Research & Testing

Consortium for Distribution Packaging Research (CDPR)

Center for Food & Pharmaceutical Packaging Research (CFPPR)

Contract Research & Testing

The Consortium for Distribution Packaging is an operational unit within the School of Packaging at Michigan State University. It was established in 1990 to encourage basic and applied research, testing and service in the area of distribution packaging. Currently, it is the only program that examines the field as a whole with the aim of evaluating new developments and collecting and disseminating information. The Consortium is funded and supported by industry and academia. This enables research that is beyond the capability and available funding of individual organizations. Techniques and advances thus developed can increase the effectiveness of all member companies. With the participation and support of more than 10 companies, more than 40 studies have been completed.

Table of Contents

• Areas Of Interest
• Research Faculty
• Research Facilities
• Projects Undertaken
• Software Programs Developed
• Operating Environment And Benefits To Member Companies
• Financial Participation
• Invitation To Participate
• Joint Membership

AREAS OF INTEREST back to top

• Measurement and description of various transportation and storage environments.
• Effects of shock, vibration and compression on packages and products.
• Warehousing and storage and the effect of climate.
• Design and evaluation of packaging containers and systems for product protection against mechanical force.
• Evaluation of packaging materials used for distribution packaging based on performance and environmental concerns.
• Development of software to assist in package design.

RESEARCH FACULTY back to top

The Consortium research faculty consists of faculty members of the School of Packaging and graduate research staff members. The Consortium also draws on the diverse backgrounds of the faculties of Chemical Engineering, Food Science, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering and Statistics, among others.

RESEARCH FACILITIES back to top

The School of Packaging has one of the nation's leading packaging dynamics research laboratories. It is equipped to conduct research relating to distribution environment measurement and simulation, shock and vibration testing of products and packages, material performance evaluation, climate and UV light exposure, and accelerated trip life simulation.

PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN back to top

• Correlation of drop height recorders and error estimation.
• Correlation between distance in an over the road truck shipment and time on a simulated vibration test.
• Modeling of temperature variation trailers as a function of product, outside temperature and trailer.
• A comparison between various package cushioning materials based on performance and environmental concerns.
• Performance of recycled and high performance liners/mediums in corrugated board under various temperature and humidity conditions.
• Comparison of the cushion performance of recycled plastic cushioning materials.
• The effect of different shapes (trapezoid, arcs, coreout without cushion, etc.) on dynamic cushioning properties of fabricated materials.
• A study of the overnight small parcel delivery systems to identify and quantify the unique handling requirements of packages.
• Identification of methodology, equipment and software necessary to perform environmental data acquisition of compression values on individual parcels and pallet loads shipments.
• Study of shock response spectrum for product fragility testing and package design.
• Study of lateral shocks observed during fork truck and pallet jack operations for the handling of palletized loads.
• Reliability and error estimation for mechanical shock recorders.
• Measuring the dynamic compression levels in parcel shipments and developing a relationship between dynamic compression versus static compression.
• Environmental comparison of loose fill cushioning materials
• Thermal properties of various packages as a function of insulation type and coolant used at different surrounding temperatures.
• Development of computer aided cushion design software to select materials and predict shock levels.
• A comparison of the NSTA and ASTM package vibration tests.
• Damage conditions related to "Leakers" in the small parcel environment.
• Predicting the stability of stacked pallet loads of corrugated boxes and plastic bottles due to creep in warehouse conditions.
• Reduction in box compression strength after shipment through the overnight small parcel distribution environment.
• Coefficient of friction for EPS foam packages with and without shrink/stretch film on steel conveying and discharge equipment.
• Modification of shock fragility test procedure to include products exhibiting plastic behavior.
• Effect of shipping oriented and closure type on "leakers" in gallon size bottles.
• Lateral compression loads on packages due to jams and stops on mechanical sorting equipment as a function of conveying speeds and discharge methods.
• Stability of stacked pallet loads under warehouse conditions.
• Study of package drop orientation and pictorial warning for the small parcel shipping environment.
• Reduction of compression strength in corrugated containers for different regions of the country using the ground small parcel environment of Federal Express and United Parcel Service.
• A comparison of the abrasion of four different types of labels (control, using cheaper varnish, no varnish coating, double the number of coatings) and their impact on performance using a GA cat (model D).
• Bending stiffness characteristics of long narrow (four sided and three sided) tube boxes, incorporating the effects of material properties, flute type (medium and liner), and flute orientation.
• Performance on convoluted foam versus plain polyurethanes. Effect of size of valleys and peaks on transmitted shock.
• Drop height and impact measurement for large and heavy packages (50-150 lbs.) in the small parcel shipping environment.
• New Test Method for High Altitude Shipments of Packaged Products
• Effect of High Altitude Shipments on Integrity of Hazardous Materials Packages
• Packaging for E-Commerce
• Creep-Performance for Compression Strength of Corrugated Boxes for Accelerated Lab Testing
• Packaging Specifications for Corrugated Boxes with Heavy Flowable Products in Single Parcel Shipments
• Effects of Recording Parameters on Power Density Spectra in Transport Vibration Measurement
• E-Commerce Packaging Requirements for Fresh Produce and Flowers
• Predicting Box Compression Strength based on ECT (Evaluating McKee's Formula) for High Performance Corrugated Board

  SOFTWARE PROGRAMS DEVELOPED back to top

  Various software packages are being developed using the results from these studies in designing packages.

  OPERATING ENVIRONMENT AND BENEFITS TO MEMBER COMPANIES back to top

  The Consortium's advisory board consists of industry sponsors and faculty members of the School of Packaging and meets twice a year. Each member company has one representative on the advisory board. Three faculty members from the School of Packaging, who are principally engaged in the research activities, and also serve on the board. The board meets at least twice yearly to discuss recent research, review plans for future projects and suggest priorities. The member companies help select and prioritize research projects, as well as advise the Consortium's director on budget and management matters.

  The first meeting of the year reviews the proposals and selects the projects. Each board member votes on the proposals presented, ranking them according to various factors such as need, available funds, time for the study, etc. The second meeting provides an overview of the projects and presents results and findings of the various studies in progress. Written reports are provided annually on findings. Member companies have access to highly specialized faculty expertise and a pool of potential employees trained in packaging research techniques while working on various projects. Work performed within the mission of the Consortium is largely participant directed and the results are shared equally.

  FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION back to top

  Each member company provides $8,500 per year to the School of Packaging. This entitles them to one member each on the advisory board, the opportunity to propose new studies and access to all research being conducted by the Consortium.

  INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE back to top
  
  Companies interested in participating in the Consortium for Distribution Packaging Research can contact the Consortium's director. A letter of invitation will be sent with lists of current research projects and member companies, and an invoice for the first year's membership fee of $8,500. The company representative will be invited to the upcoming Consortium board meeting to participate in future studies.

  For more information
  Dr. S. Paul Singh
  School of Packaging
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, MI 48824-1223
  (517) 355-7614
  Fax: (517) 353-8999
  e-mail: singh@msu.edu

  JOINT MEMBERSHIP back to top
  
  Companies can take advantage of the opportunities in both the Center for Food and Pharmaceutical Packaging Research and the Consortium for Distribution Packaging Research at a substantially reduced rate. The joint membership fee is $14,500 per year. Individual memberships would total $17,500.

  To obtain an invitation for joint membership, contact
  Dr. Susan Selke at (517) 353-4891.