Chapter 25Analysis of Thermoformed Products
Written in Cooperation with Manfred Reichert, Remshalden, Germany
The preceding chapters described the analyses used by the industry to test thermoforming films as well as appropriate means of measuring thickness, shrinkage, gloss level, DSC, and DMA, among other factors considered. Subsequently, an issue of importance is how all these factors contribute to the thermoformed results. Thus we address in this chapter the possibilities of testing the produced containers, primarily empty containers.
The characteristics of concern are as follows1:
- Wall thickness distribution
- Top load
- Visual appearance
- Water vapor permeability
- Oxygen permeability
- Transparency
Additionally described will be the main features of a testing device prepared for the practical assessment of the thermoformability by Fraunhofer Anwendungszentrum für Verarbeitungsmaschinen und Verpackungstechnik AVV, Dresden.
The above‐mentioned qualities of a container created by thermoforming are also important as to how far container qualities deviate from the tolerance ranges within a multicavity matrix. A container’s quality must also remain constant during a working cycle, for example, if the production is for 60 cups per working cycle.
Figure 25.1 Points for measuring the wall thickness distribution of cups
25.1 WALL THICKNESS DISTRIBUTION
Normally, the exact positions ...
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