After the drop tester and shaker are shut off and all the data are summarized, the test stakeholders have the most important task remaining. What were the results? Interpretation of distribution package testing results has always been a challenge. Acceptable package condition can be highly subjective. In this presentation a general method of quantifying unsalables is presented and demonstrated, using leading edge technologies for package evaluation. The process utilizes technology that minimizes delays, supporting fast to market response for brand owners and package designers alike.

Mold growth on pallets continues to be problematic for both pallet producers and users. This presentation will discussed the importance of properpallet storage and the role of moisture in preventing mold growth. There is often a misconception that heat treatment for ISPM15 requirements is alsoa mold prevention method. In fact, heat treatment often enhances the potential of mold growth. A introduction into alternative chemical treatments willbe included.

Determining static loading and cushion curves are essential for any cushion design, but are generally only the beginning of a good design, not the end. A cushion design's geometry also plays a vital role in the performance of a cushion. This study visually analyzes, the effects that a PE cushion's geometry has on performance, using a high speed video camera.

Further analysis of vehicle vibration techniques is examined in this continued presentation from the ISTA TransPack Forum 2013. This presentation examines the findings when additional packaged products are subjected to different techniques of vertical vibration simulation. Over the road vehicle vibration data was collected, analyzed, and used to simulate the vibration input to packaged products during transportation. Results will compare the findings of the different vibration techniques. Correlation of test results will also be compared to field samples. Additionally, the presentation will also explore the opportunity of reduced test time without compromising the actual field data collected. Different methods for reducing test time will be explored and compared to field samples. Results and discoveries of this trial will be introduced.

This presentation provides an introduction to Ergonomics and Manual Material Handling. As members of ISTA and the packaging community, we are in a unique position to help improve ergonomics as it relates to handling products, packages, and unit loads. Takeaways: A better understanding of how to recognize high-risk manual material handling work tasks and choose effective options for reducing their physical demands, increasing general safety and health aspects of work environments, and increasing productivity.

Recently, efforts have been made to update the random vibration profiles located in ASTM D4169. Highlighted will be the changes being proposed to the ASTM standard. The presentation will provide laboratory test results for various packaged products evaluated under the current and proposed ASTM D4169 Truck profiles as well as the ISTA Steel Spring Truck profile. Takeaways: Results of packaged products evaluated under different vibration techniques; Correlation of proposed and current industry test methods to field studies; Overview and highlights from proposed ASTM truck profiles.

Evolving consumer expectations are driving changes of the consumer goods supply chains. To meet these demands for low cost, high quality and rapid delivery supply chains have become extended internationally and they have become more fragile. These supply chains are made up of multiple components including layers of packaging and the various equipment used to move, ship, and store the product. Historically, these components are designed by independent design communities with little consideration of how they mechanically interact. This component design process has led to supply chains operating with significant avoidable cost. An alternative, systematic design process, based on an understanding of how the components of supply chains mechanically interact, will be described, with examples. This leads to a collaboration of designers that reduces supply chain operating cost and improves sustainability, reliability and safety.

There was a time when a new product launch was a singular activity, possibly pluralized by flavors and variety. Now it's a multi-pronged, compound tiered activity with various packaging formats, sizes and configurations. How can we as packaging professionals execute a successful multi-channel launch in this complex world?

Many of the major retailers today must sell through both retail outlets and online channels to remain competitive and relevant. This change in the delivery process is transforming retail supply chains from a unitized bulk storage operation to a single package environment. However, in the current transition state, retailers are challenged with managing the balance between cost and performance. The task of package design and test requirements becomes more challenging when products are established in a Brick and Mortar retail business, and begin to rapidly gain sales in the online environment. Takeaways: Understand the difficulty of designing universal packaging and to explore options for finding the appropriate balance between the right retail package and the right E-Commerce package. Explain different ways, data, testing and research can help strike the right balance for the design approach.

For centuries the scientific community has been finding ways to harvest energy from naturally occurring phenomena, such as wind and solar radiation. In the last century, tremendous strides in energy harvesting have been made in tandem with the invention of novel energy harvesting devices. These devices are able to harvest -energy from processes such as magnetism, thermal radiation, and ocean waves. A few of the most prominent and effective methods for energy harvesting are electromagnetic, piezoelectric, thermoelectric, and triboelectric, all of which utilize polymeric materials, ceramics, and various metals. Clemson University is in the process of using one of these methods to harvest energy from the motion of transportation, store it, and use it to power sensors that will measure the very same distribution environment from which the energy was harvested. In this presentation, we will explore the use of a triboelectric energy harvester in a packaging application and demonstrate its use in powering a field data recorder.

