Package Cushioning Research Articles

Lean Design of Alternative Packaging Cushion Material for Glass Bottles using Rice Husk and Coconut Fibre

In recent years, rice husk and coconut fibre started to have substantial commercial value in the industry due to the research being conducted on these agricultural wastes as a new raw material consisting of high fibres and abundant resources. Therefore, this investigation determines the suitability of producing cushion packaging from rice husk and coconut fibre while reducing the amount of pulping material required from virgin wood and the usage of petroleum for making Polystyrene. This study aims to design cushion packaging from rice husk and coconut fibre using the lean concept while studying the compatibility of these cushions as primary packaging. The cushion is designed using AutoCAD software. Three types of cushion packaging models are created using different compositions of rice husk (RH) and coconut fibre (CF): Model 1 (100% RH 0% CF), Model 2 (50% RH 50% CF), and Model 3 (0% RH 100% CF). Each composition is combined with 450g of latex adhesive and 50g of water. The impact performances of cushions from different compositions are conducted using the Drop Tester Model AD-100 Design Series 4410 based on the Standard ASTM D 5276 (Drop Test of Loaded Containers by Free Fall 1998). Model 2 (50% RH 50% CF) gave the best performance in the capability to withstand the impact at a fixed height of 92 cm in the drop test compared to Model 1 (100% RH 0% CF) and Model 3 (0% RH 100% CF). Thus, the composition of rice husk and coconut fibre is the most suitable as packaging cushioning compared to the cushion with a single composition of rice husk or coconut fibre.

Simple Approximate Solutions for Dynamic Response of Suspension System

An approximate simplified analytic solution is proposed for the one DOF (degree of freedom) static and dynamic displacements alongside the stiffness (dynamic and static) and damping coefficients (minimum and maximum/critical values) of a parallel spring-damper suspension system connected to a solid mass-body gaining its energy by falling from height h. The analytic solution for the prescribed system is based on energy conservation equilibrium, considering the impact by a special G parameter. The formulation is based on the works performed by Timoshenko (1928), Mindlin (1945), and the U. S. army-engineering handbook (1975, 1982). A comparison between the prescribed studies formulations and current development has led to qualitative agreement. Moreover, quantitative agreement was found between the current prescribed suspension properties approximate value - results and the traditionally time dependent (transient, frequency) parameter properties. Also, coupling models that concerns the linkage between different work and energy terms, e.g., the damping energy, friction work, spring potential energy and gravitational energy model was performed. Moreover, approximate analytic solution was proposed for both cases (friction and coupling case), whereas the uncoupling and the coupling cases were found to agree qualitatively with the literature studies. Both coupling and uncoupling solutions were found to complete each other, explaining different literature attitudes and assumptions. In addition, some design points were clarified about the wire mounting isolators stiffness properties dependent on their physical behavior (compression, shear tension), based on Cavoflex catalog. Finally, the current study aims to continue and contribute the suspension, package cushioning and containers studies by using an initial simple pre – design analytic evaluation of falling mass- body (like cushion, containers, etc.).

Acceleration spectrum analysis of hyperbolic tangent package under random excitation

AbstractMany packaging cushion materials follow the hyperbolic tangent type of constitutive relation, so a hyperbolic tangent stiffness non‐linearity was derived to describe the stiffness property of the package. Transport package was modelled as the single degree of freedom (SDOF) of hyperbolic tangent spring–mass–damping (SMD) system. The displacement and velocity responses of the system were obtained by Fokker–Planck–Kolmogorov (FPK) equation. Based on the kinematic equation and integral transforming, the approximate analytic solution of the acceleration response power spectral density (PSD) of the hyperbolic tangent package was established for the first time, and the influences of system non‐linearities on the acceleration response PSD were investigated. Validation experiment with a complete packaged computer was carried out to verify the proposed approach. Non‐linearity of the stiffness influenced the acceleration response PSD through the effect of parameter γ and statistical moment mi0. The frequency corresponding to acceleration response peak was determined by the damping correlation coefficient α and parameter γ, which was determined by system characteristic parameter β, frequency parameter ω0 and statistical moment mi0. The proposed approach can be used to predict the acceleration response PSD of transport package, and the analysis has important value for packaging optimization design.

