Packaging Concept Research Articles

Evaluation and optimization of the peel performance of a heat sealed topfilm and bottomweb undergoing cool processing

AbstractEasy opening of heat sealable tray and topfilm food packaging concepts is often realized by using a peelable seal layer. Peel strength needs to be strong enough to prevent the package from opening during and after storage, transportation and handling at different environmental temperatures. It also needs to be weak enough to be convenient for an ageing population. When designing packaging concepts, a balance needs to be found assuring food quality, safety and convenience. This study presents a method to evaluate and optimize peel performance of a packaging concept with polyethylene seal layer undergoing cool processing at −18°C and 4°C. A design of experiment approach is used as a basis. With a limited amount of tests, models are fitted and experimentally validated to obtain an optimal peel strength of 0.5 N mm−1 at an environmental temperature of 23°C. When measured during thermal treatment at −18°C and 4°C, the peel strength increased but no effect was seen once the seals are tested at 23°C after treatment. Bending of the bottomweb during the peel test slightly decreased peel strength while bending stiffness increased at low temperatures, suggesting a minor impact of bending of the bottomweb related to environmental temperature on the observed peel performance. Increased peel strengths during cool processing were clearly related to a change in seal failure mechanism. Besides cohesive peeling, partial delamination occurred in these stronger seals.

Kansei engineering application in redesigning carica packaging to support local-small industry in Central Java

Packaging is one of the important elements of product sales. The packaging is one form of branding business of a business party. This study was conducted to apply the principles of Kansei Engineering to packaging products of Carica, one of the MSMEs in Wonosobo. This research was conducted to find out what kind of design desired by consumers of Carica products to encourage them to make purchases of these products. The method used is the Kansei Engineering method which will then be collaborated with the Kano model method and conjoint analysis. Kansei Engineering will help this research in determining what aspects consumers want to feel when they buy a Carica product. After that, using the Kano model principle will be determined categories from each aspect that consumers feel into several parts, namely basic attributes, linear attributes, attractive attributes, and non-significant attributes. Aspects included in the non-significant attribute category are considered not suitable to be used as a new design concept of Carica packaging. Finally, the packaging aspects that consumers want to feel when buying these products will be linked to the new design using conjoint analysis. This research concludes that the new packaging will be square and made of glass and has a label that has a fruit picture and has an orange theme.

Designing sweet biscuits packaging by considering the level of attractiveness based on eye tracking data

The diversity of types of packaging of the product is not entirely desirable by consumers. This study aims to conduct a ranking analysis on packaging, an analysis of the correlation between fixation to the level of attractiveness, and packaging design that is of interest to consumers. Data collection was obtained through eye tracking and post exposure questionnaire for 49 respondents. The analysis shown that the correlation between fixation to level of attractiveness is not correlated, due to external factors such as brand image, brand familiarity, and others. Then, the design of the product packaging is done where the basic orange color packaging concept and its packaging elements are obtained based analogous theory. A concept testing was done afterwards and revealed that the overall packaging design can meet the needs of consumers with a percentage of fulfillment above 70%.

Interculturality in Interfaith Dialogue

The study of interfaith dialogues stands to gain from a discourse analysis approach towards interculturality, given how, as a concept, interculturality emphasises non-essentialist identities and cultures in deep inter-subjective engagement. Such an approach allows researchers to examine interfaith dialogues as activities where the melding and blending of identity and cultural resources are actions directed towards various accomplishments, constrained by the institutional expectations of how dialogues are done. This article proposes using an analytic tool which draws upon 'membership categorisation devices' (from ethnomethodology) as specific 'mental space' conceptual packages (from cognitive linguistics), and takes a more telescopic view of how as conceptual packages, these devices interact in 'mental space conceptual integration' or 'conceptual blends' (from cognitive linguistics). One excerpt of a short conversation between a facilitator of an interfaith seminar and a Muslim Imam (religious teacher) is analysed in-depth.

