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Introduction to Package Testers
We at TME know that it is just as important to
test your packaging as it is to test your product.
If you are new to package testing or would like
your vocabulary refreshed, we encourage you to
browse our informational brochure, Package Testing
201.
Food
Package Testing
TME is aware of the many variations on the need
to test food packaging, such as the degree of
permeability of the package and the strength of
the seal to withstand transport and storage stresses.
Package testing can be regarded as a two part
process. Your package testing system should include
both package integrity (leak) testing and seal
strength testing, two complementary but very different
procedures. To ensure that no contamination will
occur during transport and storage of your product,
both testing modes are important in the final
analysis of your primary food container. The TM
Electronics BT-1000 Automated Package Tester provides
seal strength and package integrity testing capability
in one instrument, and also provides the documentation
necessary for your packaging process validation,
for in-process inspection or post-process audit
testing.
Inflation
Seal Strength Testers
Inflation seal strength testing includes burst,
creep and creep-to-failure testing. Inflation
tests are applicable to most materials (porous
and non-porous) and most package forms such as
pouches, lidded trays, and laminated or rolled
tubes. The TM Electronics BT-1000 provides graphs
of individual tests of your products. The pressure
at which the package bursts is a variable statistic
that can be utilized to document process development
and process control through the use of tools such
as upper and lower control limits, all part of
the statistics package that is standard on the
TME BT-1000.
Inflation
Package Integrity (Leak) Testers
 Package
integrity testing is purely a measure of the primary
food container's barrier - a "leak test"
of the whole package. Pressure decay testing is
very effective in determining leaks in flexible
packages that have non-porous material surfaces
and seals. The TM Electronics BT-1000, which is
capable of performing both seal strength and package
leak tests, has a resolution of 0.02psi. The TME
SOLUTION™ leak test instrument can be configured
to do a leak test of a package with a resolution
as high as 0.0001 psi, and provides an extra layer
of security to protect your data.
Closed Chamber Package Testers
The Closed Chamber Test Method provides fast,
non-destructive testing of sealed flexible food
packages or induction welded bottle seals. The
TME SOLUTION-C Test System is comprised of the
TME Solution™ leak test instrument and a
chamber fixture custom designed for your package.
The chamber fixture enclosing your package is
pressurized (or evacuated for a vacuum test),
stabilized and tested for pressure (or vacuum)
decay that would indicate leakage from the test
item.
Restraining
Plate Package Testing
Seal strength values are related to the package
size, geometry, and materials. For example, pouches
with a long side seal will generally fail on the
long seal unless a heater failure has occurred
on the shorter seal or chevron. Unsupported tray
lid seals may fail at points only relative to
their geometry. Very flexible package materials
may deform with pressurization to an extent that
makes seal testing difficult. For the most accurate
measure of the seal strength of your package it
may be advisable to use restraining plates for
your inflation testing. Restraining plate fixtures
are available from TM Electronics designed to
accommodate different sizes of package. |
