If your business relies on the safe transit of your products, then packaging testing is not only important but a necessity.
Packaging testing ensures that the product provides adequate protection before full manufacturing runs. Packaging tests include compression, vibration, temperature, humidity, and drop testing. Standard tests include ISTA (International Safe Transit Association), while there are specific tests for certain retailers (e.g., Amazon).
At Suttons Performance Packaging, we can manage the testing process for any pack we design for your business. This includes extensive drop testing facilities and the use of ISTA-approved testing labs at locations throughout the UK. This approach, coupled with our design expertise and in-house manufacture, ensures your packaging provides optimum performance.
We can test your packaging in several ways through a range of carefully selected partners.
Types of testing available for your packaging includes drop testing to simulate mishandling, compression for stacking strength, and vibration to replicate transportation. We can also test your packaging for temperature and humidity conditions.
We manage the process from end to end, with our design team working closely with the selected testing lab to optimize your packs based on real-time data.
Please view the table below for further details of the specific ISTA testing we can arrange.
Testing before commercial manufacture ensures that your packaging provides adequate protection for the specific handling, transportation and environmental conditions it will likely face as it travels through your supply chain. In turn, ensuring your packaging has optimum protection prevents costly damage, customer returns and loss of reputation (and repeat business).
Testing your packaging before full production runs also eliminates the need for costly and time-consuming redesigns. It allows our designers to maximise performance while minimising material use and environmental impact.
ISTA tests assess how well packaging protects products during transport. The tests simulate conditions that packages may experience during transit, such as vibration, shock, and humidity. At Suttons Performance Packaging, we can arrange applicable ISTA tests for your packaging, managing the process from start to finish.
ISTA Test Types
Non-Simulation Tests
Challenge the integrity of the product and package combination.
Partial Simulation Tests
More thorough screening test useful for refining preliminary designs.
General Simulation Tests
Provide a simulation of the damage-producing motions, forces, conditions, and sequences of transport environments.
Enhanced Simulation Tests
Customising test plans that closely tie the tests and sequence to a user-defined pattern of distribution environment hazards.
Member Performance Tests
Created by an ISTA member or in cooperation with ISTA to establish unique requirements or to reflect their particular conditions of distribution.
Development Tests
Used in the development of transport packages by comparing the relative performance of two or more container designs.
Alongside packaging testing, at Suttons Performance Packaging we can offer a wide range of additional services to benefit your business.
If you need a designer and manufacturer that can also manage the full packaging testing process for you, we can help. Please speak with one of our packaging experts today.