Read More on:
Send to KindleDrop what you're doing
Returning the focus on drop testing, landing flat will produce the greatest shock compared to landing on a corner or on an edge; however, drop testing should be done on all three orientations. Since free fall denotes a randomness regarding what part of the item hits the floor, it’s essential that the drop tester embody controls that prevent rotation of the falling item, so that the desired type of impact is achieved.
Standardized methodologies for drop testing are promulgated by various organizations, such as ISO, ISTA, and ASTM. None of them should be confused with regulatory mandates (military standards are another matter); as such, a customized test protocol is not only permissible but preferable, given that the most reliable results are achieved when the testing simulates the distribution structure and the frequency and severity of a particular hazard.
Drop testing isn’t only useful for package design but also for product design; for example, cushioning systems can be beneficial but not to be overlooked are the potential benefits from designing the product to be less fragile. It bespeaks a philosophy that product development and package development should be interconnected paths. The burgeoning electronics industry—among others—particularly should embrace that philosophy.
Drop testing is typically performed on such quantities as caseloads and large bags; however, (aside from partial post), those quantities spend the majority of their journeys through the distribution environment unitized. Is there practicality in drop testing pallet loads, and, if so, by what methodology? Conventional drop testers aren’t designed for such weights. If the drop testing of pallet loads is to be undertaken, the anticipated drop heights should be low off the floor, in simulation of safe forklift handling. And speaking of pallet loads, many are incorporating less corrugated (with its long-proven history as a cushion against damage from drops) and substituting tier separators, corner boards, and stretch-wrap (a combination that’s supposedly better from a sustainability perspective). The conversion presents challenges for drop testing; for, if the pallet load is not tested as a whole, what is there to test?
Few, if any other discipline, can match the distribution channel (and its related discipline of supply-chain management) in offering opportunities to contribute mightily to the bottom line. Those opportunities, in large measure, depend on packaging that not only protects but also facilitates the efficient and cost-effective movement of products from the point of origin to the point of final destination. A company should know through reliable drop testing that its packaging protects under reasonably foreseeable conditions; otherwise, that company is guilty of dropping the proverbial ball.
Sterling Anthony is a consultant, specializing in the strategic use of marketing, logistics, and packaging. His contact information is: 100 Renaissance Center- Box 43176; Detroit, MI 48243; 313-531-1875 office; 313-531-1972 fax; [email protected]; www.pkgconsultant.com
Comments(0)
Add new comment