A new Model for Deformation of carton Board Packages by Manual Handling

Consumer packaging needs to protect and contain the product as well as be appealing to consumers. Traditionally, these requirements have been treated separately by applying different methods. For packaging to attract consumers it has to give an impression of high product quality. The package must not deform excessively during manual handling because this gives an impression of low quality that affects the brand. Excessive deformation could also damage the package. Even if the damage is minor and the contents are unaffected the package could be rejected by consumers leading to increased wastage. In the industry the term “grip stiffness” has long been used for describing the deformation by manual handling, but this term lacks a proper scientific underpinning.

The industrial partners in this project are BillerudKorsnäs and Tetra Pak. BillerudKorsnäs manufactures paper and board for packaging. Tetra Pak manufactures packaging and equipment mainly for liquid food. Both companies are world leading within their respective fields.

With this project, the industry will be equipped with testing methods that simulate how consumers actually grasp packages and apply forces. This project also aims at linking standard material properties to forces and deformations during manual handling.

For Örebro University this project represents an opportunity to expand its competence within an identified niche, namely how mechanical properties influence consumers quality judgment. It will also generate knowledge about how forming processes can be controlled for satisfying end user needs, which will benefit the overall strategy of Mechanical Engineering at Örebro University. The measurement method created as part of the project will be useful for testing packages in future projects.