Explanation to why film-based wrapping is more preferred than corrguated carton material

Film-based wrapping will help to shield the cargoes from moist, water, dirt, damages and toppling during transportation or storage. This will ensure that the cargoes will be safely transported. One example of film-based wrapping is pallet wrap. The pallet wrap film is being wrapped on the cargoes for a few layers. This is done so as to palletize the multiple small packages together in order to have more retention for the load and better resistance in puncture. Since the pallet wrap film is transparent, therefore the labels of the cargoes can be read clearly.

Corrugated carton material is not as preferred as film-based wrapping because of some reasons. Firstly, the cartons may be destroyed when opening it due to difficulty in opening it as it may be enclosed using staples and tapes. This means that the cartons cannot be reused again which is wastage of resources. The cartons of cargoes in film-based wrapping can be easily retrieved by removing the films. Secondly, corrugated carton is unable to contain materials that are having leakage. It will be dangerous if the leakage contains hazardous chemicals. But for film-based wrapping, it will be able to prevent some leakages since the film is waterproof.

Reference:
http://www.maskingfilmshop.com/pallet-wrap-400mm-x-300mts-6-rolls-8-p.asp
http://www.fast-pack.com/stretch-wrap.html
http://www.allround.com.au/pallet_wrap.php
http://www.tapeshoot.com/dispensers.htm

Facilitator’s Question

Under what circumstances film-based wrapping (as shown in your Blog) becomes a preferred choice of logistical packaging instead of corrugated carton material? Explain.

Why must we conduct packaging testing?

Reliability Means Not Just Your Product - it Also Means the Package!

Packaging tests are necessary to be conducted for cargoes that are required to be shipped. Packaging tests are done to lessen the amount of damaged cargoes. They are also done so as to know how well the package can perform.

Other reasons to conduct packaging testing :

• Protect the product (Major reason)


• Save costs (Avoid damaging the product during transportation save money)


• Increase brand loyalty (Customers will lose confidence in the company and brand if a product arrived poor condition)
  
• Get to market faster (Testing reduces the need for trial shipments and allows the new products to market quicker)


• Reduce claim headaches (Establish your package’s adequacy to prevent and defend against claim negotiations)
  

Packaging testing has to be conducted as early in the packaging design stage as possible.

Reference :

http://www.intertek-etlsemko.com/portal/page/cust_portal/ITK_PGR/OUR_SERVICES_PG/PERFORMANCE_BENCHMARK_TESTING_PG/Packaging%20Testing

Different Categories of Packaging Tests

Cargoes that do not have hazard falls under ' General Packaging '.
Some examples of cargoes that use general packaging includes toys, electronics and consumer products. The packaging tests that are required to be performed for general packaging are as follows:

- Humidity, pressure and temperature
- Pre-Conditioning
- Compression test
- Shock test
- Impact test
- Drop test
- Vibration

Cargoes that needs to be sterilize entirely during transportation, handling and storage falls under ' Medical Packaging '.

One example of cargoes that uses medical packaging will include medical instruments. The packaging tests that are required to be performed for medical packaging are as follows:

- Humidity, pressure, temperature

- Pre-Conditioning
- Shock test
- Vaccum test
- Peel, burst, bubble test
- Colour penetration test

Reference:
http://www.tuvps.co.uk/packaging-tests.asp
http://www.halthass.co.nz/reliability/services/pack-test.htm

Basic Facts of Packaging Testing

Packaging protects your product from structural or environmental damage .Whether it is ships in a cardboard box, a crate or a custom-designed case – either domestically or internationally --we need to ensure the packaging meets requirements to avoid damage during transit.

During the process of transporting, storing and even handling, a package is exposed to a variety of stresses during its lifetime. It is vital that the used packaging materials manage these stresses during the whole lifecycle.

Hence, a wide variety of packaging related tests is indeed necessary to ensure that the package is well created and produced. These tests could be performed on paper, paperboard, corrugated board and plastic materials and many other various types of textile. These tests simulate the real stresses to which the materials and packages are exposed in the packaging lifecycle.

At the same time, it ensures the security of the construction and the durability of the materials chosen. Once the packages are tested, it is determined that the packages are ready to face all kinds of possible situations or scenarios happened during the use of it.

Examples of packaging tests and their functions available in the logistical industry are:
· Compression testing – Assess the warehousing stacking and load
· Shock testing – Assess handling, drop and impact
· Vibration testing – Assess transportation vibration
· Sealing test– Assess the optimization of the parameters
· Dropping – Assess the ability to withstand the impact from the drop
· Puncture testing – Assess the durability of the package
· Interlayer adhesion tests –Assess the adhesion between different materials
· Atmosphere testing- Assess the environmental effects (temperature, humidity pressure)

The following videos show how some of the common package testing are conducted.
Enjoy the video!

*Reference to http://www.intertek-etlsemko.com/portal/page/cust_portal/ITK_PGR/OUR_SERVICES_PG/PERFORMANCE_BENCHMARK_TESTING_PG/Packaging%20Testing

Communication Role of Logistical Packaging - RFID Tracking and Packages

An 2005 news article extracted from Information Week , the article was stating that DHL Plans RFID Tags For Every Package It Ships. The goal that DHL had in mind was to gain tighter control of shipments, cut costs, and improve operating performance by reducing paperwork and data collection. One of the reason behind the plan to tag every package it handles is because the transportation and logistics arm of Deutsche Post World Net ships more than a billion packages a year.

Since 1998 onwards, DHL had been testing RFID in 1998 and has since conducted 20 trials with passive and active technology. UPS Inc., by comparison, says it has conducted three big tests, such as using RFID to replace bar codes on packages.

Taken this article as a learning case study, this shows that RFID tracking system is currently an crucial and neccessary idea inputed in the logistical industry. And it will also be a quick emerging trends for most of the logistical packages, especially for products that needed well-protected packages and yet reliable tracking and tracing services to survive in the business for long-term. One of the examples will be the pallet pooling business where tracking is needed very much in the company for collecting back of their pallets.

Reference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d_LkbJeWao

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=164302179

The purposes of packaging and package labels

Packaging and package labelling have several objectives such as Physical Protection, Barrier Protection, Information transmission, Marketing and Convenience

Physical Protection - The objects enclosed in the package may require protection from, among other things, Shock, vibration, compression, temperature, etc.

Barrier Protection - A barrier from oxygen, water vapor, dust, etc., is often required. Some packages contain desiccants or Oxygen absorbers to help extend shelf life.

Information transmission - Packages and labels communicate how to use, transport, recycle, or dispose of the package or product. With pharmaceutical, food, medical, and chemical products, some types of information are requried by governments.

Marketing - The packaging and labels can be used by marketers to encourage potential buyers to purchase the product. Package design has been an important and constantly evolving phenomenon for dozens of years. Marketing Communication and graphic design are applied to the surface of the package and (in many cases) the point of sale display

Convenience - Packages can have features which add convenience in distribution, handling, display, sale, opening, reclosing, use, and reuse.


Reference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packaging_and_labelling#Packaging_types