Seal Strength Testing Equipment

Seal strength is a useful measure to help predict the final integrity of a package. It ensures the package can provide and maintain a barrier for the product for sterility, freshness and overall quality performance. This testing also proves the packaging processes’ ability to produce consistent seals, especially those made from thin plastic sheets or similar flexible material.

The test is a combination of a tensile test and an adhesive test. Testing equipment for measuring seal strength measures the force required to separate or break the layers of a packaging seal when under tension. ASTM F88 is the most common test method used to measure and quantify the strength of the seal of flexible materials.

Applications that require evaluation of heated seals should be prepared using a suitable heat sealer with the provision to control the temperature, dwell time, and pressure of the sealing dies, as this can affect the ultimate strength of the heat seal. 

Thwing-Albert has testing equipment for seal strength to prove the integrity of your package’s seals according to ASTM F88 guidelines.

Seal Strength Testing Equipment

 Thwing-Albert offers reliable equipment for testing seal strength, including the following:

Universal Testing Machines

Our universal testing machines (UTM) evaluate seal strength based on the ASTM F88 standard.

  • VantageNX Tensile Testing Machine: The VantageNX UTM performs seal strength testing as well as many other materials quality tests. Its various grips and fixtures enable setup for different tests and materials to comply with ASTM, DIN, ISO and TAPPI standards.
  • QC-3A Universal Testing Machine: Our QC Electronic UTM uses a digital load controller for accurate and reliable seal strength testing and other types of testing, such as peel, compression and coefficient of friction. Get up to 1,100 pounds (5 kN) of tensile force throughout the entire load range.

Peel Testers and Fixtures

  • FP-2260 Friction/Peel Tester: The FP-2260 Friction/Peel Tester runs seal strength tests as well as coefficient of friction, tensile and peel tests. ASTM F88 is the primary standard this peel tester uses for seal strength evaluation for packaging materials, labels, adhesives, paperboard, paper and plastic film. Only a few keystrokes are required to switch between testing setups. Up to 128 tests for each testing method can be stored for later reference.
  • Package Seal Strength Fixture: The package seal strength fixture uses vacuum-powered clamping to hold samples for seal strength testing and simulate real-world usage. The fixture holds the sample while the upper grip clamps the seal for testing.
  • Tray Peel Fixture for FP-2260: The tray peel fixture measures the seal strength of rigid materials. The fixture holds the sample in place while the air-operated clamp tests the seal at various angles. The tray peel tester is specifically for the FP-2260 Friction/Peel Tester and connects to the FP-2260’s load cell.

Heat Sealers

Heat sealers are all for preparing samples for seal strength testing to meet ASTM F88.

  • CeraTek ASL/1 Heat Sealers (12″ & 24″): The CeraTek ASL/1 Laboratory Heat Sealer has independent lower and upper heated jaws with one set of sealing dies.
  • CeraTek AS/1 Heat Sealers (12″ & 24″): Our CeraTek AS/1 Heat Sealer has an open-back frame and a flat upper sealing die.
  • CeraTek AS/2 Heat Sealers (12″ & 24″): The CeraTek AS/2 Heat Sealer uses external output ports to verify process calibration and control.
  • CeraTek P/3 Pass-Thru Heat Sealer (12″ & 24″): The CeraTek P/3 Heat Sealer is a multi-use tabletop bar sealer for sealing pouches.
  • CeraTek TA24-ASG/1 Heat Sealer: Our CeraTek TA24-ASG/1 Heat Sealer has eight temperature zones along the upper heated jaw, plus independent control.
  • CeraTek TA4-GL/1 Heat Sealer: The CeraTek TA4-GL/1 Heat Sealer has four zones in the upper heated jaw and four zones in the lower heated jaw.

Choose Thwing-Albert for Seal Strength Testing Equipment

Thwing-Albert has over 120 years of experience with instrumentation for seal strength testing. The equipment available can assist in quality control and ensuring that packaging meets the required standards. For more information about the capabilities of our equipment or a free quote, please contact our team.