Packaging Compliance Labs - East

04/04/2024

Introducing ASTM D4169-23 and ASTM D4169-23e1!

ASTM D4169 is the most popular transportation simulation test standard requested by our biomedical packaging testing customers. ASTM D4169 was recently updated and Quest now recommends that our biomedical customers use the newest version.

Here's a breakdown of the key changes in the ASTM D4169-23 and the ASTM D4169-23e1 updates:

- Conditioning References: A reference has been added to ASTM
F2825 (Climatic Stressing of Packaging Systems for Single
Parcel Delivery), rather than simply referring to ASTM D4332
or D951. This standard can now be used for climatic
conditioning associated with shipping testing.

- Changes to H-Factor: Exceptions have been made to reduce
the stack height, or H-Factor, for small or light weight
packages, which could reduce the overall compression load for
boxes of that size.

- Small or Light Weight Package Designation: The definition of a
small or light weight package has changed. Certain package
sizes or weights that were previously not considered a small or
light weight package now fall under this designation.

- Compression Value: The previous version of ASTM D4169
recommended a value of 10 lb ⁄ft3 to be input into the
compression calculation if the shipping density of the test
samples are unknown. In ASTM D4169-23, the value has been
increased to 12 lb ⁄ft3 if the shipping density is unknown. In
many cases, the shipping density is not known, so this change
could effectively increase the compression test load by 20%.

- Additional ASTM D4169e1 Changes: As of March 27, 2024,
Note 3 has been completely removed from Schedules B & C,
which describe the testing procedure and calculation for
compression testing load applied to the test sample. Note 3
previously stated that vehicle stack height (H) would be
reduced to 54 in. (1.4 m) from 108 in. (2.7 m) for packages
under 30 lb (13.6 kg) and 2.0 ft ³ (0.056 m ³) or less in size
when applied to a vehicle stacking hazard element in LTL
shipments. The removal of this note now means that a stack
height of 108 inches will always be used in the compression
calculation, regardless of the test sample volume or weight.
This change could be significant if Note 3 previously applied to
your test sample, as the compression load required is now
higher per the new change. This new change, coupled with the
recent change to the shipping density value, would imply a
significantly higher compression load for test samples under
30 lbs and less than 2 cubic feet in volume.

Please contact Quest Engineering Solutions for assistance in selecting an ISTA, ASTM, IEC, MIL-STD or other shipping testing standard.

Ensure the durability of your packages with professional package testing services. Count on Quest to test and validate your packaging.

10/05/2023

One of Quest's specialties is temperature testing. Hot temperatures are a normal part of shipping, simulation, and operational testing. However, some samples require extremely high temperatures.

For example, Quest Engineering Solutions provides reflow solder simulation testing. Our state-of-the art reflow test chamber allows for the customization of a wide range of different reflow solder profiles, up to a maximum temperature of 310°C.

Of course, Quest also performs cold testing, cold chain shipping simulation, high ramp rate temperature testing, thermal shock, and humidity testing. We also test a wide range of vibration/shock and other testing services for biomedical, aerospace, and other industries. These services include the simulation of the shipping and operating environments, plus stress testing beyond the typical environment to help ensure the highest product quality.

Let us know your specific testing needs or the broad area of concern that testing services might help you address.

Visit our website to learn more!

Reflow solder simulation testing is performed to ensure that surface mount devices (SMDs) will remain functional after being exposed to the temperature extremes encountered during reflow soldering production runs. SMD component manufacturers and semiconductor companies must typically subject package...

05/15/2023

Accelerated aging testing is a test used to simulate real time shelf-life aging on packaged or unpackaged products, including medical devices, to validate shelf-life claims.

Accelerated Aging testing allows the manufacturer to validate shelf-life claims in weeks or months, as opposed to years. It is sometimes performed in conjunction with real-time aging testing, shipping simulation testing and sterile package integrity testing to demonstrate package integrity over the life of the product. The test provides confidence that the product will meet its expected lifetime and reliability goals without having to wait an entire life cycle to get results.

Accelerated Aging tests are commonly performed to demonstrate that a product can be expected to be stored for a number of years and still function as required. To expedite the effects of time, the product is subjected to higher temperatures than it would typically experience in storage, but not so high that failure modes unrepresentative of real-time aging are likely to occur.

Quest Engineering Solutions specializes in accelerated aging testing. Our facility is equipped with dozens of accelerated aging chambers capable of supporting large volumes of test samples at various conditions, including accelerated aging conditioning that requires humidity control. We also provide multi-year real-time aging services and a very wide range of shipping simulation and sterile package integrity testing services.

Accelerated Aging Testing Accelerated Aging

05/15/2023

ISTA 3L is tailored for e-commerce vendors. It tests the product through all types of stresses to ensure its safe arrival through the transit system. Quest is a certified ISTA lab and we are happy to inform you that our certification has already been extended to include this new test standard. ISTA and the many experts that worked on this standard consider it to be a significantly improved shipping simulation testing standard. However, since this standard is brand new, care should be taken before using it.

We recommend that Amazon vendors continue to use ISTA Amazon standards until Amazon makes a change to its requirements. We also recommend that our customers in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries continue to use the ISTA 3A, ISTA 3B, or ASTM D4169 standards until ISTA 3L is reviewed for inclusion in the ISO 11607-1 standard. It should be noted that in our recent experience, many biomedical customers have elected to use ASTM D4169 instead of ISTA 3A. Contact us to help you decide on the ISTA, ASTM, MIL-STD or other test standard appropriate for your shipping simulation testing.