Dynamic Response of Asymmetric and Nonlinear Packaging System under Random Excitation

This paper focuses on the dynamic response of three asymmetric and nonlinear packaging systems (ANPSs) of practical transport package under random excitation. Next to presenting the displacement probability density functions (PDFs) of ANPSs derived through FPK equations, the influences of the excitation grades and the characteristic parameters (such as the damping, the nonlinear stiffness, and the strain) of packaging cushion materials on the response are discussed in detail. Then, the generalized PDFs of the response peaks are defined and examined by three common distributions. The investigation shows that “inverse excitation cushion factors” (IECFs) have a significance on effecting the displacement PDFs approaching different distributions. Most PDFs of the unilateral response peaks approach Rayleigh distributions and present non-Gaussian characters. The present methods are verified through the validation numerical solutions. Furthermore, the application of the scheme for fatigue damage evaluation of the transport package is carried out.

A New-Type Package of Corrugation Paperboard Bracket on Electron Gun

In this research work the moulded pulp of inexpensive and environmental-friendly advantages over plastic foams, excellent machining technique is applied into the transport packaging of electron gun. Firstly, three packaging protection models of moulded pulp (one layer, two layers, and three layers) on electron gun are developed on account of the structural characteristics of electron gun, which have the advantages of compact structure with placement, orientation and fixation, favorable stability, count, and dustproof function for electron gun. Secondly, the package cushioning and vibration-proof performances of these packaging protection models are respectively studied by six groups of drop shock experiments and sine vibration tests of comparison. All results show that, the three packaging protection models of moulded pulp have favorable packaging function, and can provide effective protection for the products of electron gun during storage and transportation.

A New-Type Packaging Protection Model of Moulded Pulp on Electron Gun

Electron gun is a kind of fragile and irregular-shape electronic product with multi-material, slender and similarly tube, non-rigid connection structure, which highly demand packaging protection during distribution. In this research work the moulded pulp of inexpensive and environmental-friendly advantages over plastic foams, and excellent machining technique is applied into the transport packaging of electron gun. Firstly, three packaging protection models of moulded pulp (one layer, two layers, and three layers) on electron gun are developed on account of the structural characteristics of electron gun, which have the advantages of compact structure with placement, orientation and fixation, favorable stability, count, and dustproof function for electron gun. Secondly, the package cushioning and vibration-proof performances of these packaging protection models are respectively studied by six groups of drop shock experiments and sine vibration tests of comparison. All results show that, the three packaging protection models of moulded pulp have favorable packaging function, and can provide effective protection for the products of electron gun during storage and transportation.

Parametric Design and Multi-Objective Optimization of LCD Packaging Cushion Foams

Compression simulation of package in ANSYS software will find design defects. Based on the simulation results, DOE(Design Exploration Module) generates the optimization design in accordance with the response surface analysis. The packaging cushion foams size parametric design and multi-objective optimization were carried out. Optimal design points were obtained. The foams size parameters were generated by Goal Driven Optimization. The new cushion model parameters will be adjusted automatically according to optimization results. The compression simulation of the new design model was performed to identify the reliability.

Design and Optimization of Packaging Cushion Foams for Liquid Crystal Display

The compression simulation of LCD package indicates some potential design problems. Under large compression force the package will slope due to asymmetric deformation. The 3-D whole package parametric model was built in Pro/Engineer. Compression process simulation of package in Ansys will find design defects. Based on the simulation results, Ansys Design Exploration module generates the optimization design in accordance with the response surface analysis result. The compression simulation was performed to identify the reliability of the new design. In addition, some guidance on the cushion packaging parametric design and optimization was put forward.

Evaluation of Dynamic Property of Radiogram under Repetitive Drop Shock

Repetitive impact during highway and railway transportation has potential and severe harm for the product with fragile or damageable component. The radiogram belongs to a typical electronic product with panel and box structure, and occurs with the falling down of loudspeaker contacted on the top box, the failure of electronic components, and the fracture of outside box during transportation and storage. So the main feature of this article is the analysis on the natural vibration property, and the evaluation on the drop shock property including amplification factor and relevant curves under nine kinds of repetitive impact with different impact duration and drop height. The results show that the amplification factor markedly rise while the impact duration 2.02ms (nearly causing the resonance of radiogram), the repetitive drop shock may bring more serious damage than single impact load, so the case should be paid attention for the design of package cushioning.

