ISTA (International Safe Transit Association Standards)
Sets the standard for optimizing packages that are survivable, sustainable, and successful with ISTA package testing, manufacturers improve products and packages, which be protects their reputations and their bottom lines.
Why Package testing requires:
The package in which product contains and transit internationally and national region, it should reach safely to the end user without affecting any damage due to environmental effect or to safe its structural values. During Transit package can be effected by below any of the causes
To avoid above these causes as per ISTA test standards product under package conditions need to be test.
Above test performs considering below conditions:
- Extreme Cold & uncontrolled Relative Humidity
- COLD & Humid Condition
- Controlled conditions
- Hot Humidity condition
- Hot Humidity then Extreme Heat Moderate Relative Humidity
- Elevated Temperature uncontrolled Humidity
- Extreme Heat Dry
- Sever cold uncontrolled Relative Humidity.
Above are the equipment’s which are using to simulate the environmental condition as explain above. During Transit There is also need simulation on vibration test: Vibrations can be generate randomly, & shocks also during transportation by air, road & sea. To simulate Transportation Vibration test machines are as show below:
These vibrations performs on different frequencies and displace ment. Some frequencies and test duration are respectively are as below
Frequency in Hz Test Durations in minutes
2.5 95
3.0 79
4.0 60
To avoid damages of package and product some certain test need to be insure for safe transit and can reach safely to end user.
For this Purpose ISTA has some standards and during tests we need to follow their Test conditions. We have already discussed on application of Environmental Test Chamber & Vibration test machine to fulfil the same above explained object.
Here are some more equipment’s are used
- Free fall Drop Test-During the products handling or transport process, there may be drop/ fall, which results in damage within the products. And this device simulates the drop/ fall situation of a finished product to evaluate the damage. This Drop Tester is mainly used to test angles, faces and corners of package.
DESIGN STANDARD ASTM D5276, ISTA
2-Compression Test Machine-Compression Vertical–This instrument can make compression tests of packages (boxes) or packing and determine their piling up resistance (for storage and transport). These tests are called B.C.T. (Box Compression Test)
DESIGN STANDARDS ISTA 3E, 3J & ISTA 6 (inclined impact test)
3-Clamping Force Tester– Horizontal Compression-This machine is designed to measure the deflections of product packages and protective capacity of packages for product when suffering level pressure in the process of transportation and storage to improve the quality of product package.
DESIGN STANDARDS ASTM D642\ ISTA 6- SAMS CLUB\ ISTA 3J
4-Electro Dynamic Vibration Shaker Vertical & Horizontal
So Above are the solution on ISTA requirement. We can use and deliver our product to end user safely.
Advantages of Packaging Testing
- Protect the Product
- Save Money. Each Time Your Product is Damaged During Shipping, You Lose Money
- Increase Brand Loyalty
- Reduce the Need for Trial Shipments
- Reduce Product Claim Headaches
Packaging testing often includes the products affected by the packaging. Packaging test apply globally to a wide range of industries, including electronics, food, consumer, industrial, chemicals, packers, retailers, brand owners, packaging materials manufacturers, and more.
Packaging testing can be done at many stages of the product cycle: prior to new product launch, with new packaging redesigns, when product damage is an issue in your company, or when your clients require testing. The best way to prepare is to include testing as early in the packaging design as possible.