When you need to test packages for integrity and sealing power, the simplest method involves inflating them until they reach the breaking point. This is a good way to determine the strength and durability of many types of packages. However, there is a problem with this process. It ruins the package, and you have to scrap it. That’s why many companies today are turning to NDT or non-destructive package testing methods. Here are some of the benefits this process has to offer.
NDT Methods
NDT is nothing new. In fact, one of the first methods to check packages without damaging them was the x-ray machine, developed in the late 19th Century. However, this could be expensive, and x-rays can present certain health hazards in some instances.
Since x-rays, other systems have been developed for NDT. They include acoustic, liquid, vacuum and pressure decay methods. Some companies also rely on visual inspections, but this may not give you the most accurate results. Some processes use eddy currents and ultrasound for non-destructive package testing.
Benefits
Perhaps the most important reason to use NDT methods involves safety. You take fewer risks of accidents and damage to property when your packages don’t suddenly burst under pressure. Although explosion hazards may be minimal, in some cases the odds are much higher. For example, you may test packages containing volatile materials. Here are some more benefits that NDT provides.
Cost
It’s important to keep manufacturing costs as low as possible, and this includes methods for testing and quality control. When you destroy every package that you test, this cost can add up over time. On the other hand, you only have a minimal investment for your non-destructive package testing equipment, and it saves you on costs every time you use it. Also, NDT methods give you some of the most accurate and reliable results.
