Course Title: Materials Testing, Quality Control and Recent Trends in Flexible Packaging
Course Duration: Total Duration: 2 Days/6 Hours per Day
Format: PowerPoint presentations, video demonstrations, hands-on workshops, group projects, and interactive discussions
Course Objectives:
- Gain in-depth knowledge of raw materials used in the flexible packaging industry
- Understand various testing techniques and principles of packaging materials
- Learn quality control principles and best practices in the packaging industry
- Develop skills to ensure material performance and regulatory compliance
- Explore innovations, sustainability, and emerging technologies in flexible packaging
Target Audience:
- Quality control professionals, engineers, and testing personnel in flexible packaging
- Packaging technologists and production managers
- R&D professionals working in material development
- QC managers from the food and pharmaceutical packaging industries
- Raw material suppliers and converters
Day 1: Material Performance & Testing (6 Hours)
Session 1: Concepts on Packaging Raw Materials (1.5 hours)
- Common packaging materials
- Material properties: barrier, mechanical, optical, and thermal characteristics
- How material selection impacts packaging performance
Session 2: Importance of Material Testing (1.5 hours)
- Role of material testing in ensuring product safety and quality
- Understanding regulatory requirements and industry standards (ISO, ASTM, FDA, etc.)
Session 3: Material Testing Methods (1.5 hours)
- Mechanical Testing: Tensile strength, elongation, burst strength, impact resistance, tear resistance, puncture resistance, seal strength
- Thermal Testing: Heat sealing and heat shrinkage properties
- Barrier Properties Testing: WVTR, OTR, Light transmission/OD, and other gas barrier properties
- Microbiological Testing: SWAB test for packaging handlers, machine surfaces, and product contact surfaces
Session 4: Hands-On Workshop – Material Testing (1.5 hours)
- Practical demonstrations of basic material testing techniques
- Interpretation of test results for quality improvement
Day 2: Packaging Quality Control & Performance (6 Hours)
Session 5: Quality Control Principles & Processes (1.5 hours)
- Key concepts of quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC)
- Differences between QA and QC in the packaging context
- In-line and off-line QC processes
- Quality checkpoints during production: raw material, in-process, and final product testing
- Sampling techniques and inspection frequency
Session 6: Defect Detection & Failure Analysis (1.5 hours)
- Types of defects in flexible packaging (pinholes, delamination, poor seals, etc.)
- Tools and techniques for identifying and classifying defects
- Gap analysis and solution-making
- How to perform a root cause analysis?
Session 7: Innovations & Emerging Trends (1.5 hours)
- Sustainability in Flexible Packaging: Eco-friendly materials, biodegradable packaging, design for recycling
- Smart Packaging Technologies: RFID tags, sensors, time-temperature indicators
- Innovations in Barrier & Lightweight Materials: Emerging materials, nanotechnology applications
- Industry 4.0 & Flexible Packaging: AI, automation, predictive maintenance, real-time quality monitoring
Session 8: Hands-On Workshop & Group Projects (1.5 hours)
- Real-world case studies of QC failures and resolutions
- Hands-on practice in QC testing, visual and mechanical inspection techniques
- Group-based project: Identifying defects and proposing solutions
- Presentations of findings and strategies for implementation
- Review & Open Q&A
Assessment & Certification:
- Written and practical evaluation
- Course completion certificate for successful participants