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Shock and vibration

How to protect your product using sustainable packaging solutions?

All products need the right protection against shock and vibration since the transportation journey to the final destination can be unpredictable.

It is almost impossible to successfully predict all the events that may happen along the way. That is why more and more packaging companies recommend monitoring the product during the testing phase. This crucial step shortens the time required to design solutions &#; which ultimately saves resources in the whole product life cycle.
Follow this simple guideline to ensure that your packaging provides optimum protection and reduced concerns.

Prepare your product for the unexpected

Your product will certainly experience shock or vibration during transportation to its destination due to acceleration, dropping, lifting, pitching, and taxiing. The only solution to account for this is to select the optimal sustainable packaging to mitigate the potential damage.
To determine what type of packaging is best suited for the transportation, one needs to consider two factors: potential shock events, when two objects collide or make contact (expressed in G&#;s), and vibration events, arising from different energy levels and frequencies during transportation (expressed in Hz). To put it simply, the greater the movement, the greater the potential for damage.

Table presenting different levels of product fragility based on shock absorbance

Both factors are influenced by the individual product characteristics, the power of gravity, and the selected mode of transport. For example, the frequency during truck freight can vary between 2-70 Hz depending on the road structures and tires&#; quality, while the frequency on the cargo floor of an airplane can reach up to Hz. Furthermore, every product has its own fragility level (expressed in G&#;s), meaning the maximum force its structure can withstand. Understandably, taking all of the above into account, there is no &#;one-for-all&#; packaging solution. Every case needs to be verified individually to ensure maximum protection.

The above images present a step-by-step process of freefall.

Test different factors before selecting the right sustainable solution

To determine the protection level of the packaging against shock events, it is necessary to measure the shock pulse, which consists of the rise and decay time. Knowing when the peak deceleration starts and when it ends allows us to calculate the rise time, while the decay time is the time left until the shock ends. The shape of the shock pulse allows us to understand if the cushion is designed properly and understand what type of sustainable cushioning material best absorbs the shock and protects your product during the selected transportation mode.

The best way to measure packaging protection against vibration is to determine its transmissibility. If the product and the packaging share the same natural frequencies, potential damage will likely occur (this includes fatigue, bending or abrasion). Ideally, the separation between the product and packaging should be greater than one octave (or double). Otherwise, the risk of potential damage is high.

Look at the example of the product vibration test below. The natural frequency of both the product (29 Hz) and the packaging (13 Hz) are significantly separated, which optimizes protection against vibration.

Explore the benefits of eco-friendly cushioning solutions

Knowing the fragility of your product and the requirements it must fulfill during the selected transportation mode will help you select the optimal sustainable packaging solution. The most popular shock-absorbing solutions include cushioning materials which reduces the effects during impacts. This means for a properly loaded cushion, the rise and decay time will be equal. Any other scenario may cause either overloading or underloading of the cushion, making the material vulnerable to absorb the shock. This results in the damage of the packaging content.

Once you know exactly what you need, there is still a long list of options to consider: from paper and corrugated fiberboard fillers for lower resilience and more sustainable applications, to molded, extruded or polyurethane foams for better stability, water-absorbance, fire-retardance, and reusability. Once you select the most optimal cushioning material, don&#;t forget to test it against shock and vibration events.

In the table above we present a short summary of the available alternatives on the market

At Nefab, we are finding new ways to achieve greater sustainability in our solutions and smarter ways to save resources while reducing the environmental impact. Together, we can pave the way for a future with less packaging waste for our customers, for society, and the environment.

At Nefab, by innovating together with our customers, we are finding new ways to save resources in supply chains.

We save resources in supply chains, for a better tomorrow. 

 

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Sustainable Materials
Fiber-based packaging and raw materials

How do you know if you are you using the most effective and efficient protective packaging for your product? 

Learn the differences between all the important protective packaging solutions, and how and when to use each one in our guide. 

What are the different types of Protective Packaging?

We've pulled together this helpful guide on the main types of protective packaging materials on the market today to introduce the range of options available, and help you identify the right solution for your packaged product.

1. Loose fill

Loose void fill products are primarily for using as the name implies, for filling larger voids in packages where the product is significantly smaller than the box or there are multiple products to be packaged together in one box. While it holds some protective properties it is not designed ultimately for product protection and still allows for a degree of movement and migration within the box and so is best used with products that are not very fragile or easily broken or damaged.

The main types of void fill are:

These products are relatively cheap, extremely lightweight and can work well for irregularly shaped products.

2. Paper voidfill

Crumpled Kraft paper can be used as both a void fill and as protective packaging product for light to medium weight non fragile items. The level of protection varies with the weight of paper used and how it is crumpled.

This is more environmentally friendly than its plastic alternatives. It is versatile and uses less space than the Loosefill mentioned before.

3. Cardboard

Shredded corrugated card is another product like paper that can be used as both void fill and for its shock absorbent protective qualities again on light to medium weighted products that are not too fragile. The added benefit of this though is that it can be made out of your own cardboard waste packaging! Making it a super environmentally friendly option.

There are a variety of cardboard shredders on the market that vary based on the type of void fill properties you want and the amount of cardboard you want to process. While they will make up their cost in not having to purchase materials it would be wise to choose an energy efficient one to maximise on its environmental benefits.

4. Bubble wrap

Is probably one of the best known protective packaging materials and much loved for its therapeutic benefits of bubble popping. It is still widely used as it provides a versatile cushioning with high shock absorbing qualities. Smaller 10mm bubble wrap is good for smaller product wrapping while 20/25mm bubble wrap is more suitable to larger products.

The benefits of using bubble wrap include its versatility, and the fact that it can be used to wrap a variety of different sized and shaped products and it's clean and lightweight. 

Contact us to discuss your requirements of custom football shin guards. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.