Packaging testing

What is 'packaging testing'?

Packaging testing refers to the systematic evaluation and analysis of packaging materials, components, and the overall packaging systems, including primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging, to ensure their effectiveness, safety, and compliance with regulatory standards.

It involves a series of tests that assess various aspects such as durability, strength, integrity, protection, and environmental impact.

Overall, packaging testing is essential for optimizing packaging design, mitigating potential risks, and enhancing overall supply chain efficiency and product protection.

Key stages in packaging testing

Materials

Materials used in packaging, such as cardboard, plastics, adhesives, and coatings, undergo specific tests to determine their suitability for different products and distribution channels.

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Components

The evaluation and assessment of individual product or packaging components that are used in the assembly of the final product or packaging system.

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Primary packaging

Primary packaging, which directly encloses the product, is tested to ensure it maintains product quality, hygiene, and consumer safety.

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Secondary packaging

Secondary packaging, encompassing individual product units, is evaluated for proper grouping, containment, and stacking during transportation.

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Tertiary packaging

Tertiary packaging, the outermost layer used for bulk shipments, is tested to guarantee the safe handling, storage, and distribution of goods.

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Transport/distribution

Evaluates the packaging's ability to endure the complete distribution cycle, from manufacturer to retailer or end-user, including loading, unloading, and intermediate handling.

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Cardboard box thrown around and damaged

Evaluating the severity of impact

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Whether you are transporting pallets of bottled water, crates of sensitive electronics, or a fully assembled space satellite to the launch pad, shock and impact events during shipping that result in damaged product are costly to operations and can even harm business reputations.

Register for our free whitepaper that provides information on key concepts related to evaluating the severity of impact events that products experience during shipment.

 

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Case studies

Cardboard box thrown around and damaged
Tips & Advice

Achieving 'flatness of drop' in drop testing

One key consideration for Drop Testers is their ability to deliver “flatness of drop.” That means if I place a package on a drop tester in an orientation, I want it to impact the floor (or baseplate) on that same orientation - without any change in orientation during the drop or free fall.  Flatness of drop is specifically called out within ASTM D5276 (Standard Test Method for Drop Test of Loaded Containers by Free Fall).
Wide variety of product packaging and outer packaging
Tips & Advice

Frequently asked questions about packaging testing

Packaging testing refers to the systematic evaluation and analysis of packaging materials, components, and the overall packaging systems, including primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging, to ensure their effectiveness, safety, and compliance with regulatory standards. It involves a series of tests that assess various aspects such as durability, strength, integrity, protection, and environmental impact.