Get Started

Materials Testing

Before a product ever reaches the customer, product owners are responsible for both the quality of their products and the packaging materials used to contain and protect them. If, for example, the packaged product’s materials allow harmful chemical leaks or fail to endure transportation challenges during transit, product owners may be vulnerable to product recalls and even legal action. To mitigate risk and deter the dangers resulting from ill-designed or contaminated packaging materials, testing data is collected and analyzed to ensure containers are safe for transit before they make their way to the marketplace.

What Is Materials Testing?

Materials testing and analysis is critical to establishing or confirming material properties when evaluating package integrity. The information dispelled from testing can then be used for quality assurance to guarantee the appropriate packaging system is in place prior to product shipment. There are many factors that can jeopardize the integrity of packaged products, whether en route or in the hands of the customer. Packaging materials must successfully endure conditions such as extreme temperatures, temperature variations, compression, vibration, impact, shock, drop, reduced pressure, and changes in altitude. Materials testing assesses the material components’ ability to not only endure these events, but to do so while maintaining the integrity and performance of the product it houses.

How We Test The Materials Of Your Packaged Product

Adhesives

Packaging adhesives face a multitude of stressors over its lifespan and as such, are subjected to a wide range of forces. Adhesive substances used in packaged products for adherence or binding may commonly include pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes, epoxies, sealants, and thermosetting structural adhesives. Adhesive performance testing can be used to determine peel strength loads and calculate the adhesive strength per unit width of adhesive, which helps evaluate the long-term reliability and durability of adhesive products used.
  • ASTM D903 - Test Method for Peel or Stripping Strength of Adhesive Bonds
  • ASTM D1876 - Test Method for Peel Resistance of Adhesives (T-Peel Test)
  • ASTM D3330/D3330M - Test Method for Peel Adhesion of Pressure-Sensitive Tape
  • ASTM D1894 - Test Method for Static and Kinetic Coefficients of Friction of Plastic Film and Sheeting

Corrugated Materials

Corrugated materials are often subjected to compressive forces and run the risk of damage when exposed to moisture or environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. Calculating the maximum compression forces that the material can endure is critical to mitigating potential damages that may occur during the distribution cycle or at any point of exposure to hazardous conditions. The data collected during testing of corrugated materials can be used to improve packaging systems, optimize shipping costs, and create more sustainable packaging solutions.

Cushioning

Regardless of a package’s shape or size, the product contained within will always benefit from having the appropriate packaging that has been tested for common challenges, including shock and vibration during transport. While a product’s weight, density, general size, and other attributes will help determine the right kind of cushioning to use, how much and which type(s) of cushioning to use requires expert understanding of the benefits of different kinds of cushioning. Cushion testing should include evaluations for packaging characteristics like density, flexibility, dimensional stability, and anti-static treatment, and more.
  • ASTM D1596 - Test Method for Dynamic Shock Cushioning Characteristics of Packaging Material
  • ASTM D2221 - Test Method for Creep Properties of Package Cushioning Materials
  • ASTM D3332 - Test Methods for Mechanical-Shock Fragility of Products, Using Shock Machines
  • ASTM D3576 - Test Method for Cell Size of Rigid Cellular Plastics

Tensile

Tensile testing is one of the most important packaging material evaluations for almost any product packaging. By determining the force needed to stretch a certain material to its breaking point, specific material properties, like yield strength, can be determined to better inform packaging design and make predictions regarding material and product behaviors in different environments or conditions. Tensile testing may be utilized for packaging material types such as metals, alloys, composites, polymers, ceramics, plastics, wood, and more.

Why Purple Diamond?

At Purple Diamond, our expert engineers perform rigorous materials testing to better understand and improve on the properties that protect your packaged product. In our dedicated Materials Laboratory, Purple Diamond can test the strength and fragility of products, including plastics or films, corrugated materials, labels or adhesives, and paper materials. We evaluate packaging materials to thoroughly evaluate what materials you are using, where they come from, and what they can withstand to support your product.

Purple Diamond follows the testing standards and protocols set forth by organizations such as ASTM and TAPPI when testing packaging materials. Our team is committed to delivering high-quality results as we develop a comprehensive solution to your specific materials testing needs.

Request a Consult

Related Testing Standards

Contact Us

Accreditations

Achieving ISO 17025

Achieving ISO 17025 Accreditation is the pinnacle in third-party laboratory testing accreditation. It confirms that the facility has management, quality, and technical systems in place to ensure accurate and reliable analyses.

International Safe Transit Association

ISTA is revered as the certification standard for package testing for distribution. ISTA’s Testing Protocol remains a series of testing methodologies and standards well recognized within the packaging community.

Un Certification for Packaging

A select few companies are authorized by PHMSA as an approved third-party packaging testing laboratory in accordance with Hazardous Materials Regulations, critical to ensuring safe transport of dangerous goods.

Affiliations

ASTM International

ASTM INTERNATIONAL

With over 12,000 standards globally, ASTM International’s fully transparent standards development enhances performance and confidence in consumer choices.
TAPPI

TAPPI

The Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry’s peer-reviewed standards improve production through operational methods and industry recognized best practices.

 

 The APASS program was designed by Amazon to help support vendors, sellers, and manufacturers in obtaining certification of their products as Frustration Free Packaging (FFP), Ships in Own Container (SIOC), or Prep-Free Packaging (PFP).

Services

Materials Testing

Learn More

Package Testing

Learn More

Product Testing

Learn More

Stability Storage

Learn More

Container Closure Integrity Testing

Learn More
purple-diamond-icon

Navigate

Services

Social

Stay Up to Date

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

© 2023 Purple Diamond

Your Concept, Our Expertise

Enter your contact information below to get in contact today

To View Our Accreditation, Please Fill Out This Form

ANAB ISO 17025 Accreditation Certificate

ANAB Accreditation Gated Form

  • This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

To View Our Accreditation, Please Fill Out This Form

ISTA Accreditation Certificate

ISTA Accreditation Gated Form

Privacy Policy Agreement(Required)
(Required)

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

To View Our Accreditation, Please Fill Out This Form

UN/DOT Accreditation Certificate

DOT Accreditation Gated Form

Privacy Policy Agreement(Required)
(Required)

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.