"All packages are tested," says Ed Church, executive director of ISTA (International Safe Transit Association). "The question is, will the package be tested by you so you see the results, or tested by the real world where your customer will see the results?"
Church's remarks stem from a May 10 conference on package testing in Rosemont, IL, during the Contract Packaging Services Expo.
"Global commerce is about more than damage prevention," says Church. "It also involves control of packaging and shipping costs, as well as reduction of waste."
There are many levels of testing, from simple to complex, but any testing is better than none, according to Church. While field tests and basic guidelines for specifying material construction can help, laboratory testing creates a miniature universe where the tester has control and can observe, up close, variables and results, not only for basic hazards such as shock, compression, and vibration, but also atmospheric testing of temperature, moisture, and high altitude (low pressure). The latest in lab testing is vibration under vacuum, which reveals leakers some tests never uncovered.
"In most organizations," says Church, "packaging is looked at as an expense." But real lab testing can give you a bigger picture. Maybe adding more fill [at additional cost] would allow you to ship by a less expensive distribution system, achieving overall savings."
Another Church insight: Why overpackage in an attempt to achieve 100% damage-free packaging? Maybe 97% is much more affordable, and the last 3% is not worth the savings compared to product replacement.
ISTA offers 23 different test procedures. To see which work best for you, or to locate an independent testing lab, go to www.ista.org.
--By Jim Chrzan, Publisher
