Most manufacturing companies spend a lot of time and resources on product development, testing, and quality control. However, many products need protection during shipping, and without sturdy packaging, they won’t make it to the wholesale or retail customer. Some products (like food and pharmacy items) must be sealed against contamination. This makes package integrity testing very important. Let’s look at this vital part of many businesses today and explore some of its applications.
What is a Package’s Job?
In order to understand package integrity testing, it’s important to know exactly what a package is and what functions it performs. Here are the four main functions of packages:
* Support – packages are usually shipped by truck, and they need to be in containers that protect them during transit. This can include padding and other materials around the product.
* Protection – many packages are exposed to the environment. In fact, most packages may sit on uncovered docks or other areas during staging or loading or unloading. It’s important for packaging to keep products safe and dry.
* Information – labels and words on packages let people know what’s inside and provide important information like UPC code numbers. They also inform shippers if the materials need special handling and are fragile.
* Convenience – packaging makes materials easier to handle.
Testing Procedures
Some tests are done to see if a package can survive being dropped. Other tests can determine how much vibration or shock a container can handle without damage. However, one of the most important package integrity testing is seal testing. This can determine if a package is air or water tight and it very important if you need to keep contaminants out of your products.
When you need the best testing equipment for your packaging, go to leak testing and detection specialists. They can give you standard or custom solutions.
