Consumable Testing Solutions
FROMM Packaging is committed to helping our customers reduce the rate of returns due to transit damage, by optimising their operations. One of the steps in this process is to test whether or not, the plastic film or strapping you are using to wrap the pallets is fit for purpose.
If the plastic wrap or strapping is too flimsy, it might not matter how many times you wrap your pallets or use the strapping, it simply is not up to the job. Plastic wrap can be punctured or torn during transit and strapping can be moved out of alignment or even broken if placed under extreme stress. Any of these problems can damage the products packaged on the pallet, leading to an increased return rate and the loss of potential profits to the manufacturer or reseller.
What is consumable Testing?
FROMM Consumable testing examines whether the plastic strap or stretch film technical specifications provided by the manufacturer are true and accurate. High quality strapping and plastic wrap are vital to minimising the risks of inferior load containment, so if the strapping or plastic wrap isn’t of the expected quality, our customers need to be aware of this issue, so it can be rectified quickly.
How is consumable testing performed?
When our technicians undertake consumables testing they test a number of different characteristics of the wrap and the strapping. For the strapping these tests include seal joint efficiency, split testing, elongation, and breaking strain, comparing these to the manufacturer’s specifications. For the plastic wrap, these tests include the stretch ratio and elongation of the wrap, as well as puncture testing, comparing these with the manufacturer’s claims.
What testing standards does FROMM follow?
Our technicians use the ISO 1421 standards when testing the strapping material, so whenever a supplier quotes foreign US or EU standards, we make sure that all our tests are compared with Australian equivalents. We also go one step further and compare the strapping material against our library of comparable products to ensure that the given specifications can be considered as ‘industry norms’.
For the plastic wrap and pallet containment standards, we use the ASTM D4649, which is the Standard Guide for Selection and Use of Stretch Wrap Films. We also consider other individual-based country standards, as well as relevant EU Guidelines for Safe Transit.
The video below demonstrates how our technicians test the plastic straps.
