Tensile properties of thin film used in Flexible packaging are tested according to ASTM D882–Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting, standard ASTM D828 Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Paper and Paperboard Using Constant-Rate-of-Elongation Apparatus and ISO 37 Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic — Determination of tensile stress-strain properties.

The most common testing machine used in tensile testing is the universal testing machine. The machine must have the proper capabilities for the test specimen being tested. There are three main parameters: force capacity, speed, and precision and accuracy. Labthink Tensile Testers are professional designed for flexible packaging materials, such as thin film, rubber, paper and paperboard, with proper force capacity, speed, travel stroke and high precision and accuracy.

Labthink XLW(PC) Tensile Tester is controlled by computer with better than 0.5% of reading accuracy to used as an universal testing machine,. It is not only used for tensile test, but also can do peel strength test, seal strength test, tear strength test according to relative international standards.

Labthink XLW Series of tensile testers includes four types of auto tensile tester, XLW, XLW(PC), XLW(M) and XLW(B). All these testers have been equipped with puncture clamp for buty1 rubber plugs. Besides puncture function, these testers can test tensile and elongation, heat seal strength, tearing resistance and peeling resistance for flexible pharmaceutical packages, such as Al-foil, laminated film and PVC sheet for pharmaceutical purposes.

Besides pharmaceutical rubber closure puncture testing, Labthink also provides other testing items such as oxygen permeation quantity testing with PERME OX2/230 Oxygen Transmission Rate Test System, moisture permeation quantity testing with PERME W3/330 Water Vapor Transmission Rate Test System and leak and seal strength testing. Labthink is willing to have more and broader cooperation with pharmaceutical companies.

Further details please feel free to contact Shirley via:

Keywords: pet food packaging, barrier property, oxygen transmission rate, OTR, water vapor transmission rate, WVTR, mechanical property, differential pressure permeability tester, water vapor permeability tester, tensile tester, leak tester, seal strength, seal performance

With the development of living standards and the change of life styles, there have been great changes in recreation, consumption and emotional commitments. Thus, pet industry is surging. As pets are getting more and more popular, the quality control requirements for pet food are much stricter than before. Besides quality safety of pet food itself, the quality control and testing for its packaging has drawn the attention of pet food manufacturers. Hereafter, Labthink will make an introduction of barrier property, seal property and seal performance of pet food packaging, based on Labthink’s differential pressure gas transmission rate tester, water vapor transmission rate tester, tensile tester and leak tester.

1.Barrier Property Testing for Pet Food Packaging

Barrier property refers to the barrier functioning of vacuum packaging materials against gases and liquids. In other words, barrier property is the transmission performance of gases or liquids through vacuum packaging materials. Thus, barrier property testing includes water vapor transmission rate testing and gas transmission rate testing which can be subdivided into tests for detailed gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, etc. Barrier property is the influential factor for shelf life product quality.

1.1 Oxygen Transmission Quantity of Pet Food Packaging

Pet food contains great amount of fat. If the packaging materials are inferior in oxygen barrier property, the product inside would have more contacts with oxygen. If so, fat of the pet food would be easily oxidized, and led to deterioration. As to pet food with aroma, the entering of air and exiting of aroma would influence the degree of satisfaction. Oxygen transmission rate should be tested according to GB/T 1038-2000, Plastics-Film and Sheeting-Determination of Gas Transmission-Differential-Pressure Method, and ISO 2556, Plastics -Determination of the Gas Transmission Rate of Films and Thin Sheets under Atmospheric Pressure -Manometric Method. Labthink VAC series of differential pressure gas transmission rate testers select best components with stable and reliable performance. The testers are superior to national and international standards. Besides gas transmission quantity measurement, this series of instruments have unique functions for determination of solubility coefficient, diffusion coefficient and permeation coefficient. Thus, fully meet the demands for barrier property analysis and optimization.

1.2Water Vapor Transmission Quantity of Pet Food Packaging

If packaging material has high water vapor transmission rate, the pet food inside would be easily damped and get lump. What’s worse is that germs would grow and endanger pets’ health. Water vapor transmission quantity should be tested according to GB/T 1037-1988, Test Method for Water Vapor Transmission of Plastic Film and Sheet –Cup Method, and ASTM E96-2000, Standard Test Methods for Water Vapor Transmission of Materials. Testing temperature is 38±0.6%, and relative humidity is 90±2%. Labthink PERME series of water vapor transmission rate testers is manufactured with highly precise weighing sensor to improve testing accuracy and shorten the determination period for permeation equilibrium effectively. Correspondingly, the whole testing process can be shortened. Meanwhile, temperature and humidity control technology has been combined with weighing technology, and with the help of computer control technology, automatic measurement can be realized with precise testing results and no external interference. Thus, the water vapor transmission rate testing for aluminum foil or other high barrier materials can be completely satisfied. There are several instrumental options, including single-cell, three-cell, six-cell or twelve-cell water vapor transmission rate testers.