Dynamical Simulation about Buffer Packaging of Computer <sup> </sup>

A host computer packaging cushion is designed, including deflection, buffering capacity, creep checking. Then g a three-dimensional model of the host buffer packaging systems is established Simulation of the system, including static analysis, modal analysis, harmonic analysis and transient dynamic analysis. Finally, the physical system is used to do the sine frequency, fixed-frequency sinusoidal vibration test. the vulnerability of the buffer package sinusoidal frequency calculate by the computer modal analysis larger than the resonance frequency of the measured test values This is due to host the actual shell of the computer by each side made of thin steel plate riveting, and list them in the computer simulation as a whole in the shell, so that the overall stiffness of the system become larger, so that the analysis of the inherent frequency than the actual value. Transient dynamic analysis of the computer meets the fixed-frequency sinusoidal test results，which are all happened in the prophase of vibration in the balance position. This vibration last a period causing fatigue, so that the acceleration package increases slowly and the product damage.

Optimal Design of Television Packaging Based on Drop Analysis

Optimization method was applied to obtain optimal television packaging cushion for reducing drop impact response on television. At first, by establishing the parametric finite element model of television with packaging, the drop simulation was performed, and the equivalent stress distribution, acceleration response curve and other related parameters were obtained. Simulation shows that maximum acceleration is overload. Then, structural optimization of television with packaging was performed. The equivalent stress distribution and acceleration curves of optimal packaging and without optimal packaging for the independent components were studied. The results show that maximum acceleration is reduced and the cushioning performance is enhanced.

Behaviour of Multi-Layered Corrugated Paperboard Cushioning Systems under Impact Loads

This paper presents some of the latest results of a research project aimed at using composite corrugated paperboard structures for protection of products against mechanical shocks and vibration during transportation and handling. Specifically, the behaviour of multi-layered corrugated paperboard (MCPB) under shock loading is investigated. Conventionally, packaging cushion design requires the determination of the maximum expected shock levels or equivalent drop which are usually determined from statistical analysis of original field measurements. With this approach, it is generally acknowledged that the cushioning element is engineered to provide adequate protection for statistically likely events but not for extreme events with low statistical likelihood. It is reluctantly accepted that, should it occur, the latter will result in damage to the product. MCPB can be formed with a broad range of compressive characteristics and with various proportions of elastic and plastic behaviour. The objective of this experimental investigation was to determine the optimum elastic/plastic proportion to extend the protective range to include large shock levels. The experimental results obtained include the effects of compression history on the stress-strain properties of MCPB as well as the behaviour of the material in both virgin and pre-compressed form under impulsive loads. The mechanism of deformation of the corrugations (flutes) was studied using high-speed video equipment. The complex acceleration signals produced during deformation of the composite corrugated paperboard cushions under shock loading were analysed by means of the shock response spectrum. Experiments have shown that inserting a sacrificial crumple element of virgin corrugated paperboard at the optimum contact area ratio dramatically lowers the overall level of the resulting shock response spectrum. This has the effect of increasing the allowable drop height for a limited number of extreme events. The main conclusion of the research is that MCPB in both virgin and pre-compressed forms can be combined to provide significantly enhanced protection to products against mechanical hazards during distribution.

Dropping damage boundary curves for cubic and tangent package cushioning systems

AbstractThe fatigue damage of most packaged products is caused by dropping shock in transportation. The concept of the dropping damage boundary curve is therefore very important in the design of a package cushioning system. This paper investigates the dropping shock equations and dropping damage boundary curves for cubic and tangent package cushioning systems. The results obtained in the present paper and the author's previous paper compose the complete description of product dropping damage for linear and typical non‐linear package cushioning systems. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Optimum Design Method for Package Cushions.

From the point of view of environmental protection and limited resources, reducing the amount of package cushioning and properly designing its size are problems that need to be solved. In this study, we introduced the idea of linear programming to the usual cushioning design method. Consequently, various restrictive conditions (the strength of the part of the product which is supported by the cushion, the maximum area of the part that can be allocated to the product) could be considered in cushioning design. In addition, we could optimize the volume of the package cushion and the total material cost of the cushion and shipping container as well as the thickness of the cushion. The main results obtained through simulation are as follows. (1) It was possible to reduce the cushion volume by about 50 percent in the specifications of this report. (2) The ratio of fiberboard's unit price to the cushio's influences the size of the cushion in optimum cushioning design taking into account the total material cost. (3) There is a tendency for low-expansion foam to be suitable for cases in which the area of the cushion is limited, while high-expansion foam is suitable for cases in which the strength of the supporting part of the product is low.

