New packaging testers think outside the box

Effective packaging, capable of withstanding impact and stress, is vitally important when protecting and moving goods around the world: Zwick packaging and plastic film testers check the quality

Effective packaging, capable of effectively withstanding impact and stress, is vitally important when protecting and moving goods around the world.

Recognizing the importance of packaging quality Zwick has recently expanded its product range of modular and expandable materials testing systems, tools, fixtures and accessories to enable improvements in packaging and plastic film testing.

1) Tensile tests on plastic films and paper.

Developed for fast and reliable production control or quality assurance, the Zwick horizontally constructed testing system simplifies the insertion and gripping of the specimen.

Two optical sensors detect the specimen, close the pneumatic grips and start the test.

The application software provides maximum flexibility and parameters such as tensile modulus, yield point, tensile strength, tear strain and other user definable results can be calculated from the recorded force-extension data.

Integration into existing Quality Management Systems reduces errors and improves speed, efficiency and data integrity.

Increased travel load frames are available for high elongation plastic films.

2) Coefficient of friction.

The ISO 8295 and ASTM D 1894 testing procedures describe how to determine coefficient of friction (COF) for film materials.

This parameter is important to optimise the running and printing of plastic films in packaging machines.

With its "ProLine COF" testing system Zwick has developed an intelligent and cost-efficient solution using the most up-to-date, high-resolution, digital control technology and testXpert II, its intelligent and reliable software.

To determine the COF a sled is connected to the testing machine moving crosshead and pulled over a reference surface at a constant speed of 100 +/- 10 mm/min or 150 +/- 30 mm/min (6 +/- 1.2 in/min).

The traction system, incorporating a spring in accordance with the Standard to determine the static friction, can have a significant impact on the result so the static force required to initiate the sliding process and the kinetic force necessary to maintain motion are determined automatically by the testing software.

These forces are combined with the weight of the sled to calculate the static and dynamic coefficients of friction.

3) Puncture Tests.

Within minutes the materials testing system can be reconfigured to determine the puncture resistance of plastic foils in accordance with EN 14477.

The strip samples can be gripped quickly and with ease whilst the testing procedure is controlled by the testXpert II software.

The test result is calculated automatically and fully in accordance with standards.

4) Peel Tests.

Tests on adhesive joints, seals, tapes etc, are carried out by mounting the specimen on a stiff carrier which is then peeled off at a constant angle of 90degrees in order to determine the adhesive force.

The peel force is measured and evaluated.

Where the unrolling force from a roll (e.g tapes) is required a special testing module is available.

The intelligent testing software testXpert is used on all Zwick products and allows testing procedures to be strictly in accordance with standards or according to individual laboratory requirements.

Fully automated testing procedures, including the reliable and safe control of the testing machine parameters, detection and use of the sensors installed in the system, guarantee the highest possible precision and integrity of the test results.

The network capability is a major advantage, improving efficiency by allowing data to be exchanged with internal company IT systems, which saves time and reduces the overall testing costs.

5) Testing of Commercial Containers.

Packaging such as palettes, barrels or beverage crates are often exposed to static and impact forces as well as highly variable temperatures.

The new Zwick HIT25P pendulum impact tester can be used to measure the impact resistance, and a brand new range of HDT/Vicat heat deflection temperature equipment can be used to establish whether a beverage crate is capable of withstanding the stacking pressure in a hot warehouse in summer.

6) Testing of Corrugated Cardboard.

Corrugated cardboard packaging is exposed to diverse loads from the production process all the way to unpacking: shock, vibration, dampness, static forces in storage, the list goes on.

Zwick provides testing systems and accessories to carry out practically all mechanical tests on paper for corrugated cardboard production, corrugated cardboard itself and assembled corrugated cardboard packaging.

Modern testing methods and multi-functional implementation of accessories in a single testing system makes quality assurance a simple, efficient and cost-effective tool for producers of corrugated cardboard packaging.

7) For rapid testing of packaging boxes (Box Compression Test - BCT), Zwick offers a single product which can carry out all required tests quickly and very efficiently.

Equipped with two test areas the system is able to carry out four different tests by utilising a numerically controlled drive system to position the machine crosshead at high speed, with micron precision and without any over-travel.

Complete boxes are compression tested in the upper area whilst the lower area accommodates three configurations for the strip crush test, the edge crush test and the 4-point bending test.

The clever design of the testing system allows trouble-free and rapid testing of all specimens.

Changing test areas is no problem with the testXpert a II testing software as it assumes complete control of the testing equipment during the test and evaluates, stores, prints, or transmits the measured data to another computer or to external database.

Back to top