Design and development is begun using an established plan format to bring a new product from concept to design. Our process includes review, verification and qualificationactivities appropriate for each project as needed.
Application relating to product requirements:
Verification and qualification are performed to ensure that design and development requirements are met. Verification and qualification may take the form of testing for some products.
All testing specifications can be qualified and/or validated using our in house testing facilities partnered with Package Research Laboratory which is one of the best equipped package testing and design facilities in the country, staffed by experienced and highly skilled, certified technicians. P.R.L. is an independent certified ISTA and UN/DOT-HAZMAT testing laboratory.
The thermal performance of insulated shipping containers is verified by first attaching thermocouple probes or transducers to critical elements of the product after all components are preconditioned at the required temperatures. Monitoring the refrigerant packs is important in order to determine when they dissipate or no longer provide thermal cooling. The container is then closed, sealed, and placed in an environmental test chamber and subjected to a temperature profile that duplicates the anticipated range of temperatures during shipment. It is generally recommended to test more than one container and to have containers arranged in different orientations other than just downward. The lab also recommends testing containers in the base-down and top-down orientations in order to determine the effect of orientation on the thermal performance.
The temperature profiles used during the chamber test are to reflect both summer and winter extreme conditions. For example, summer extreme conditions are normally tested by utilizing a 24-hour cycle of 40° C at the high end and 20° C at the low end. Perhaps four hours at each temperature extreme with an 8-hour ramp between the extremes provides for a good range and cycle of tests. For a winter test profile, the high temperature of 23° C and low of 0° C provides a reasonable range. Similar temperature dwells and transitions rates would occur.
Also vibration and drop impact testing can be performed. This package testing reveals whether your packaging will stand up to the harshest treatment likely during transit shipment of your package.