Why Is Package Testing Needed?
When the mailman comes to your door to deliver the package that you have been waiting for, you probably do not think very much about the packaging. Well, you probably think that the packaging is a little bit annoying because sometimes it can be difficult to get through the packaging to get to the item inside. However, sometimes that is by design. Almost everything that is shipped first has to go through a package test in order to determine if the packaging is sufficient. In some cases there is even a DOT test that is mandated depending upon what is being shipped and how it is being shipped.
You will probably be surprised at the amount of testing that takes place before a specific type of packaging is determined to be ok to use. Some of the testing takes place in laboratories and some of the testing can take place in the field. It all depends upon what is being shipped.
The process of testing is very detailed and involves a great deal of documentation. Each time a test is completed, it must be documented. This is done so that the cumulative results can be tabulated. In most cases, a "fail" is ok if there is one or two, however there is usually a limit on what percentage of the testing has to pass. If this percentage is not met by the testing, the package has to go back to the team that is responsible for design so they can make the appropriate changes.
There are many different things that get tested in relation to a package. Some of the tests are designed just to monitor how the package holds up under normal wear and tear conditions. Other times, there will be tests set up to ensure that the product that is inside the package is appropriately protected. In this type of testing, the object inside the package will be put through many tests that replicate the conditions it is likely to go through while it is being delivered. This should include heavier packages being thrown on top of it, vibration testing to ensure the trip in a plan, truck or train would not harm the contents or testing to make sure that the product will be ok if it sits in a truck for too long in adverse weather conditions.
There are also tests that the packaging has to pass that relate to regulations or rules. Sometimes the regulations are put into place by the government or the licensing agency and other times the criteria are set by the businesses. Other types of tests may be conducted simply as a test. The business may want to compare two types of packaging to see if a less expensive type of package still protects the contents well enough. They may even try to see if they can reduce the amount of packaging that is included while still protecting the contents. The next time you hear the mailman drop something off at your door, think about how much effort went into the packaging.
About the Author
Stewart Wrighter has been researching Package Test options in order to write an article on the subject for a major news magazine. For more information about package tests go to http://www.ghtesting.com/ .
Tell others about
this page:
Comments? Questions? Email Here