Common ship testing by procedure and off the shelf equipment in many cases is not enough to replicate damage/hazards found in the field. Understanding the environment is critical to product/packaging success. This presentation will provide examples of creative tests and equipment developed from field data and myth busting.

The main challenges of modern supply chains are managing the volatility, adapting to the omni-channel consumer and becoming more sustainable. In any supply chain scenario palletized packaging plays a role, however, the boundary conditions are changing rapidly. Mixed loads, stacked pallets, repacking, etc. are no longer the exception to enable producers managing the ever-increasing supply chain complexity. The higher requirements on pallet handling puts more and more pressure on the stability of palletised corrugated packaging. Palletised corrugated packages should be stable in any supply chain to avoid logistic problems, health and safety hazards and product damage. The traditional way to find out if the is a trial (and error) shipment or a test. With today's potential risks and time pressure this is not sufficient anymore. Combining the results of scientific insights, intensive testing and practical experience enabled us to develop a predictive tool to assess the stability of a palletised load. The tool helps to increase the speed and risk assess the palletized load, a critical step in today's volatile supply chain.

Today, many companies build their brand primarily through digital interactions with customers and the ensuing package deliveries from online purchases. Brand value is increasingly important due to competitive pressure from the largest retailers, distributors, and store brands. As a result, businesses are looking to own and optimize their brand experience to drive future sales. A key component of brand experience is the protective packaging used to reduce damages and capitalize on the unboxing experience. This session will dive into the quantifiable value provided by delivering a positive customer experience and its impact on future sales.

Development of thermal testing profiles using data collected from various lanes is a common practice in the pharmaceutical industry. These thermal profiles are used in chamber testing of shipping containers. Currently the available standards emphasize the use of a standard test profile. This presentation argues that we now need to begin to identify standard algorithms for developing test profiles as well. This will allow shippers to develop test profiles form their own sourced data. In particular, this presentation describes the QT(min/max) method for developing thermal profiles and demonstrates how it is superior to several existing methods that are currently in use. This method is a critical element in an overall risk analysis for evaluating the suitability of pre-qualified passive container solutions. Additionally, this method can be utilized to compare thermal profiles irrespective of the method used to create them. The integration of this method with thermal modeling simulations of passive container solutions is also considered.

There are times when products will be distributed in areas, geographic zones that might not have actual collected shipping lane ambient temperature data in order to generate thermal OQ profiles in order to qualify temperature controlled shipping containers. Lilly has developed a process to utilize climatic data to support these undefined regions in order to develop a thermal OQ profile in the absence of actual lane data to support commercialization of the product supply chain. Originally presented at ISTA's 2018 TempPack in San Diego, California.

While it leads the global retail opportunity index as the greatest under-served market in the world, the Indian logistics/supply chain sector has yet to even meet the requirements of the urban population due to challenges such as poor infrastructure, highly fragmented supplier base, complex systems of taxes & government regulations, ineffective usage of information technologies & communication, insufficient mature distribution channels, non-existent warehouse standards, and disorganized trucking operations. The general intended supply chains in India are fairly unique. This presentation provides summary details of the supply chain related distribution activities of 13 CPG manufacturers, retailers and e-commerce companies in India. While quite a few of the companies included in this study follow adapted versions of western supply chain models, a majority rely on fairly unique versions of the Indian legacy models. Takeaways: At present, the Indian logistics industry is highly fragmented and unorganized. Development of logistics related infrastructure, like dedicated freight corridors, logistics parks, free trade warehousing zones and container freight stations, are expected to improve efficiencies. Players in the Indian CPG retail sector must understand the evolving logistical landscape to take advantage of greatest under-served markets in the world. Originally presented at ISTA's 2019 TransPack Forum in Denver, Colorado.

This presentation will highlight dynamic measurement highlights made during a large study of intermodal shipments, made between the eastern and western United States. This study focused comparative measurements made at the container floor, bottom pallet and top pallet locations. The results provided the ability to understand how unit loads responded to the various transport dynamic inputs.

As Amazon collaborates with vendors around the world to drive adoption of their sustainable packaging standards, it is important that the ISTA certified test lab community is aware of Amazon's program and requirements. This webinar provides a brief update on Amazon's Frustration-Free Packaging (FFP) Vendor Incentive Program, topics below, as well as offer labs an opportunity to ask questions directly to Amazon. - Current status of launch for NA and EU. - Review exclusions to ensure all understand differences from NA vs. EU. - Pending changes to guidelines. - How are labs marketing their services? Are they proactively marketing? - Q&A