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Sustainable Flexible Packaging

At Flex-Pack Engineering we often here from customers with questions on sustainability in the flexible packaging industry. Sustainability is often tossed around as a buzz word in many industries. The following is a brief overview of how sustainability may apply to the flexible packaging industry.

Sustainable flexible packaging refers to packaging materials that are designed and produced with a focus on minimizing their environmental impact throughout their lifecycle. Flexible packaging typically includes materials such as films, pouches, bags, and wraps that are used for various products, including food, personal care items, and more. The goal of sustainable flexible packaging is to reduce the environmental footprint associated with traditional packaging materials, such as single-use plastics.

Key characteristics of sustainable flexible packaging include:

Material Selection: Sustainable flexible packaging often involves the use of environmentally friendly materials, such as bio-based plastics, recycled content, or compostable materials. These materials aim to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and decrease the overall environmental impact.
Recyclability: Packaging that can be easily recycled is a crucial aspect of sustainability. Sustainable flexible packaging may be designed to be recyclable through existing municipal recycling systems, promoting the circular economy.
Biodegradability and Compostability: Some sustainable flexible packaging materials are designed to be biodegradable or compostable, meaning they can break down naturally over time without causing harm to the environment. This is particularly important for reducing plastic pollution.
Reduced Packaging Waste: Sustainable packaging often focuses on optimizing packaging design to minimize the amount of material used without compromising functionality or product protection. This can lead to less overall waste generation.
Energy Efficiency: Sustainable packaging considers the energy consumed during the manufacturing process. Efforts are made to reduce energy usage and employ more energy-efficient production methods.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Sustainable flexible packaging may undergo a life cycle assessment to evaluate its environmental impact from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. This holistic approach helps identify areas for improvement and ensures a comprehensive understanding of the packaging’s sustainability.
Innovation: Ongoing research and development efforts aim to discover new materials and technologies that enhance the sustainability of flexible packaging, pushing the industry toward more eco-friendly solutions.

Sustainable flexible packaging is part of a broader movement within the packaging industry to address environmental concerns and move toward more responsible and eco-friendly practices. As consumer awareness of environmental issues grows, there is an increasing demand for sustainable packaging solutions across various industries.

Flex-Pack Engineering Can Help Your Business with Sustainable Flexible Packaging

Flex-Pack Engineering helps customers with understanding the ever changing sustainable flexible packaging movement from a design and engineering perspective. We help sort out and characterize sustainable packaging by analyzing standard film products vs. sustainable film products and make recommendations based on the fitness for use and chain of use criteria for your product.

Furthermore, our team can provide flexible packaging testing and consulting services related to proof of concept on compounding, film making, printing, and laminating. We have the knowledge and expertise with sustainable packaging products to help our customers understand the pros and cons of sustainability, and if it is right for a particular project.

When you are ready to have a conversation about sustainable flexible packaging and if it is the right option for your packaging products, call Flex-Pack at 888-300-1482 or fill out our request information form.

Flexible Packaging Films

Flexible packaging films are materials used in the production of flexible packaging, which refers to packaging that can be easily shaped or altered. These films are typically thin, lightweight, and have the ability to conform to the shape of the product being packaged. They are widely used in various industries for packaging a diverse range of products, including food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and personal care items.

At Flex-Pack Engineering we work with flexible packaging films every day and have done so for the last 30+ years. While Flex-Pack Engineering can handle your flexible packaging film testing like a traditional lab, what sets us apart from other labs is our ability to provide valuable insights into the testing results to help our customers solve flexible packaging challenges. We want our customers to come to us not only for testing and specific flexible packaging tasks – we want our customers to come to us because we understand very well what they are trying to accomplish. We can share the benefits of our experience with you so that you can be more successful and be successful faster! We contribute our 30+ years of experience in the science and practice of flexible packaging films to our customers’ projects to improve efficiencies, save money, and get products to market faster!

Choose Flex-Pack Engineering for Your Next Flexible Packaging Films Challenge

If you are looking for a collaborative partner in the flexible packaging industry who can not only provide fast, cost-effective analytical and physical testing services but also provide valuable consultative services, insights and recommendations, consider Flex-Pack Engineering. We have invested significantly in testing equipment and can provide fast and accurate testing on flexible packaging films while simultaneously bringing our vast knowledge and expertise of the flexible packaging industry to your business to help you achieve success with your projects and products.

Let’s have a conversation today! Call us at 330-704-9436 or fill out our request information form and learn how Flex-Pack Engineering can help you.

Differential Scanning Calorimetry Testing

Differential scanning calorimetry testing is employed to quantify the crystalline content of polymers or materials. When materials exhibit crystalline content, they undergo phase transitions from solid to liquid and back again The fully relaxed annealed melting point of a material is a distinctive and replicable property that serves as a valuable reference.

At Flex-Pack Engineering, we utilize differential scanning calorimetry testing in conjunction with FTIR as a thermal analysis tool to assess the chemical composition of organic materials. Our application of differential scanning calorimetry testing is integral to our analytical and evaluative processes, addressing the following objectives:

Resolving flexible packaging issues for our customers.
Conducting competitive analyses to discern the key factors contributing to the success of competitors’ packaging solutions.
Offering reverse engineering services for flexible packaging products.
Engaging in product and process development for flexible packaging solutions.

Differential scanning calorimetry testing is a very useful tool in the analysis of flexible packaging materials and projects.

