Temporary corrosion protection

The stresses occurring during transport, handling and storage are much greater than those occurring at the place of use. Such stresses may be manifested, for example, as extreme variations in temperature, which result in a risk of condensation. Especially in maritime transport, the elevated salt content of the water and air in so-called seasalt aerosols may cause damage, as salts have a strongly corrosion-promoting action. The following are the main temporary corrosion protection methods:

1. Protective coating method
2. Desiccant method
3. VCI method

Permanent corrosion protection

The purpose of permanent corrosion protection methods is mainly to provide protection at the place of use. The stresses presented by climatic, biotic and chemical factors are relatively slight in this situation. Machines are located, for example, in factory sheds and are thus protected from extreme variations in temperature, which are frequently the cause of condensation.

Examples of passive corrosion protection methods are:

- Tin plating
- Galvanization
- Coating
- Enameling
- Copper plating

Passive corrosion protection

In passive corrosion protection, damage is prevented by mechanically isolating the package contents from the aggressive corrosive agents, for example by using protective layers, films or other coatings. However, this type of corrosion protection changes neither the general ability of the package contents to corrode, nor the aggressiveness of the corrosive agent. This is why this approach is known as passive corrosion protection. If the protective layer, film etc. is destroyed at any point, corrosion may occur within a very short time.

Active corrosion protection

The aim of active corrosion protection is to influence the reactions which proceed during corrosion. It is possible to control not only the package contents and the corrosive agent, but also the reaction itself in such a manner that corrosion is avoided. Examples of such an approach are the development of corrosion-resistant alloys and the addition of inhibitors to the aggressive medium.

Classification of corrosion protection methods

Below are some methods of corrsion protection:

1. Active corrosion protection
2. Passive corrosion protection
3. Permanent corrosion protection
4. Temporary corrosion protection

Odd-size packaging

On deck transportation of odd sized products covered by a Caretex lining. It is for preserving the quality of product. Caretex tailor made protective lining has no limitations. It is made with the highest concern to easy handling and effective protection.

Packaging Testing

Due to the constant handling, moving, and storing of products, it is of vital importance that the package be properly constructed. Normally, packages are tested against all the possible situations that can be expected in the real world.

Here are some examples of some of the packaging testing:

1) DROP TESTING

Package Drop Testing is performed in accordance with ASTM, ISTA or USDA standards..

2) COMPRESSION TESTING

Package compression testing is performed in accordance with ASTM D642 or ISTA standards. Testing at least 10 samples is recommended.

3) SHOCK TESTING

Product shock fragility testing is performed in accordance with the ASTM D3332 standard.

4) VIBRATION TESTING

Package sinusoidal vibration testing is performed in accordance with the ASTM D999 standard. Product sinusoidal vibration testing is performed in accordance with the ASTM D3580 standard. Package random vibration testing is performed in accordance with the ASTM D4728 or ISTA standard.

5) FRICTION TESTING

Packaging materials; are tested to determine the coefficient of static friction. Testing at least 10 samples is recommended.

6) TENSILE TESTING

Packaging materials are tested to determine various tensile properties. Testing at least. 10 samples is recommended.

7) CONDITIONING

Packaging materials and systems can he subjected to a variety of temperature and humidity requirements in accordance with the ASTM D4332 standard

8) CUSHION TESTING

Testing of package cushioning materials is performed according to the ASTM D1596, D4168 and other applicable standards. The tests are performed to determine transmitted shock, vibration transmissibility and creep properties of these materials. A quotation will be provided based on the cushioning material, test method and samples tested.

9) TESTING OF INSULATED SHIPPING CONTAINERS

Testing of insulated shipping containers in accordance with ASTM D3103 Standard Test Method for Thermal Insulation Quality of Packages.

Types of packaging

The main types of packaging include:

· Loose or unpacked - a common option for large items such as heavy vehicles. Making sure they're stored securely is more important than adding a layer of protective packaging.

· Boxes or crates - one of the most common options. They are often stacked on pallets and shrink-wrapped for stability. Less durability is required if goods are also containerised.

· Drums, usually made of metal or plastic - commonly used for transporting liquids and powders or goods that need to be kept dry.

· Wrapping - often used with goods stacked on pallets, wrapping both adds to stability and protects goods.

· Pallets - allow smaller packing units such as boxes and cartons to be grouped together. They allow easy mechanical transporting (eg forklift trucks), which eases the process of loading, unloading and warehousing.

These options are not mutually exclusive, so may be use more than one.

Concepts

Packaging has a significant impact on the efficiency of logistical systems. It implies that there is a potential of efficiency improvements in the supply chain through the integration and development of the systems of Packaging and Logistics. It also indicate the need for a better understanding of packaging logistics, new packaging concepts and solutions that facilitate a more efficient handling through the whole distribution chain and particularly in its end, where handling operations dominate.
In order to develop such concepts, there is a need to implement proper tools methods and techniques early in the product development secure the consideration of packaging and logistical aspects in the whole supply chain.

