Packaging With Assurance: Testing The Integrity Of Packaging Materials

By Dr. Claire Freeman and Chris Freeman, Brookfield Engineering

The growth in packaging across many consumer markets has created the need for testing the integrity of packaging materials. Resistance to crushing and burst strength are examples of parameters that are important to the pharmaceutical industry. Texture Analyzers with special purpose test fixtures are becoming popular tools for packaging specialists who design solutions for these types of requirements.

The Brookfield CT3 Texture Analyzer is a user-friendly instrument that performs compression or tension testing and provides accurate reproducible results within minutes. Package engineers can use it to design tests; QC personnel easily adapt it for use on the production line. This article will summarize two of the potential methods: burst strength and crush resistance.

The mechanical strength of containers can be quantified by performing a crush test. This is a compression test, whereby the sample is placed between the compression platen and base plate. The downward movement of the platen at a defined speed slowly collapses the container (Figure 2).

As the compression platen exerts increasing force on the container, the container is compressed and deformed. The physical properties of interest in this test are sample hardness (strength), work done, recoverable deformation, and recoverable work done.