IUMAT services
About us
Scientific Certainty for Your Packaging
IUMAT Services supports companies in testing, optimizing, and validating their packaging materials. We combine in-depth material research with advanced chemical analysis to guarantee the performance and shelf life of your packaging.
Physical & Aging Tests: Gas permeability, material characterization, temperature/humidity simulations, Xenon & QUV.
Chemical Analysis: Precise material composition and purity via DSC, GC-MS, FTIR, and more.
By choosing IUMAT, you rely on proven quality and fast results for dependable packaging innovation.
Products & services
Gaspermeability
Gaspermeability for oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor and non-corrosive/non-explosive gases (e.g. helium, nitrogen, ...) of materials and packages is measured under standardized conditions by various devices, 18 modules such as MOCON and Brügger, according to three different measurement principles: equal pressure, different pressure and on the basis of fluorescence. Bursting strength and gas compositions of MAP - packaging are supporting analyses.
Sealing
Hot tack Determination of hot tack properties of materials with a hot jaw sealer. Applications: This test is of relevance for applications where the seal undergoes a certain pressure directly after sealing, when the seal is still hot (f.e. form fill seal, seal through contamination). Testing the course of the hot jaw hot tack strength with several parameter settings (time, jaw temperature, pressure, cooling time) with pouches, trays and topfilms, etc. Evaluating the seal failure mechanisms (peel, delamination, tear) at several parameter settings during hot jaw sealing. Standards: ASTM F1921. Seal strength Determination of seal strength properties of materials with a hot jaw and/or ultrasonic sealer. Applications: This test is of relevance for applications where the cooled down seal undergoes a certain pressure (f.e. during transportation, storage, opening by consumer, etc.). Testing the course of the seal strength with several parameter settings (time, jaw temperature, pressure, shape profile jaw for heat conductive sealing / time, force, amplitude, shape profile energy director for ultrasonic sealing) with pouches, trays and topfilms, etc. Evaluating the seal failure mechanisms (peel, delamination, tear) at several parameter settings. Evaluating the seal through contamination performance. Standard: ASTM F88F88M. Interfacial temperature Determination of the temperature at the seal interface. Applications: Evaluating the influence of seal parameters and/or packaging materials on interfacial temperature. Leak tightness Determination of presence channel leaks with penetrating dye and/or with a bubble test. Applications: Quality control of packages and/or seals. Evaluating the seal through contamination performance. Standard : Dye penetration - ASTM F3039; Bubble test - ASTM F2096. Microscopy Applications : Measuring total and layer thickness. Visualizing contamination in the seal. Measuring channel leaks.
Material Characterization of paper, flat card-board, corrugated cardboard and plastics is executed according to national and international standards with equipment of Lorentzen & Wettre, MTS, PAAR ...
Properties of paper and cardboard as a material and also as a box are measurable: puncture resistance, air permeability, static and dynamic friction, thickness, compression resistance of material and box, crack resistance, total and component grammage, Cobb value, moisture content, 4-point bending, crease strength, ... Properties of plastic materials are quantifiable: puncture resistance, tensile strength, seal behavior, friction coefficients, microscopic layer thickness and total material thickness, tear resistance, dart value, ...
Transport simulation
The exposed load on the packaging during handling, storage, transport with various transport modes (train, truck and plane) can be simulated with the equipment within the transport simulation item: a drop table, a compression bench and 2 vibrating tables, 1 going up to pallet size, are available order. Mobile measuring device (Saver), data loggers for temperature and relative humidity, ... measure real transport loads.
Influences of Climatic factors
Influences of climatic factors such as temperature, relative humidity/moisture and exposure (UV/daylight), can be examined in the various climate chambers and by use of specific testing devices. Color intensity and opacity changes can be monitored, as well as other material characteristics.
Packaging innovation and packaging diagnostics
Packaging innovation and packaging diagnostics regard packaging materials, packaging concepts and the packaging process in the company with special attention for innovation, prevention and sustainability. Eco-indicators, Artioscad, Inventor, CAPE, ... are supporting tools. Taking into accont the expertise in the physical-mechanical testing of materials and packages, company-specific training programs can be provided by engineers of the 'VerpakkingsCentrum'. Content and execution are determined in interaction with the company. With regard to education, collaborations with the industry are desirable in Bachelor's and Master's theses, logistics case studies conducted by teams of Master's students, as guest speakers with specifice packaging knowledge and expertise, for opportunities to visit companies, for cooperation in PhD research projects through a Baeklandscholarschip, ...
Seminarie
Seminarie partner
Onderzoeksprojecten MULTIREC, BEFORE; LEAK Integrity