See our full list of of ISTA tests here:

Quest Engineering Solutions is certified by the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) to perform package testing per the standard.

03/09/2023

Quest has been performing thermal shock testing for over 30 years. We have also implemented many enhancements to our chamber ramp rate capabilities over the years. Our latest high ramp rate chamber gives us capabilities that are so fast that they meet most definitions of thermal shock, but with the precision of computer controlled ramp rates.

Thermal shock testing consists of even more rapid changes in air temperature than can typically be achieved in a high ramp-rate chamber. This is done by automatically moving the test samples to and from "hot" and "cold" chambers that are compartments within the thermal shock machine and are separately programmed. One of Quest's thermal shock chambers includes an intermediate chamber, between the hot and cold chambers, where the test samples can dwell for a programmed time interval before moving to the other chamber, thereby allowing slower transitions than an immediate thermal shock.

Visit our website to learn more and request a quote!

Our specially designed Thermal Shock Chamber works like a turnstile to shuttle units between extreme hot and extreme cold conditions.

03/09/2023

Need any testing that includes rapid cooling or rapid heating? Quest's new high ramp rate system consists of a heating/cooling source, an insulated box containing the test samples, and a hose connecting the two together. We are also able to connect the heating/cooling source to other chambers through a port on the side of the chambers.

This configuration is functionally the same as with a passive insulated test box. The difference is that the chamber has built-in heating and cooling capability, in addition to the heating/cooling supplied by our high ramp rate heating/cooling system. By working together, they can achieve higher ramp rates in a larger chamber than either can achieve alone.

The temperature range of the chamber is -80°C to +225°C. It controls ramp rates very precisely. Because of its portability, this high ramp rate machine can also be used for simultaneous temperature and vibration testing by securing the test box to one of our shakers.

Visit our website to learn more and request a quote!

Our specially designed Thermal Shock Chamber works like a turnstile to shuttle units between extreme hot and extreme cold conditions.

02/22/2023

Cold-chain testing is one of Quest’s specialties. It ensures that appropriate medical, pharmaceutical, and food products stay below a certain temperature during shipment. Have you ever wondered how it works?

First, we place preconditioned gel-packs, PCM panels, or dry ice in packages according to the customer’s specific pack-out instructions, along with the refrigerated or frozen product. Thermocouples, or other temperature measurement devices, are installed inside or around the product.

We then place the sealed packages in an environmental chamber to undergo ISTA 7D temperature cycling, or another temperature profile specified by the customer. The testing simulates temperature extremes experienced by the package(s) during summer and winter months. Test durations typically range from 24 to 96 hours for the temperature profile of each season.

Visit our website to learn more and request a quote!

The standard ISTA 7D evaluates the effects of temperature exposure on temperature-controlled transport packages.

01/18/2023

Drop testing is a shock test that is performed in order to evaluate and observe the effects of shock on the packaged or unpackaged product. Packages must be dropped so as to impact at the correct angle in multiple orientations. This is nearly impossible to do simply dropping boxes by hand. The impact surface, and material below the surface, must meet precise specifications.

Quest has added NEW drop test equipment that expands our capacity and increases our precision over a wider range of test parameters! In addition to drop testing small packages, we perform drop testing of heavier items using a crane and drop hook. We also can simulate or perform drop tests from greater heights of 10 feet or more.

Click the link to see our new machine in action!

Videos of Quest's new drop tester at work. Includes edge, corner, and face drops.

12/07/2022

Get certified with the largest distributors! Quest Engineering Solutions is a member of the Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier Network (APASS), and is ISTA certified to perform all ISTA-6-Amazon tests. The tests include vibration, drop shock, concentrated impact, and leak testing.

Quest is also recommended by Walmart as a third party provider of ISTA 7D, a standard for cold-chain testing. Walmart requires third party cold chain testing for cold chain/perishable sellers to become approved for their marketplace. For Walmart vendors, Quest has tested everything from lobster to smoothies to ready-made meals.

Visit our website to see more!

ISTA-6-Amazon Shipping Testing Quest Engineering Solutions is a member of the Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier Network (APASS), and is ISTA certified to perform all ISTA-6-Amazon tests. Quest Engineering Solutions performs shipping tests for postal mail, UPS, FedEx and other shipping modes, inc...

11/10/2022

What's that, you need compression testing? Quest has got your back! Go to https://qes.com/compression-testing/ and check out our new machine!

11/10/2022

Compression testing is required to ensure that packaged products survive shipment and storage while other packages are stacked on top of them. Quest has recently acquired a compression machine with advanced software. Its capabilities include:

-compressing samples up to 48" x 48" x 78" (L x W x H)
-achieving up to a max of 15,000 lb of force
-performing apply & release tests, apply & hold tests.
-increasing the force applied linearly over time.
-the option of automatically stopping after a certain amount of -displacement has been achieved
-producing stress/strain curves, determining the force at which the sample starts to yield to the load.

This machine will streamline testing to many shipping validation standards, such as ASTM D4169 and ASTM D642. Visit our website for the full list!

Compression testing is required to ensure that packaged products survive shipment and storage while other packages are stacked on top of them. Quest has recently acquired a compression machine with advanced software that has multiple capabilities: This machine will streamline testing to the followin...