PETpla.net Insider 05 / 2015

INSPECTIONS / LABORATORY EQUIPMENT 32 PET planet insider Vol. 16 No. 05/15 www.petpla.net Specified testing AGR Combitester for both capacity and top/side load measurements Tests on preforms and containers include numerous measurements for dimensional accuracy, mechanical, physical and chemical tests. Several functional tests for example of hot-fill distortion, stress cracking resistance, drop and leakage, as well as addi- tional non-standard tests are possible. As far as materials characterisation is concerned, Sipa Lab has competence not only in PET, but also in polyolefins (PP, HDPE), polystyrene, and such biopolymers as PLA and PHA. For CSD applications, the Lab is equipped with a small filling line to pressurise the bottles and replicate industrial process. Versatile tests One particularly versatile tool that Sipa Lab has at its disposal is a FT-IR spectrometer. This can be used to determine the loss of CO 2 from bottles and is able to characterise a material by determining the functional groups it contains, helping to identify possible additives and analyse chemical com- patibility. The FT-IR equipment can be used in an ATR (attenuated total reflection) configuration, which ena- bles samples to be examined directly without special preparation to deter- mine the characteristics of the surface layer of a product with near-infrared radiation. Tests for non-standard containers Sipa Lab is equipped with instru- ments, some developed internally, for the characterisation of non standard containers, such as large kegs for CSD and beer, as well as large con- tainers for dispensers. Among other properties, handle resistance, top load and burst strength can be carried out. Out-of-the ordinary tests Sipa Lab finalises the measure- ment of acetaldehyde levels with gas chromatography by using the ground parison method. Measurement of moisture levels in granules, preform or container is completed by using a Karl Fischer titrator. The laboratory is even equipped with a UV-visible spectro- photometer. An additional application available is a small pasteuriser which technicians use to simulate sterilisa- tion and pasteurisation cycles. The use of a data logger helps to monitor the temperature and pressure of the content during the process. A unique instrument that has been developed internally used principally for light- weighting research projects permits testers to determine the falling angle of a bottle and to observe the behav- iour of the bottle during poring. CO 2 loss, O 2 gain Among the tests that the company regularly carries out in conformance to the normal protocols of the major players in the market, there are some rather particular ones that can be used to determine product shelf life. “We are able to determine the loss of carbon dioxide and, in the case of products susceptible to oxidation, oxygen uptake, using various tech- niques, depending on the protocols of various clients,” says Roberto De Luca at Sipa, who notes that the com- pany is a certified laboratory for major players. Characterising barrier performance Sipa Lab is able to character- ise existing containers and develop new barrier packaging, using oxygen scavengers, PET/PA co-injection, or special coatings. It uses a variety of tools to determine the mechanical and physical characteristics of coat- ings, including various devices to test for hardness, adhesion and abrasion resistance. www.sipa.it Sipa, the PETpreform and container producer, has comprehensive laboratory facilities that enable it to carry out an extensive range of tests for different shapes and sizes of preforms and containers, including jars, handled containers and beer kegs. Caps, closures and separate handles can be tested for the materials they are made. Mocon Oxtran for O 2 uptake measurement I N S P E C T I ON S & L A B O R A T O R Y E Q U I P M E N T