partnership with major retailers for their unique
•Example: ISTA 3A (e-commerce packages like Amazon shipments). supply chains.
•Tests Include: •Examples:
•Drop Testing: Simulates handling during loading and unloading. •ISTA 6-Amazon.com: Ensures packaging meets Amazon’s
•Vibration Testing: Mimics transportation vibrations from trucks, planes, and conveyors. fulfillment center requirements.
•Compression Testing: Tests package resistance when stacked. •ISTA 6-FedEx: Tests for FedEx shipping conditions.
•Atmospheric Conditioning: Evaluates performance under different humidity and •Tests Include: Real-world shipping simulations tailored to retailer-
temperature conditions. specific supply chain requirements.
•Best For: Packages shipped via parcel delivery systems (FedEx, UPS, DHL, Amazon). •Best For: Companies selling products through major retailers and
online marketplaces.
Which ISTA Test Should You Use?
ISTA 7 Series – Environmental Testing
→ ISTA 1 Series.
•For basic packaging durability?
Focuses on the effects of temperature and humidity on packaging.
•Purpose:
•For performance with some real-world factors? → ISTA 2
•Tests Include:
•Temperature extremes (-40°F to 140°F). Series.
•For complete shipping simulation? → ISTA 3 Series.
•Humidity variations (5% to 95% relative humidity).
•For compliance with Amazon or FedEx shipping? → ISTA 6
•Best For: Packaging that needs to survive extreme environmental conditions (e.g.,
Series.
frozen or perishable goods). •For environmental impact testing? → ISTA 7 Series.
 Shock and Drop Testing

Shock and drop tests evaluate impact resistance. Drop height depends on package weight. The package is dropped onto various surfaces. ASTM D5276 and ASTM
D4169 are key standards.

Drop Test
Evaluates impact resistance. Drop tests allow evaluating the packaging’s resistance and rigidity against possible accidental drops.
Designing packaging resistant to drops may involve adding reinforcements in the corners or
choosing different packaging materials (corrugated cardboard, plastics, cork, etc.).

Shock Test
Simulates sudden impacts.

Watch video on different Testing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1rjNHG5Xl4
Vibration Testing: Understanding
Resonance
Vibration testing simulates transit vibration. It identifies resonant frequencies. This ensures package
integrity during shipping.

Setup
Mount package on vibration table.

Frequency Sweep
Sweep through frequency range to identify resonances.

Dwell
Dwell at resonant frequencies to assess damage.

Analysis
Inspect package and contents for damage.
 Vibration Testing: Understanding Resonance
• Vibration testing identifies harmful frequencies. Sine vibration finds resonance frequencies. Random vibration simulates real-world conditions. Dwell vibration
evaluates fatigue. ASTM D4728 is the relevant standard.
• A vibration test is a type of test that is used to evaluate the response of a material or object to vibrational loads. These tests are often used to determine
the fatigue life of a material or object, as well as its ability to resist damage from vibration.
There are three broad categories of vibration tests:

1. Sine Vibration (Sinusoidal) 2. Random Vibration 3. Shock Testing

Identifies resonance frequencies. Simulates real-world transport.

Simulates impacts and
sudden changes in motion by
Types: applying controlled, high-
acceleration pulses.
Sine Sweep: The frequency is gradually increased or How it works:
How it works:
decreased to identify resonance points, where the
product vibrates most strongly. The test profile is a power spectral density
(PSD) curve, which defines the energy Shock pulses are defined by their
distribution across different frequencies. acceleration, duration, and shape
Sine Dwell: The product is vibrated at a specific (e.g., half-sine, trapezoidal).
frequency and amplitude, often at the resonance
frequencies identified during sine sweep testing. Applications:
Assessing the durability and reliability of Applications:
products under various operational and Evaluating the ability of a product
Applications: to withstand impacts and sudden
Assessing the structural integrity of products, transportation conditions.
decelerations, such as those
especially those exposed to continuous vibrations, experienced during shipping or
like engines or machinery. handling.
Video presentation for vibration test
Compression Testing: Stacking Strength
Compression testing measures stacking strength. Force is applied until failure. Data includes maximum load and deformation. ASTM D642 is used. This
determines max stacking height in warehouses.

2 Measure Load

Apply Force
1

Record Deformation
3
Testing Methods: A Summary
Testing methods include environmental conditioning. Shock and drop tests evaluate impact resistance. Vibration tests simulate transportation.
Compression tests assess stacking strength.

Compression Testing
1

2 Vibration Testing

3 Shock and Drop Testing

Design of the Packaging Laboratory
A packaging lab needs controlled conditions. It should include a vibration table and drop tester. Also, a compression tester and data system are needed.
Regular calibration is critical.

1 Equipment

2 Calibration

3 Data System
Conclusion: Optimizing Package
Performance
Testing reduces damage and costs. Compliance ensures product integrity. Investing in a
lab is essential. Proactive testing increases customer satisfaction. And it improves brand
reputation.

90%
Damage Reduction

25%
Cost Savings