From Vibration Testing to Sustainability: Highlights From the International Transport Packaging Forum
Karen Greene
Last month, I was happy to represent DDL at ISTA’s first annual International Transport Packaging Forum. While I was presenting” Laboratory Practices for Optimal Thermal Gel Design and Specification” DDL’s own Mike Woletz, Packaging Engineer and Project Manager, was attending multiple presentations, networking, and since the event was held at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, most likely having a little bit of fun.
It is my pleasure to introduce below a guest post from Mike Woletz sharing his thoughts on the first annual International Transport Packaging Forum:
The name may have changed, but the tradition continues. Last month ISTA presented the first annual International Transport Packaging Forum in Orlando, Florida. Previously known as Dimensions, the International Transport Packaging Forum attracted packaging professionals from around the globe, and a good number of students and instructors from well-known packaging schools.
Topics discussed during 2008 ISTA International Transport Packaging Forum were current and diverse, from global standards for medical packaging to the aircraft transport environment and I would like to thank all of the presenters for their informative presentations.
Though varied, many of the presentation topics related, either directly or indirectly, to services DDL provides. I would like to highlight some of the common themes and give my impressions of a few of the concepts that directly affect DDL and our customers.
Reviewing the validity of various vibration spectrums became a reoccurring theme. Presentations by UPS Customer Service, Lansmont Corporation, ISTA, The Hershey Company, and San Jose State University delved into the complexities of creating and implementing vibration testing representative of actual vibration seen during transport.
A variety of viewpoints on the subject were offered, some nearly opposing. Bill Kipp of ISTA gave the attendees new vibration testing variables to consider, such as ‘shock on vibe’ testing and running the high and low amplitude spectra separately.
Eric Joneson of Lansmont Corporation, through his recent and original research, purposed that current air vibration testing is not representative of the actual stresses seen during air transport; the current air vibration standards are too severe.
Herb Schueneman of San Jose State University provided data supporting the conclusion that the specific vibration spectrum is of no consequence, only the intensity and whether or not the test specimen is coupled to the source of vibration (vibration table). Mr. Schueneman believes that accelerated vibration testing cannot accurately simulate the transport environment and that all vibration testing should be conducted in real-time, i.e. if a package sees 10 hours of transportation, the package should be exposed to 10 hours of lab vibration testing.
Several of the ideas presented, to me, seem quite speculative and would require further research prior to consideration in vibration test standard revisions. I thought Eric Joneson’s air vibration study was quite sound. I believe, after completion of additional data gathering, we could, and should, see a change in the ASTM D4728 air spectrum vibration test within a few years.
Sustainability was, again this year, a popular topic at the forum. Sealed Air, Sam’s Club, and IBM presented on topics of environmental impact and sustainability.
Bill Armstrong of Sealed Air explained the history of the sustainability movement and how it has, and will, affect distribution packaging.
Bob Sander from IBM introduced a carbon footprint model inclusive of IBM’s entire distribution process and their effort to reduce emissions beyond the current regulations. A notable presentation detailing the Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club ‘Packaging Scorecard’ was given by Robert Parvis of Sam’s Club.
The ‘Packaging Scorecard’ is a tool that has been implemented by Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club buyers to evaluate the sustainability of their suppliers’ packaging and to help reach their goal of reducing packaging across the global supply chain 5% by 2013. This initiative will reward sustainable packaging and process innovation.
The scorecard metrics will consist of eight weighted criteria: GHG/CO2 per ton of production, material value, product/package ratio, cube utilization, transportation, recycled content, recovery value, and renewable energy. Obviously the scorecard covers a broad range of processes that affect sustainability, and, due to Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club’s size, will affect the way many organizations consider their packaging and distribution methods.
Some organizations need to be pushed toward environmental considerations, some will do the pulling; regardless, sustainability will prove more than a fad. I see Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club’s initiative to be the beginning of a compounding trend that will effectively see organizations taking the lead in sustainability issues, outpacing government controls and regulations.
While the packaging industry is often criticized by environmentalists, as Dr. Diana Twede of the MSU School of Packaging explained to forum attendees during her history of transportation packaging presentation, packaging is a necessary function relevant in our history and important to our future.
It should be noted that many organizations are taking charge of their packaging functions in efforts to mitigate their impact on the environment, while at the same time seeing a cost benefit. It has become evident, increasingly so, that environmental conscious, sustainable packaging processes and a healthy bottom line are not mutually exclusive.
This concept is working its way into the packaging industry psyche, so as, increasingly, the packaging engineer will not just ask “will this package perform as we need it to,” but “will this package perform as we need it to and meet our sustainability goals.”
DDL’s own Karen Greene and Anthony Alleva of TCP Reliable, Inc., came together to share the findings of their thermal gel pack design and specification study. The study evaluated performance differences relative to design and configuration of refrigerants in both insulated and un-insulated shippers. Their collaborative effort showcased the respective expertise of both DDL and TCP Reliable, as well as our combined presence in the industry.
I would like to express my thanks to ISTA for putting together a top-notch event and the staff at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort for catering to the needs of the large number of attendees.
Next year the ISTA International Transport Packaging Forum will be located in Las Vegas! No doubt it will be as informative and enjoyable as this year’s forum. I hope to see you there.
