Packaging Science: Principles of Product Protection and Supply Chain Logistics

Packaging and Distribution Fundamentals

Product + Package = Distribution

Severity is the measure of the environment.

Product represents the level of resistance.

Product resistance + packaging measured ability to protect = Environmental Hazard.

Packaging Definitions

Underpackaging: Provides less protective capacity than required.

Overpackaging: The package protection level is higher than necessary.

Main Purpose of Packaging

To protect the product during transport.

Key Functions of Packaging

• Protection: Shielding against possible hazards.
• Containment: Preventing issues like liquids leaking or humidity affecting electronics.
• Apportionment: Making the product modular for easy breakdown or distribution.
• Unitization: Keeping items together (e.g., using a pallet).
• Communication: Providing necessary information via labels.
• Convenience: Ensuring ease of use for consumers.

Historical Evolution of Packaging

• Early packaging relied heavily on wood (wooden barrels and boxes).
• Rule 41: This rule historically discriminated against corrugated cases by placing a 400% tax on them.
• The box certificate requirement was removed once corrugated packaging became popular.
• A major transition occurred around World War I (WWI), shifting from wood crates to corrugated boxes.
• Load stabilization was challenging before the invention of stretch wrap.
• Plastics emerged in the 1960s, allowing for significant lightweighting.
• TEU: Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (a standard measure for container capacity).

Assessing Package Performance

Key Steps in Performance Evaluation

1. Product Limits: Determine the maximum stress and limits the product can handle.
2. Define the Environment: Identify what hazards and conditions the product will be exposed to during distribution.
3. Investigate Materials: Select materials that are available and cost-effective for the required protection.

Primary Goals of Packaging Design

• Product protection
• Ease of handling and storage
• Shipping effectiveness
• Manufacturing efficiency
• Ease of identification
• Meeting customer needs
• Environmental responsibility
• Cost optimization

Stakeholders in the Supply Chain

A Stakeholder is anyone with something invested in a company that could affect the outcome of the packaging process.

Stakeholder Relationships

• Vertical: Focuses on how one manufacturer can streamline processes.
• Internal: Utilizing universal pallet sizes to save time within the organization.
• Backward: Relationships extending back to the raw material manufacturer.
• Forward: Relationships extending forward to the end-use consumers.

Ensuring Freight Safety and Load Stabilization

Best Practices for Container Loading

• Never overload the container size or weight limits.
• Consider climate changes; use temperature-controlled containers when necessary.
• Always keep the center of gravity as low as possible.
• Place heavy items on the bottom and lighter ones on top.
• Place the heaviest items in the middle of the load.
• Load liquids on the bottom and dry products on top.

Dunnage Definition

Dunnage: Any material used to prevent movement or shifting of cargo during transport.

Transport costs typically range from 3 to 10 times the packaging costs.

Key Considerations for Packaging Design

• The product itself
• Fragility or robustness requirements
• The distribution environment
• The needs of the end user

Essential Product Research Components

• Quantitative measures
• Usage patterns
• Target audience analysis
• Competitor analysis
• Technical information
• Environmental information
• Legal information

Supply Chain Assessment and Environmental Factors

Assessment Process

1. Map the supply chain and use data loggers to monitor conditions.
2. Analyze the collected data to inform better decisions (e.g., cost optimization).

Environmental Stressors

• Vibration Spectrum: Typically involves an amplitude change between 3 and 300 Hz.
• Compression: The required compression strength depends heavily on the storage and distribution environment.

Warehouse Handling

Consider how the package will be handled in the warehouse, including:

• Floor stacking
• Racking systems (automated and manual handling)