MOCON expands oxygen permeation testing range
The RACK-6 conditioning system has been developed for use with the firm’s OX-TRAN Model 2/61.
When testing barriers, test time can be lengthy, sometimes taking days to complete testing of all samples to equilibrium, the firm said.
Increased throughput
The model measures oxygen transmission rates for as many as six rigid or flexible packages simultaneously and Doug Lindemann, vice president at MOCON, told FoodProductionDaily.com it provides a cost effective means to increase sample testing throughput.
“The determination of the oxygen transmission rate for a given package is a relatively slow process dictated by the laws of physics…the better the barrier, the longer the test.
“Increased throughput, whether in quality control or R&D applications, simply offers the rigid packaging manufacturer more data points regarding their product(s) by which to make sound business decisions.”
MOCON claims it has always provided the measurement standard for gas permeation offering the highest accuracy, repeatability and reliability on the market.
Machine partnership
The RACK-6 uses a separate six-cell conditioning unit which enables packages to be brought to equilibrium offline before moving them to the OX-TRAN Model 2/61 for final test results.
It uses Container Transfer Units (CTU), which allow individual package transfer from the conditioning unit to the testing unit.
Twelve CTUs come with the RACK-6 system allowing for six samples to be conditioned while six samples are tested on the OX-TRAN Model 2/61, said the firm.
The model includes relative humidity and temperature control, automatic equilibrium determination, advanced analysis tools and National Institute of Standards and Technology traceable system verification films.
MOCON said it was ideal for production, quality control and quality assurance applications.
Lindemann said: “Oxygen transmission rates are typically reported in the well accepted and standard units of an amount of oxygen transmitting through a given area of polymer material over a length of time (typically cc's of oxygen/through a square meter of material/ in a 24 hour period).
“The better the barrier, the longer the test at a given temperature and relative humidity. This time can typically range from hours to weeks.”