Features and Benefits of Plastic Pallets:

• Reusable - High-density, polyethylene construction resist damage, extends service life.


• Lightweight - As low as 25 lbs to permit cost-efficient handling, shipping, carrying.


• Space-saving - Most plastic pallets nest to 65% and are double/triple stackable when loaded.


• Lower cost - Longer in service life which offers sizable savings over other reusable unit load-handling devices.


• Cleanable - Readily steam cleaned or water washed; can be sterilized for sanitary handling.


• Inert - To most solvents, harsh chemicals, mildew, mold, insects, other pest.


• Weather-tough – It withstands heat and cold, rain or snow in transit or outdoor storage for limited periods.


• USDA-and FDA-approved - Most plastic pallets meet requirements for handling food, beverage, meat products.

Plastic Pallets

Plastic pallets has nestable feature which provides great space savings, both in the warehouse and in shipping. The strong design resists damage providing reusability and a longer in-service life. These features, coupled with a competitive price, offer sizable savings over other reusable unit load handling devices.

It reduces load damage as there are no splinters, nails, metal fasteners or foreign materials. They are non-rusting, resist staining and do not absorb moisture. The surface can be steamed cleaned and sterilized, furthermore, the upper surfaces are fully drainable. Custom sizes and designs may be available.

It is lightweight for ease of physical handling, reducing freight cost and are more cost-efficient for shipping. It is compatible with modern material handling devices such as hand trucks, fork trucks, conveyors and select palletizers.

Returnable Packaging

Plastic containers are increasingly taking over from cardboard cartons in the distribution and manufacturing sector. The increasing costs of waste disposal are making payback periods shorter. It is better to avoid packaging waste in the first place than to be dispose later. Manufacturing plants which have suffered for years from having a variety of component cartons cluttering the shop floor now find themselves cleaner, tidier, safer environments. The result tends now is to have better ordered production area, improved inventory control, better product flow and more efficient running. Dust is reduced as cardboard disappears from the workplace, and damage to items also reduces. Containers can also be colour-coded to identify location or contents. The D.P.C. (Distribution Picking Container) is the latest advance in container design and performs both distribution and order picking functions. Companies changing to returnable plastic containers feel that the containers give them a more professional profile and they report improvements in customer satisfaction.

Advantages:
-After initial ‘pay back’ - less expensive than one trip packaging
-Longevity
-Constant tare
-Purchase as required
-Secure stacking in storage & transit
-Nests / folds for storage & to save on return transport costs
-Protection of contents
-Operator comfort & safety
-Can be manufactured in corporate colour and ‘branded’ with owners logo & details
-Traceability
-Weatherproof
-Retention of preserving agents
-Non-absorption of contaminants
-Hygienic & easy to clean by machine or pressure hose
-Recyclable

Disadvantages:
-Initially expensive
-weight
-Cost if not returned

Blanket Wrapping

Blanket wrap is to fully protect the product during the entire moving process. Do not remove the pads until the product is to be put in place. Secure the pads over the top and down all the 4 sides and even under the bottom of the product. This way it is fully protected no matter how it is carried or which way you set it down.

Sensitive electronic equipment blanket wrapped and secured with load bars and straps

Advantage:

• Increased loading capacity

• Maximum utilization of cube

• Elimination of packaging costs

• Reduced installation labor cost

Each trailer can be equiped with:

• Blanket pads

• Metal beams

• Sheets of plywood

• Straps

Trends in packaging

The packaging market is very dynamic and it is expected to grow significantly worldwide in the coming years. Now the emerging trends are Film-based packaging, Blanket Wrapping, Returnable Containers, Intermediate Bulk Containers, Pallet Pools, Plastic Pallets and Refrigerated Pallets.
The main trends of purposes are detailed below:

Convenience
– Increased demand for ready meals / easy cooking
– Single-house-holds, which leads to rapid demand for smaller, single portions
– Growth in consumption of snacks, which implies more packaging consumption

Maintaining Freshness
– Longer storage at home; longer shelf life in shop (less frequent shopping)
– Distribution logistic times are long, hence a longer packaged life is required
– Flexibility in supply chain

Cost Reduction
– Thinner films while keeping the same mechanical properties
– Higher extrusion rate. Hence, higher barrier and higher strength materials are needed
– An irregular thickness leads to the use of thicker layers than really needed. Having a material with a more regular thickness results in an average thickness close to the one you want, which leads to less material use

Transparency: see the packaged product for different reasons
– Design
– Blister
– Safety for instance in medical
– Selling argument: seeing the food with an attractive packaging has been shown to be critical in the customer choice of a specific product

More Complex Film Structures
Industrials need easier materials to process, allowing films of 7 to 9 layers

Function: Communication

This function in the logistical packaging is to allow information to be conveyed to the consumers. There basically three kinds of information needed to be conveyed. One is the content identification, the other is the tracking information and the last one is definitely the handling instruction of the product or pallet load.

