Shippers that want to seal cartons quicker, more economically, stronger and more securely under a variety of conditions want to use water-activated tape (WAT). Those were the conclusions of an industry-leading testing and verification company, SGS North America (SGS). Intertape Polymer Group (IPG) and its brand, Better Packages, commissioned the tests to help customer compare the performance of water-activated tape (WAT) and pressure sensitive tape (PST).
Here are the findings of those studies:
Productivity - This test compared the number of cartons that could be sealed in a six-hour work day using water-activated tape and pressure-sensitive tape. The results were that carton sealing productivity was 21 percent higher using a water-activated tape dispenser and water-activated tape compared with the use of a hand-held tape gun with pressure-sensitive tape.
Carton Sealing Material Used – This test looked at the relative amount of tape used to seal cartons, comparing water-activated tape with pressure sensitive tape. The results were that the average amount of tape needed to seal a single carton using water-activated tape was eight percent less than using pressure-sensitive tape.
Tape Integrity Testing – The tape integrity test examined how water-activated tape versus pressure-sensitive tape withstood a consistent force under a variety of atmospheric conditions. The researchers sealed cartons with both kinds of tape. They used an Instron test machine to apply consistent, compressive force measuring how much pressure would be needed to do one of three things: 1) open the carton along the seal (2) tear the tape or (3) break the carton.
When the cartons were sealed with water-activated tape it took 60 pounds of pressure to cause the cartons to break. When the cartons were sealed with pressure–sensitive tape, it took 16.8 pounds of pressure to open the carton. The testers noted that this force level is easily employed by the average person. They concluded that pressure-sensitive tape “…cannot secure the carton integrity or prevent the package (and its contents) from incursion.”
Adhesion Testing – This test compared how well water-activated tape and pressure-sensitive tape adhere to cartons after setting for five seconds and 24 hours. The testers sealed four cartons with both types of tape. In one test they removed the tape by hand after five seconds and noted how much of the carton was pulled off. In the second test, they measured the adhesion after 24 hours.
These were pass/fail tests assessing “tackiness” or bonding, which is a key component of carton tamper-evidence and security.
Researchers concluded: “Water-activated tape has a strong adhesiveness to the cardboard carton surface while pressure-sensitive tape does not.” Their results are summarized below.
Conclusion
After the testing was completed, the researchers at SGS summarized their findings this way: “These test results are significant and should lead water-activated tape to be the proper, best method in virtually all carton sealing applications.”
For a complete copy of the SGS report click here.
Learn more about water-activated tape dispensing solutions.
No comments:
Post a Comment