Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/763374
4 ista views • December 2016 • www.ista.org A specification for this situation should be developed with information relating to the distance it needs to be carried by a customer and not necessarily the mil thickness of that bag. Once that bag has proven to meet the performance needs, can it then have the material thickness documented. Approaching inversely only limits your ability to get an optimized packaging system. So how can performance based specifications principles be applied to transport packaging? The answer is simple, by using pre-shipment distribution test standards to dictate quality of packing materials and design. Distribution test standards set performance thresholds for complete packaged-product systems by translating real world hazard levels into controlled laboratory tests. They are predictive tools that help packaging professionals understand the risks within a particular supply chain much like the example of establishing a real world performance expectation for color loss due to sun exposure. In essence, they are pre-built performance based specifications. The benefits of performance based specifications apply to both the supplier and the end user. End users can free themselves from trying to sort out marketing claims and sales pitches and achieve what they are truly are looking for "a box that can support a minimum load and/or weight" or " a bag that can hold my product while the consumer takes it home." Rather than "this is equal to or equivalent to what you currently have". Also consider the fact that the box had to travel to that warehouse stack and that journey contributes to the packages ability to perform, all of which could be overlooked if only a material construction or individual material evaluation is specified i.e. 32 ECT. At the end of the day, should an end user care how a packaging component is constructed so long as it is fit for use? Suppliers are offered the opportunity to utilize different elements to optimize packaging components. Said another way, it allows suppliers to provide the most economical solutions without compromising performance. Evaluating all the individual packaging based specification materials or components against a performance threshold which challenges the complete packaging system against all the forces that will be acting against it is critical to the success of that product. As with the compression and puncture resistance example, material construction based specifications work perfect for that static input but the packaged-product systems will certainly not just sit in a warehouse or on a shelf at a store. Don't take for granted distribution testing as tests set a performance threshold that you can use to optimize a packaging system. They allow you to compare multiple designs, materials and vendors to an unbiased opinion of "is this the best packaging design for my objective? (cost, environment, customer, etc.)". The dynamics of the real world call for dynamic performance based specifications which can be achieved through the utilization of general simulation distribution tests. Dynamic Performance Based Specifications > CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 "Don't take for granted distribution testing as tests set a performance threshold that you can use to optimize a packaging system." Inside ISTA Headquarters