Flowpack “crisps” packaging
4 times quicker leak test of soft packages with Oxylos® keeping accuracy required in DIN 55508-1 standardized method – Comparative test of 330g chips bag
History
Since 1995, Abiss branded instruments focused potato crisps, and more widely flow packed pouches, with Oxysamplers for gas analyzers, and now Oxylos with the addition of leak testing. Due to the size of the pouches and their expansion behavior; the response time for leak measurement based on DIN55508-1 standard could be around 70s on a 330g package.
Constraints of flowpack applications
For flow packed applications such as potato crisps, we may face a variety of sizes going from 25g up to 1 kg of content.
Forming a large inner volume to mechanically preserve crisps from external stress will further extend the leak test time due to increased inner pressure, especially if the pouch is free to expand.
Varying sizes and expansion behavior of films can result in the response time for the leakage measurement based on DIN55508-1 to increase. The cycle time could be around 70s to perform the leakage test on a 330g package.
Although fast and giving a result with a minimum of influence variables, when compared for example to other positive pressure measurement techniques like pressure variation according to DIN55508-3; the volume expansion introduces a bias in the result for the same test time or requires a longer test to reduce uncertainty.
New technique to accelerate testing by reducing uncertainty
A brand new feature added to the Oxylos® that further restricts the pouch when it is inflated, allows the Oxylos instrument to avoid the volumetric expansion under pressure effect. Adding this feature reduces test cycle time by 75%.
This quadruples the testing capacity of the Oxylos® and reduces the investment costs with minimal number of instruments for a complete factory.
New features for the determination of the filling volume
In addition, the fact that the position is better controlled, and the volume of injection known; the volume of air used can be easily determined. Knowing the air volume also gives the ability to determine if a pouch can stand the pressure variation generated during freight (air freight or altitude changes). In other words, an excess of Nitrogen to preserve the inside atmosphere can compromise the hermeticity by extra force externed on seals when external pressure is dropping.