PMC Packaged Single-Substrate 4 × 4 Butler Matrix and Double-Ridge Gap Waveguide Horn Antenna Array for Multibeam Applications

A perfect magnetic conductor (PMC) packaging concept is utilized at 30 GHz, which suppresses the higher order cavity modes, improves insertion losses, and helps in developing packaged microstrip lines (PMSLs) and double-ridge gap waveguide (DRGW) transmission lines. The Quasi-TEM PMSLs are used to design quadratic hybrid, crossover, and phase shifters as components of a wideband 4 x 4 Butler matrix (BM) on a single substrate. Two types of electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) unit cells-full height and half height-are investigated to realize artificial magnetic conductors (AMCs) required for the present design. A parametric study is performed for all components. BM is numerically assembled from these components and analyzed. It achieves a 5-GHz (28-33 GHz) bandwidth with return loss and isolation, both better than 15 dB. At 30 GHz, the insertion loss is 0.8 ± 0.3 dB, and antenna-ports' phase distributions are ±45° and ±135°. E-plane-flared horn antennas terminate the BM antenna ports as a linear array. The DRGW horn antenna is designed to reduce the scan loss within an array environment. The H-plane fan-beam switching covers ±42° with a maximum gain of 11.7 and 11.2 dBi for 1R and 2R beams, respectively. The H-plane element pattern and the half-height EBG AMC at the array aperture help to maintain 0.5 dB of gain loss for the outer beams (2R and 2L) compared to the inner beams (1R and 1L). The multibeam prototype is the right candidate for millimeter-wave 5G base station and can easily be scaled to higher frequency bands.

Compact Low-Loss Chip-to-Waveguide and Chip-to-Chip Packaging Concept Using EBG Structures

This letter presents a novel approach for packaging millimeter-wave (mmW) and terahertz (THz) circuits. The proposed technique relies on using an on-chip coupling structure that couples the signal to a quarter-wavelength cavity, which in turn couples to either a waveguide (WG) or another chip. The solution also uses a periodic electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structure that controls the electromagnetic wave and prevents field leakage in undesired directions. The proposed solution is fabricated and demonstrated at the $D$ -band (110–170 GHz), and the measurement results show that it achieves a minimum insertion loss of 0.8 and a 3-dB bandwidth extending from 124 to 161 GHz. The proposed approach does not require any galvanic contacts and can be used for packaging integrated circuits in WG modules as well as for chip-to-chip communication.

Analisa Desain Kemasan Stik Sukun (Artocarpus Altili) Menggunakan Metode Value Engineering

The packaging design of a product is a special attraction for consumers. The right design would be able to increase sales of a product. The purpose of this research is to get the best packaging by designing or creating a packaging concept according to the needs and desires of consumers based on the packaging analysis used. The packaging development method is carried out with a product development approach and value engineering by improving performance based on consumer desires using the FAST method (Function Analysis System Technique). Based on the results of the identification of consumer needs, the testing phase, and the selection of alternative packaging development concepts to the concept analysis, the final product for the selected breadfruit stick packaging is a custom packaging printing made of solid aluminum foil pouch, with the custom size of 14x23cm, printed sticker, full printed design, net size 100-200 grams, packaging basic color of gold, original flavor variant, the price ranges from Rp. 10,000 to Rp. 20,000, using a seal (sealer) and having PIRT and Halal certification. With the proposed packaging, it is hoped that the sales of breadfruit stick products would be increased.

Collaborations for circular food packaging: The set-up and partner selection process

More than 40% of petroleum-based plastic materials produced are converted into packaging and half of those to food packaging. Around 95% of plastic packaging, however, is lost to the economy after a short first-use cycle and is often discarded in landfills or ends up in the natural environment. The circular economy is widely promoted as a solution to the current inefficient production, use, and disposal of plastic food packaging, most frequently via recycling or reuse. While the concept of circular food packaging has lately been taken up by policy and industry initiatives in Europe, its implementation remains limited due to the high degree of cross-chain collaboration required. Nevertheless, literature on collaboration in the circular economy is still scarce and provides little guidance on how to build up effective circular partnerships. This research aims to fill this knowledge gap by answering the research question: “How do focal firms set up and choose collaborations for circular food packaging?” A qualitative Delphi method was used to develop a theoretical framework based on collaboration literature and refine it by means of semi-structured qualitative interviews with 17 food companies operating in Europe and circular packaging experts. Results show that the process of identifying and establishing collaborations for circular food packaging typically follows nine steps, spread over five phases. The study also found fourteen possible partner roles and nine partner characteristics that are important in the selection and evaluation of potential partners for circular collaborations.

