Educational laboratories have an important role to play in getting students ready for the world of packaging technology, plastics engineering, polymer science, material engineering, food technology, chemical engineering, and quality control. The presence of suitable equipment in laboratories helps students gain hands-on experience about how to test real packaging and plastics.
Setting up a laboratory demands the selection of appropriate packaging testing machines and plastic testing equipment depending on the type of materials and products that students test.
There are various aspects related to testing of packaging and plastic products that can be handled effectively using the equipment at the laboratory.
Developing a packaging or plastics laboratory at your facility? Talk to Testron Group regarding your testing needs and equipment options.
What Equipment is Required for a Packaging & Plastics Laboratory?
The full list of packaging and plastics testing equipment may consist of testing machines, laboratory equipment, sample preparation tools, and analysis tools.
Testing Requirement | Recommended Instrument | Application to Education |
Bottle compression | Bottle Top Load Tester | PET bottles and packaging testing |
| Paper strength | Bursting Strength Tester | Strength studies of packaging materials |
Film friction | Coefficient of Friction Tester | Film and packaging studies |
| Shrinkage | Heat Shrink Tester | Shrink film testing |
Sample Preparation | Hot Wire Bottle Cutter | PET bottles and samples preparation |
| Thickness measurements | Thickness Gauge | Measurement of films, sheets, and packaging |
Moisture measurement | Halogen Moisture Analyzer | Moisture studies of materials |
Weighing | Analytical Electronic Balance | Laboratory sample preparation |
| Color measurement | Spectrophotometer | Color of plastics and packaging measurement |
Tensile properties | Universal Testing Machine | Tensile, elongation and strength studies |
1. PET Bottle Top Load Testing
Bottles made of PET should be able to endure stacking, transportation, filling, and handling pressure. The bottle top-load tester is very effective in assisting students to learn more about the effects of compressive loading on bottles and containers.
This would be highly appropriate for practical exercises on PET packing, beverage bottles, pharmaceutical bottles, food packaging, etc.
Education institutions can perform top-load testing tests that will show the relationship between the bottle design, materials used, and compressive strength.
2. Bursting Strength Test
Materials used for packaging should be strong enough to handle pressure and mechanical loads. A bursting strength tester will be highly useful for students to test the bursting strength of paper, paperboard, corrugated materials, and other packaging substrates.
3. Coefficient of Friction Testing
The Coefficient of friction is one of the parameters to be considered while studying plastic films and flexible packaging. The coefficient of friction tester helps demonstrate the effect of friction on film feeding, stacking, sliding, and packaging machine operations.
Students can test various films and study the influence of materials’ properties on their friction.
4. Heat Shrink Testing
Heat shrink films are extensively used in packaging and protection of products. The heat shrink tester enables students to study the dimensional changes of films under controlled heat conditions.
It is useful for practice in studying polymers’ films, flexible packaging, shrink packaging, and plastics processing.
5. Sample Preparation using Hot Wire Bottle Cutter
Sample preparation is an integral part of laboratory tests. The Hot Wire Bottle Cutter enables educational laboratories to cut out samples from PET bottles for further investigation.
It is useful for demonstrating various aspects of bottles’ structure and materials’ distribution.
6. Plastic Film Thickness Measurement
Film thickness is one of the most significant parameters in plastic films, sheets, packaging materials and so on. The thickness gauge allows the students to understand the impact that thickness variance has on the performance of material.
Also, the mentioned equipment can be used in scientific research projects where students will need to investigate different kinds of plastic materials and structures of packaging.
7. Moisture Analysis and Accurate Weighing
Moisture analysis may have an influence on various materials’ properties and their processes. The Halogen Moisture Analyser can be added to the educational laboratories for the conducting of practical experiments.
Also, the Analytical Electronic Balance will be necessary for accurate weighing of samples, additives, chemicals and materials.
8. Colour Testing for Plastics and Packaging
Colour uniformity is one of the significant quality characteristics of packaging and plastic materials. A spectrophotometer can provide the students the opportunity to conduct objective colour analysis of the materials.
The students can realise that instrumental colour analysis is used in such fields as product development, quality control, printing, plastics and packaging.
9. Universal Testing Machines for Plastics
The installation of a universal testing machine will greatly enhance the testing capabilities of the educational materials laboratory. Using the correct fixtures, students will be able to perform tensile tests and associated mechanical testing on plastics, films, and many other material types.
Such UTM machines are therefore well-suited to polymer engineering, plastics technology, material science, and packaging studies.
Selecting Packaging and Plastics Testing Equipment for Educational Institutions
Apart from the packaging and plastics testing equipment cost, there are other factors that educational institutions should take into account when designing their laboratories. These factors include:
- Course structure and laboratory course content
- Plastics and packaging materials to be used
- Testing parameters to be applied
- Size of student batches
- Hands-on practicals and research activities
- Laboratory space available
- Standards of testing to be met
- Potential future expansion of the laboratory
- Technical and training requirements
A well-thought-out list of packaging and plastics testing equipment would assist educational institutions in not buying unnecessary equipment.
Establish a laboratory with capabilities for education as well as research.
Contact Testron Group to find out about suitable packaging and plastic testing machines, instruments, and apparatus for universities, colleges, technical institutes, etc.
Packaging & Plastics Testing Equipment Manufacturer and Supplier
The selection of an experienced packaging and plastics testing equipment manufacturer and packaging and plastics testing equipment supplier can make laboratory setup easy for you.
Testron Group provides testing solutions in packaging, plastics, polymers, materials, and other relevant laboratory applications. Educational institutions can develop their equipment needs according to their syllabus and testing requirements, rather than buying equipment individually without having a strategy in mind.
For educational laboratories, the equipment can be used for:
- Practical training of students
- Lab demonstrations
- Projects of final-year students
- Polymer and plastics research
- Packaging development studies
- Material testing comparison
- Quality control education
- Testing industry awareness
Educational Discount Program for Educational Institutions
The Testron Group Educational Discount Program (EDP) is also another way that educational institutions that wish to set up or renovate their laboratories can consider.
This program can be especially useful for those universities, colleges, technical schools, or educational laboratories that would like to provide their students with a testing facility.
The institutions can communicate with Testron Group regarding their packaging and plastics testing equipment needs, list of equipment, lab application, and budget.
Provide your educational laboratory with practical packaging and plastics testing capabilities.
Contact Testron Group to discuss your equipment requirements and EDP eligibility.
Creating a Modern Packaging & Plastics Testing Laboratory for the Future
Conclusion: Establishing a Comprehensive Educational Environment through Testing Equipment
Today’s educational laboratory has to provide students with the possibility of learning the characteristics of the packaging and plastic materials through testing. Testing parameters that may be used for creating a complete learning environment include bottle top load, bursting strength, coefficient of friction, heat shrinkage, thickness, moisture, colour, and tensile testing.
Educational institutions should choose their equipment not according to packaging and plastics testing equipment cost or price but by taking into consideration testing requirements, educational purposes, expansion of the laboratory, and students’ needs.
With an appropriately made list of packaging and plastics testing equipment, educational institutions will be able to provide a practical education and training process.