Study of static cushioning properties and construction of a database for static cushioning properties

AbstractThe rapid advance of computerization in industrial package design has led to a strong tendency toward CAD/CAM systems using personal computers for quick design and trial manufacturing.New tools based on a database of the cushioning properties of packaging materials will be needed for the design of package cushioning.Using a compression testing machine with computer control, an attempt has been made to construct such a database with registered characteristics for 47 samples of foamed polyethylene, foamed polypropylene and foamed polyethylene‐polystyrene.This database offers the following functions and is recorded on floppy disk:(i) calculation of static cushioning properties (value);(ii) print‐out of the computed results;(iii) drawing characteristic figures for designing package cushioning;(iv) indicating optimum value of static cushioning properties;(v) additional registration of new samples.

A comparison between non-gaussian closure and statistical linearization techniques for random vibration of a nonlinear oscillator

The non-Gaussian closure technique is applied to a nonlinear single degree of freedom oscillator subjected to a stationary white noise excitation. The nonlinear restoring force in this system is a softening spring with a hyperbolic tangent behavior. This type of nonlinear system has practical applications in package cushioning. The governing differential equation of motion is used to generate relations between stationary response statistics. These relations are then employed to evaluate a corresponding number of unknown coefficients in a non-Gaussian probability distribution function. A truncated Gram-Charlier expansion is chosen for the probability density function. Up to the sixth order moments of the response process are obtained. The probability density functions predicted by this technique are then compared with density functions constructed by exact solution via the Fokker-Plank-Kolmogorov equation. A comparison is also made with the density function evaluated by statistical linearization for this system. Limitations of this non-Gaussian closure method are discussed.

Dynamic restoring and dissipative parameters of non-linear systems

Elastometer vibration and shock absorbing machinery mountings and package cushioning cannot be accurately modeled as linear Voigt type systems, since most of them exhibit stiffening or softening elasticity in conjunction with friction and viscous damping. Improved accuracy may be achieved by a non-linear shock or vibration loaded model, incorporating linear with non-linear elasticity and combined Coulomb and viscous damping. Formulae of such a model are compiled whereby optimal cushioning systems and mounts in shock and vibration loading may be designed. The use of these formulae requires experimental evaluation of two pairs of restoring and dissipative parameters in shock and vibration loading. Equations and test procedures for evaluating these parameters by means of shock and vibration machine tests are presented, along with a detailed discussion of properties of hysteresis loops of non-linear single degree of freedom systems in shock and vibration loading. A special test jig is described comprising a non-linear system with adjustable non-linear elasticity as well as variable Coulomb and viscous damping. This jig was used to evaluate the validity of the mathematical model by means of extensive tests on a shock and vibration machine. Programs developed for an Apple II microcomputer facilitated rapid and accurate computations whereby a numerical example is presented as an illustration of the procedure for evaluating restoring and dissipative parameters. This mathematical model and test procedures are believed to closely approximate shock and vibration isolation systems. As such, they may be conducive to developing better cushioning material and improved machinery mounts.

Two Degree-of-Freedom Elastoplastic Response to a Step Velocity Pulse

The response of a two-degree-of-freedom elastoplastic system subjected to an instantaneous change in velocity is presented. The specific excitation considered is of interest in problems involving severe shocks of short duration, and, specifically, to problems of vehicular collision, package cushioning of sensitive equipment, air delivery, and building frames subject to ground shock. The approach used consists in studying first the response on the assumption that one of the two springs remains elastic while the other spring deforms beyond the limiting elastic range. For example, it was found that when only base spring yielding is allowed, the law of variation of the maximum deformation of the base spring conforms to that of a single-degree-of-freedom elastoplastic system. Next, consideration is given to systems for which both springs can yield, and, for certain combinations of the parameters, approximate relationships are presented for defining conditions under which yielding is likely to be localized in one of the springs.