Innovations in Smart Packaging Concepts for Food: An Extensive Review.

Innovation in food packaging is mainly represented by the development of active and intelligent packing technologies, which offer to deliver safer and high-quality food products. Active packaging refers to the incorporation of active component into the package with the aim of maintaining or extending the product quality and shelf-life. The intelligent systems are able to monitor the condition of packaged food in order to provide information about the quality of the product during transportation and storage. These packaging technologies can also work synergistically to yield a multipurpose food packaging system. This review is a critical and up-dated analysis of the results reported in the literature about this fascinating and growing field of research. Several aspects are considered and organized going from the definitions and the regulations, to the specific functions and the technological aspects regarding the manufacturing technologies, in order to have a complete overlook on the overall topic.

Novel 3-D Multilayer Terahertz Packaging Technology for Integrating Photodiodes Arrays and Rectangular Waveguide-Power Combiners

A novel 3-D multilayer packaging technology for integrating an array of indium phosphide (InP)-based terahertz photodiodes (THz-PDs) with a rectangular waveguide power combiner (WR-PC) is proposed. The packaging concept is based on a vertical integration of an InP THz-PDs array with a multilayered WR-PC made of metallized glass-reinforced epoxy FR4 laminates using direct wafer bonding. The key motivation of this work is to develop a low-cost packaging technology for coherent power combining in the THz regime. The proposed multilayered packaging technology is generic, i.e., in principle, it would allow the integration of different and multiple planar arrays featuring photonic or electronic devices. To our knowledge, this is the first 3-D packaging concept for the THz frequency range that enables the integration of 2-D arrays of photonic or electronic devices. As a proof of concept, we here report on the design, fabrication, and experimental characterization of a straight hollow rectangular waveguide (WR-waveguide) and a $2 \times 1$ WR-PC for the WR3-band (220–320 GHz). Both packages feature standard cross-sectional hollow WR3-waveguides ( $862\,\,\mu \text{m}\,\,\times 431\,\,\mu \text{m}$ ) and corresponding standard UG-387/U-M flanges. They are fabricated using a stack of vertically bonded unit cells, each consisting of a 50- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick glass-reinforced epoxy FR4 laminate with a 23- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick top and bottom metallization. The size of a single quadratic FR4 unit cell is 24 mm $\times24$ mm. The fabricated straight WR3-waveguide consists of a stack of 57 FR4 unit cells of a total length of 5.4 mm. The measured transmission loss is less than 0.3 dB/mm and the return loss (RL) is less than 10 dB, within the entire WR3-band. Next, a multilayered FR $4\,\,2\,\,\times1$ WR3-PC is reported. Its design is based on that of a T-junction in $H$ -plane where the inputs are modified to be on the same plane for facilitating subsequent integration with the planar InP chips of THz-PDs. The length of the WR3-PC is intentionally reduced for compactness and its impedance is gradually matched to achieve a low insertion loss (IL) over the entire WR3-band. The fabricated multilayered WR3-PC consists of 41 FR4 unit-cells resulting in a total thickness of only 3.9 mm. For the frequency range from 240 to 320 GHz, the simulated IL, minimum isolation, and RL are 0.16, 4.2, and 6.5 dB, respectively. For the experimental characterization using a WR3-band vector network analyzer (VNA), two multilayered FR $4\,\,2\times 1$ WR3-PCs are connected back-to-back (B2B). The measured average IL and RL within the frequency range from 240 to 320 GHz are found to be 3.6 dB and below 5.2 dB, respectively. The measured average IL for a single WR3-PC is 1.8 dB, which is higher than expected because of imperfect fabrication and misalignment losses during the integration. An improved fabrication and packaging process will allow mitigating the losses in future runs.