Applications of Differential Scanning Calorimetry Testing

Differential scanning calorimetry testing is used in a wide variety of applications, including:

The characterization of polymers: differential scanning calorimetry testing can be used to determine the glass transition temperature (Tg), Heat Capacity (Cp), crystallization temperature (Tc), and melting temperature (Tm) of polymers. These properties can be used to compare different polymers and to understand the behavior of polymers under different conditions.
The study of chemical reactions: differential scanning calorimetry testing can be used to study the kinetics of chemical reactions. The rate of a reaction can be determined from the slope of the heat flow curve.
The quality control of materials: differential scanning calorimetry testing can be used to determine the purity of materials and to identify contaminants.

Advantages of Differential Scanning Calorimetry Testing

Differential scanning calorimetry testing is a versatile and powerful technique that has many advantages and can be used in conjunction with other thermal analysis techniques such as Thermo Mechanical Analysis, (TMA) and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). Some of the advantages of differential scanning calorimetry testing:

It provides a direct measurement of heat flow, ensuring that it remains unaffected by alterations in the sample’s heat capacity.
It is applicable for the examination of a diverse range of materials and their correlations with various processes.
It is a sensitive technique that can be used to detect small changes in the sample.
It is a rapid technique that can be used to obtain results in a short period of time.

Flex-Pack Engineering Provides Fast and Reliable Differential Scanning Calorimetry Testing

At Flex-Pack Engineering, we bring over three decades of expertise to our flexible packaging analysis and evaluation. Differential scanning calorimetry testing is a pivotal tool in our workflow, allowing us to extract the vital information our customers need for enhancing their flexible packaging products.

What sets us apart is our investment in cutting-edge differential scanning calorimetry testing equipment, ensuring dependable results delivered in a timeframe that surpasses industry standards. Every piece of our differential scanning calorimetry testing equipment is meticulously calibrated to NIST traceable standards and undergoes rigorous verification to guarantee its proper functioning before testing commences.

While possessing the requisite knowledge and equipment for precise testing is essential, our customers benefit most from Flex-Pack’s extensive background and experience in the development of flexible packaging products and processes. We go beyond providing mere test results, offering invaluable insights and recommendations for enhancing your flexible packaging design and production line operations. Our competitive pricing, exceptional turnaround times, and friendly customer service cater to all your flexible packaging needs.

Let’s have a conversation today! Reach out to us at 330-704-9436 or complete our information request form to discover how Flex-Pack Engineering can fulfill your requirements for differential scanning calorimetry testing.

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Check out all of our flexible packaging solutions:

Sustainable Flexible Packaging

Flexible Packaging Films

Differential Scanning Calorimetry Testing

Toll Compounding Solutions from Flex-Pack Engineering

Setting Up a Flexible Packaging Testing Laboratory

Flexible Packaging Testing Services and Consulting

DSC Thermal Analysis

ASTM Flexible Packaging Testing Services

Biodegradable Flexible Packaging Solutions

MVTR Testing - Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate Testing

Specialty Plastic Compounding

Flexible Packaging Solutions

Plastic Compounding

OIT, Oxidation Induction Time Testing

Reverse Engineering Services for the Flexible Packaging Industry

Permeation Testing Services - Fast & Affordable

DSC Testing

Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR) Testing

Film, Compounding, and Flexible Packaging Consulting

Flexible Packaging Testing Services

Custom Polymer Compounding That Can Help You Win Business

Blown and Cast Film Solutions That Can Save You Money

Engineered Flexible Packaging Solutions - Increase Sales & Profits!

MVTR Testing – Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate Testing

MVTR Testing, Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate Testing

WHAT IS MVTR?

Moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) also known as water vapor transmission rate is the process of measuring the amount of water that can permeate through a polymer package film or membrane on a square meter basis in 24 hours. Flex-Pack Engineering has the experience and highly specialized instruments which measure MVTR by creating a moisture gradient from one side of the film to the other that allows the moisture to pass through the material and measures the permeation value.

MVTR testing is important in the flexible packaging industry because it ensures that food products maintain the necessary amount of moisture within their package: not too dry, not too moist, just right!

Flex-Pack Engineering provides MVTR Testing for customers for a variety of reasons including quality control or to allow a manufacturer to provide a certificate of conformance that certifies the moisture permeation value for a particular package. Additionally, we can provide MVTR Testing as part of the design and development process to evaluate if a new film material has a better MVTR than the previous film design. We also help customers who are having issues with the MVTR of a particular film and assist in tracking down the problem and offering recommendations for a solution.

Flex-Pack Engineering offers very competitive MVTR Testing rates and turnaround times. However, the most important element that Flex-Pack offers our customers is the interpretation of MVTR test results and providing recommendations to help solve flexible packaging problems or improve a new film design. A traditional testing lab will deliver testing results but not provide the insights into what the results mean in context of a customers’ goals or issues. With our consultative approach at Flex-Pack, we always discuss MVTR testing results with our customers to make sure they understand the data and how it effects the overall product design.

Flex-Pack Engineering, Your Turn-Key Provider for MVTR Testing and Analysis

At Flex-Pack Engineering, we bring our 30 year education in developing packaging products to not only bring you MVTR testing results, but to help you understand those results to improve your business. We offer very competitive pricing, quick turnaround times, and outstanding customer service to help you with all of your flexible packaging testing requirements.

Ready to have a conversation? Contact us today at 330-704-9436 or fill out our request information form and learn how Flex-Pack Engineering can help with your MVTR Testing!

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