Here are some examples of how information is being conveyed to the customers:

Symbols and labels
Many types of symbols for package labelling are nationally and internationally standardized. For consumer packaging, symbols exist for product certifications, trademarks, proof of purchase, etc. Some requirements and symbols exist to communicate aspects of consumer use and safety and also handling instructions. Recycling directions, Resin identification code (below), and package environmental claims have special codes and symbols. Shipments of hazardous material or dangerous goods have special information and symbols as required by UN, country, and specific carrier requirements.

Barcodes and Universal Product Codes
Barcodes and Universal Product Codes is use for identify the content of the pallet loads and also use for stock tracking.

RFID
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic transmission method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders.
An RFID tag is an object that can be applied to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification using radiowaves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader. This device is used for tracking and content identifying purposes.

Function: Convenience

Convenience this term in logistical Packaging simply means how the packaging enables the product to be used easily by the customers.

One good example of convenient packaging for customers is using the food industry. Consumer desire for convenience continues to drive food packaging innovation. From wine in single-serve “juice boxes” to microwavable franks, processors are coming up with impressive new ways to deliver convenience at home or on the run.

For products used at home, such as frozen foods or dried goods, packaging is more often designed to make the product easier to prepare, serve and/or store.

“The demand for convenience is affecting packaging in two ways,” One is smaller packaging formats that target the on-the-go consumer. The other is packaging that addresses portion control, either through a smaller package or a resealable package that lets consumers take what they want and reclose the package so the product doesn’t become stale.”

Some Example of convenient packaging
Recloseable zippers, long familiar on packaging for lunch meat and shredded cheese, are starting to appear more regularly on other products and larger package sizes. In all cases, the convenience of storing left-over product in the package is a driver.

Function: Protection

This is often regarded as the primary functions of the packaging: to protect its contents from outside environmental effects, be they water, moisture vapor, gases, odors, microorganisms, dust, shocks, vibrations, compressive forces, etc., and to protect the environment from the product. This is especially important for those products such as toxic chemicals which may seriously damage the environment.In the case of the majority of food products, the protection afforded by the package is an essential part of the reservation process. For example, aseptically packaged milk and fruit juices in cartons only remain aseptic for as long as the package provides protection; vacuum-packaged meat will not achieve its desired shelf life if package permits oxygen to enter. In general, once the integrity of the package is breached, the product is not longer preserved.
Packaging also protects or conserves much of the energy expended during the production and processing of the product. For example, to produce, transport, sell and store 1kg of bread requires 1.4 MJ of energy. This means that each unit of energy in the packaging protects eleven units of energy in the product. While eliminating the packaging might save 1.4 MJ of energy, it would also lead to spoilage of the bred and a consequent loss of 15.8 MJ of energy.

Function: Containment

This function of packaging is often being overlooked by many, but it is the basic function of packaging. With the exception of large, discrete products, all other products must be contained before they can be moved from one place to another. The “packaging”, whether it is a milk bottle or a bulk cement rail wagon, must contain the product to function successfully. Without containment, pollution will widespread.
The containment function of packaging makes a huge contribution to protecting the environment from numerous of products which are moved from one place to another on several occasions each day in any modern society. Faulty packaging (or underpackaging) would result in major pollution of the environment.

Packaging Functions

The various functions of packaging are divided into primary, secondary and tertiary functions. In primary functions it is primarily concern with the technical nature of the packaging; like protective, storage, loading and transport functions. Secondary functions relate to communications; sales, promotional, service and guarantee functions. Tertiary functions are additional funtion which relates to the extent of packaging materials or packaging containers that may be reused once the package contents have been used. The most significant example is the recycling of paper, paperboard and cardboard packaging as waste paper.

Here we will be focusing on the primary and secondary functions of packaging.

The Need for Packaging Logistic

Packaging logistics covers the design of a product such as; its package and packing, as well as the adaptation and control of the distribution system and the administrative and information systems associated with the processes throughout the whole chain from raw product, via various processing stages, to the distribution to the end user, and on to recycling and recovery. As both packaging and logistics form important parts of packaging logistics offering safe delivery to customers and users at a low cost. Packaging logistics can also contribute to modern product development and design, by ensuring that products are designed such that they can be distributed with a minimum use of resources from production to consumption. The cost of logistics is estimated to constitute up to about 1/3 of the total cost of the product. According to various indications, the packaging can in turn affect up to 2/3 of the logistics cost. The connection between packaging and logistics also creates opportunities to develop leading-edge competence which can benefit industry.

Introduction

Hello, this is Felicia, Zhi Hao and Yvonne. Here we will be focusing in the area of logistical packaging. We will be showing the functions, latest types, practices, concepts and trends of packaging.