Forming a compensation package in an organization: problems and solutions

The article discusses the theoretical and practical aspects of the compensation package concept. The essence and structure of the compensation package is formulated.

Thermal Aging Reliability of Socketable BGA Packages With Ni–Au-Coated SAC305 Spheres

Land grid arrays (LGAs) and ball grid arrays (BGAs) constitute the board-level interconnect technologies for a large number of packaged ICs. These technologies are used in socketing and surface mount (SMT) applications, respectively. The concept of socketable BGA packages, with solder spheres coated with a barrier layer/noble metal coating, was introduced to develop a single package design for processor ICs that are used in both socketing and SMT applications. While this concept has previously been demonstrated, the feasibility of these packages in socketing conditions has not yet been studied. This article assesses the applicability of these packages in socketing by subjecting the packages to thermal aging at a temperature of 120 °C. The change in microstructure with thermal aging along with the consumption of the barrier layer was understood. The joint shear strength evolution with thermal aging and the contamination of the top surface of the spheres was studied by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. It was found that the trend for experimental consumption of the barrier layer closely follows the theoretical model predictions. Solid-state solder wicking of the Sn57.6Bi0.4Ag (SBA) solder joint due to creep was confirmed at high homologous temperature for the solder. This, along with grain coarsening over time, led to a decrease in the joint shear strength from 33.5 to 16 MPa. Polymer collars are suggested as a potential solution to prevent the solder wicking and make the package feasible for socketing applications.

A Total Communication Package for the Business Executives: Importance of Attitude, Culture, Leadership and Other Factors

Recent studies suggest that a series of contextually appropriate and effective communication training package is demanded by the employers and HR practitioners in the job market. However, the ways to design an effective, comprehensive and sustainable communication development program for the business executives have rarely been explored in the extant literature. This paper introduces the concept of a total communication package (TCP) that can help design a better communication development program for the business executives. This qualitative research uses the interview findings from 20 top executives from the banking and telecommunication sectors in Bangladesh to unpack the concept of TCP for the HR practitioners.

Illustration of Nagra’s AMAC approach to Kori-1 NPP decommissioning based on experience from its detailed application to Swiss NPPs

This work presents an illustration of Nagra’s AMAC (Advanced Methodology for Activation Characterization) approach to the South Korean pressurized water reactor Kori-1 decommissioning. The results achieved are supported by the existing experience from the detailed AMAC applications to Swiss NPPs and are used not only for a demonstration of the applicability of AMAC to South Korean NPPs, but also for a first approximation of the activated waste volumes to be expected from Kori-1. A packaging concept based on the above activation characterization is also presented, using the AMAC algorithmic optimization software ALGOPACK leading to the minimum number of waste containers needed given the selected packaging constraints. Nagra’s AMAC enables effective planning before and during NPP decommissioning, including recommendations for cutting profiles for diverse reactor components and building structures. Finally, it is expected to lead to significant cost savings by reducing the number of expensive waste containers, by optimizing a potential melting strategy for metallic waste as well as by significantly limiting the number of radiological measurements. All information about Kori-1 used for the purpose of this study was collected from publicly available sources.

Taxation and tobacco plain packaging effect on Saudi smokers quitting intentions in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia.