2. Mechanical Property of Pet Food Packaging

The mechanical properties are the fundamental indexes for pet food product during production, transportation, shelf life and usage, etc., which include tensile strength, elongation, heat seal strength and tearing strength, etc.

2.1 Tensile Strength

Tensile strength is termed as the biggest strength value of pet food packaging material before breakage. Through testing, breakage resulting from packaging materials with insufficient tensile strength can be effectively observed. Labthink XLW series of auto tensile testers are specially designed for packaging industry. Main functions, including testing item selection, parameter selection and sampling process after testing are all in compliance with relevant standards. Operators only need to select testing items to complete corresponding tests. Reports with standard testing results can be produced without conversion. One tester can accomplish seven kinds of tests, including tests of tensile strength, elongation, peeling strength, heat seal strength and tearing, etc. With the help of menu interface, corresponding tests can be selected easily. Thus, this series of tensile testers are the most professional of the industry.

2.2 Heat seal strength

Heat seal strength is the analytical index for heat seal performance of the sealed place. Inferior heat seal strength would break to failure at the sealed place and result in leakage and contamination. Labhtink PARAM HST series of heat seal testers are precisely monitored by mini-computers, and are designed with human friendly interface. All the core components are world famous. With the help of the above mentioned tensile testers, precise heat seal measurement of pet food packaging can be accomplished. Several types are for selection.

2.3 Tearing Resistance Property

During storage and transportation, pet food packaging may be torn to breakage by external forces. Sufficient tearing resistance strength can reduce expansion of tearing, so as to avoid breakage. Besides, tearing strength is an important index to evaluate open easiness of pet food packaging for customers. Labthink PARAM SLY-S1 Tearing Tester applies computer control and display, as well as computer horizontal adjusting technologies, so as to guarantee accurate and reliable testing results. The innovative Three Circle technology can help users better analyze and evaluate. It’s of the highest automatic standard and precision globally.

3. Leak Testing of Pet Food Packaging

Leak and Seal performance of pet food package refers to the sealing reliability of such packaging. Through testing, the sealing performance of the whole package can be confirmed. There are several methods for seal performance testing, and the most common practice is by leak tester. For example, Labthink PARAM MFY-01 Leak Tester applies vacuum method to ,according to national standards, keep 0.5 min. at -30kpa, -50kpa, -70kpa and -90kpa respectively. As to vacuum package, it’s necessary to observe the recovery of sample after testing.

This method is a qualitative eye observation. As to quantitative leak and seal testing, positive method instrument can be applied, such as Labthink PARAM LSSD-01 Leak and Seal Strength Tester.

When the abovementioned properties are qualified, there are other necessary indexes to guarantee product quality within shelf life period. For more information, please visit: www.labthink.cn, or contact Shirley Wu via:

TEL: 0086-531-85061080

FAX: 0086-531-85062108

EMAIL: trade2@labthink.cn

SKYPE: shirley-labthink

MSN: shirleywu_labthink@hotmail.com

Elongation rate is for analysis of incision easiness of films. Cigarette packaging industry is different from other industries. Higher elongation rate is not better. Max. limitations of 200% vertically and 80% crosswise can guarantee easy incision and assembling smoothness. Other industries require those two indexes. But cigarette package requires more detailed requirements on incision easiness during high speed production. Therefore, Elastic Modulus testing is also put forward. Labthink PARAM XLW(PC) Auto Tensile Tester is the professional tester for film and its tensile strength with Elastic Modulus testing. Low Elastic Modulus would lead to worse stiffness, unsuccessful production procedure and inferior incision easiness as well as package breakage and film obstruction.

Commonly, Elastic Modulus is required to be above 2000N/mm2 for cigarette film. However, when testing Elastic Modulus, testing conditions and temperature must be emphasized. Otherwise, the results will fluctuate greatly. Therefore, testing condition must be stated.

Further details please feel free to contact Shirley via trade2@labthink.cn or (tel)0086-531-85061080.

More about Labthink:

Labthink, focusing on laboratory testing instrument R&D, production and laboratory IT services as the core business, is dedicated to provide perfect and professional product quality control solutions for customers in packaging, food, pharmaceutical, medical, daily chemistry, printing, adhesive, automotive, petrochemistry, bioscience, construction, new energy and other industries.

Labthink is an international enterprise headquartered in Jinan, China with administrative, sales and service institutions in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Brussels as well as other over 40 countries and regions.

Labthink, as a knowledge-base enterprise, advocates scientific research and combines production with IT services. Labthink is devoted to share the most excellent testing technologies and the most advanced IT achievements with customers worldwide. Labthink instruments are now operating in more than 5000 laboratories of authoritative institutions and renowned enterprises. Labthink IT service, with the innovative online cloud computing information management mode, promotes the informationization trend of Laboratories!

Labthink, as a customer-focused enterprise, has a perfect service system. Labthink Global Customer Service Center can provide customers with professional, prompt and sustained pre-sale, point-of-sale and after-sale services in Chinese, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic and other languages. Labthink Global Customization Center provides tailor-made professional solutions for customers.

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