Top-load tester pushing 10 years and going strong

A PET bottle top-load testing system from Mecmesin has been in use on the production floor at Leeds-based company Esterform Packaging for nearly a decade

A PET bottle top-load testing system has been in use on the production floor at Leeds-based company Esterform Packaging for nearly a decade.

The robust system, manufactured by Mecmesin, is used to assess the axial load capacity of the Esterform blow-moulded beverage and household product bottles.

This is a critical parameter in guaranteeing the bottles will not buckle during filling and capping, or when stacked for transportation and storage.

Esterform purchased the Mecmesin VersaTest Test Stand (now superseded by the MultiTest 1 Test Stand) fitted with an AFG1000N Force Gauge nearly a decade ago to carry out the top-load tests as a production quality control measure.

To perform the test, a sample bottle, taken at regular intervals from each production line, is placed directly beneath a 50mm diameter compression plate and a compressive load applied at a rate of 250mm/min until the bottle has visibly buckled.

The AFG records the maximum load experienced during the test and displays this result on its clear digital screen.

Jon Gilroy, Quality Assurance Manager at Esterform Packaging said, "We have performed top-load tests on our PET bottle production line for nearly a decade with Mecmesin equipment, which has proved extremely robust and reliable.

We plan to upgrade our QC test equipment soon and I will have no hesitation in sticking with Mecmesin, owing both to the longevity of their products and the broad range of advanced capabilities on offer".

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