Objectives:The current research aims to study the impact of raising tobacco tax and implementation of plain packaging on male smokers’ quitting intentions in Saudi Arabia.Methods:The study adopts a quantitative approach where close-ended questionnaires are distributed among 1,015 male participants from different regions of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression analysis are conducted using SPSS software to analyze the collected primary data.Results:The study found a significant association of taxation and plain packaging on the quitting intentions of smokers. On taxation, while a considerable number of participants (46.5%) stated that they would not quit smoking if the cigarette prices increased, participants who were planning to give up smoking said it would strengthen their intention (p<0.001). In addition, logistic regression was performed to identify the independent predictors of quitting intention. Participants who did not want to apply the concept of plain packaging to Saudi Arabia were more likely to have quitting intention (odds ratio: 2.30 [1.61-3.28]) in comparison to those who wanted to apply the concept.Conclusion:Although the current price of cigarette packs reported to be very high by the participants, imposing a new higher tax may motivate smokers who had plans to quit in the near future. Plain packaging seems to be an effective new strategy in addition to tobacco taxation in Saudi Arabia, yet, more time and further research are required to assess the effectiveness of the strategy.

A High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium Fuel Transportation Concept

The uranium 235U enrichment commonly used in fuel production for U.S. light water nuclear reactors typically does not exceed 5 wt%. In contrast, many of the currently investigated advanced reactor concepts demand fuel with higher enrichments. This includes high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), characterized by a 235U enrichment of 5 to 20 wt%. The necessity of HALEU transportation in the fuel production cycle leads to new challenges caused by various technical and regulatory hurdles. Current U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission–approved transportation package designs for UF6 with enrichments above 5 wt% provide relatively small payloads [≤116 kg (250 lb)]. Furthermore, in accordance with 10 CFR 71.55, package design activities for fissile material enriched above 5 wt% need to consider water infiltration in the containment as part of the criticality safety evaluations. This study presents a transportation package concept for HALEU advanced nuclear reactor fuel with a significantly higher payload of up to 376 kg (830 lb) of fissile material per package and up to 1881 kg (4149 lb) of HALEU per legal weight truck. The anticipated chemical form of the transported material is UO2 downblended from available highly enriched uranium. The concept utilizes a combination of existing transportation packaging, 18 inner canisters, and a novel basket design that includes a borated aluminum flux trap. Criticality and shielding evaluations; fundamental structural, confinement, and thermal assessments; and studies on package operations are presented. The results of this study build significant confidence in the technical feasibility of a high-capacity HALEU transportation package concept while demonstrating the concept’s potential to meet U.S. regulatory requirements.

Assessment of Critical Experiment Benchmark Applicability to a Large-Capacity HALEU Transportation Package Concept

This work presents an assessment of the applicability of existing benchmark critical experiments to the criticality safety code validation for a large-capacity high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) transportation package concept. Numerous next-generation nuclear reactor designs require HALEU fuel, which is characterized by an enrichment between 5 and 20 wt% 235U. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed to recover and downblend highly enriched uranium from DOE-owned used nuclear fuel to accelerate the demonstration of commercially viable microreactor technologies. One element of the infrastructure needed to demonstrate HALEU-fueled reactors is the ability to safely transport enriched product to be used for fuel fabrication. There is uncertainty as to whether existing critical benchmark experiment data are sufficient to support criticality safety code validation for HALEU transportation applications. The anticipated chemical form of the HALEU in the proposed transportation concept is UO2 with 20 wt% 235U/U. The concept uses a combination of an existing transportation packaging design and a novel basket design, including borated aluminum flux traps. The basket provides space for 18 reusable, stainless steel canisters that contain the HALEU. In 10 CFR 71, normal conditions of transport (NCTs) and hypothetical accident conditions (HACs) are defined for fissile material transportation packages. NCT and HAC KENO-VI models of the transportation package were developed using the Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluation (SCALE) 6.2.3 computer code package, and optimum moderation conditions were determined using the SCALE SAMPLER sequence. The SCALE Tools for Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis Methodology Implementation (TSUNAMI) sequences were then used to compare the neutronic characteristics of 1584 International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project benchmark critical experiments with the NCT and HAC HALEU transportation models. The TSUNAMI integral correlation coefficient ck was the criterion used to rank neutronic similarity. Thirty-four experiments were identified as similar (ck ≥ 0.9) to the NCT model, and 55 experiments were identified as similar to the HAC model. Hundreds of experiments were also identified as at least marginally similar (ck ≥ 0.8) to both models. The results indicate that additional critical experiments are unlikely to be needed to support HALEU transportation criticality safety analyses for package concepts similar to the concept package analyzed.

Analysis of the Multi-Steps Package (MSP) for Series-Connected SiC-MOSFETs

In this paper, a multi-step packaging (MSP) concept for series-connected SiC-MOSFETs is analyzed. The parasitic capacitance generated by the dielectric isolation of each device in the stack has a significant impact on the dynamic behavior of SiC devices, which impacts the voltage-sharing performances. The study performed in this work reveals that the parasitic capacitance network introduced by the classical planar packaging unbalances the voltage across the series-connected SiC-MOSFETs. Therefore, a new drain-source parasitic capacitance network configuration provided by the MSP is proposed in order to improve the voltage balancing across the series-connected devices. The concept is introduced and analyzed thanks to equivalent models and time domain simulations. To verify the analysis, the voltage sharing between four series-connected 1.2 kV SiC MOSFETs is tested in a double pulse test setup. The experimental results confirm that the MSP has a better performance than the classical one in terms of voltage sharing. Furthermore, the proposed investigation shows that the MSP increases the middle point dv/dt of the switching cell. Sensitive analysis and thermal management considerations are also discussed in order to clarify the MSP limitations and indicate the ways to optimize the MSP from a thermal point of view.

Two-Layer Functional Coatings of Chitosan Particles with Embedded Catechin and Pomegranate Extracts for Potential Active Packaging.

Two-layer functional coatings for polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) films were developed for the active packaging concept. Prior to coating, the polymer films were activated by O2 and NH3 plasma to increase their surface free energy and to improve the binding capacity and stability of the coatings. The first layer was prepared from a macromolecular chitosan solution, while the second (upper) layer contained chitosan particles with embedded catechin or pomegranate extract. Functionalized films were analyzed physico-chemically to elemental composition using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and XPS. Further, oxygen permeability and wettability (Contact Angle) were examined. The antimicrobial properties were analyzed by the standard ISO 22196 method, while the antioxidative properties were determined with an ABTS assay. Functionalized films show excellent antioxidative and antimicrobial efficacy. A huge decrease in oxygen permeability was achieved in addition. Moreover, a desorption experiment was also performed, confirming that the migration profile of a compound from the surfaces was in accordance with the required overall migration limit. All these properties indicate the great potential of the developed active films/foils for end-uses in food packaging.

Recyclable mono materials for packaging of fresh chicken fillets: New design for recycling in circular economy

The focus on sustainability and circular economy is leading to a need for development of new food packaging concepts, including recyclable materials that ideally consist of a single material in a monolayer system. This research was focused on the possibility of replacing complex multilayered material [amorphous polyethylene terephthalate/polyethylene (APET/PE)] with simple recyclable mono material [high‐density polyethylene (HDPE)] for packaging of chicken fillets in modified atmosphere packaging (CO2/N2: 60%/40%). Bacterial growth measured as total viable count (TVC), lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae, Brochothrix thermosphacta and Escherichia coli for chicken fillets packed in HDPE mono materials was compared with chicken fillets packed in APET/PE.TVC increased during the storage period (24 days) with high level of TVC count (7 log10 CFU/g) recorded at Days 19–20 of storage in both HDPE and APET/PE material. No significant differences were recorded in off‐odour between chicken stored in APET/PE compared with HDPE in CO2/N2 atmosphere during the storage period (samples were regarded as acceptable on the 24th day of storage). The drip loss increased in all samples during storage, and no significant differences between samples stored in different materials were recorded.Significant differences in bacterial growth were recorded between samples with different gas volume to product volume (G/P) ratio (Day 17), implying that higher G/P ratio is resulting in lower TVC count. The lowest G/P ratio caused the highest drip loss, whereas addition of CO2 emitter reduced the drip loss to some extent.This research is very encouraging as it provides new insight into the use of monolayer materials as well as the importance of design for recycling in circular economy.