This capability, combined with the expertise of our engineering team, enables us to design and develop formers from first principles. By building a deep understanding of material properties, we ensure our VFFS and HFFS formers deliver high performance even with challenging substrates, including paper and sustainable structures that are often difficult to run on equipment designed for traditional polymer films.
At Kenray, our Packaging Lab gives customers access to analytical capability that is believed to be unique in the UK for an OEM packaging machinery change-parts supplier. We test and measure all the critical attributes of packaging films in the dynamic forming and sealing process, as well as the hermeticity and seal strength of finished packs. This allows us to understand exactly how materials behave on the line, under real operating conditions.
Our equipment and instrumentation are genuinely state of the art, matching the standards you would expect from a large film converter. Because we do not supply packaging materials ourselves, our testing service is fully independent. You can rely on us for impartial, accurate and insightful reports on every material we analyse.
Alongside our in-house capabilities, we can also arrange a full range of additional analytical tests on film, packages and products through trusted external laboratories. Where external testing is required, we will advise you of the costs and lead times upfront, ensuring you have a clear understanding of the process from the outset.
Method or instrument: Various
We provide detailed reports on the key measured attributes of your packaging films, giving a clear picture of how they compare to specification and where any performance issues may lie. This analysis helps diagnose problems early and supports informed decisions on material selection and process optimisation.
Method or instrument: ASTM D1894-14 (RDM CF800-XS CoF Tester)
We measure the coefficient of friction (CoF) to assess how smoothly a packaging film moves through the forming and sealing process. CoF is a critical indicator of runnability on VFFS and HFFS machinery, and accurate testing helps identify issues such as slipping, sticking or inconsistent film feed before they affect production.
Method or instrument: Burst Force Compression Tester
We assess pack integrity by measuring leak size and locating seal weaknesses within finished packages. This testing confirms whether packs are truly hermetic and helps identify faults that may lead to product spoilage, reduced shelf life or customer complaints.
Method or instrument: Light Transmission Via Techkon T120 Densitometer
We measure the optical density of metallised films to assess their light transmission and potential barrier performance. While it is only one part of the overall barrier picture, optical density can indicate how well a film protects products from oxygen, moisture and light, helping you confirm suitability for your application.
Method or instrument: ASTM F2029 (RDM HST3 Heat Seal Tester)
We determine the heat seal threshold to understand the minimum temperature at which a film forms a reliable, consistent seal. This is essential for optimising sealing performance on VFFS and HFFS equipment, particularly for challenging applications such as vertical lap seals and fin seals.
Method or instrument: Schmidthammer
We measure reel hardness to identify variations in film winding quality that can affect tension control, tracking and overall machine performance. Understanding reel hardness helps prevent issues such as telescoping, slack edges or inconsistent film feed during production.
Method or instrument: Sauter HDA 100-1 Shore ‘A’ Tester
We test the Shore hardness of drawdown belts to ensure they deliver the correct grip, durability and consistency during film transport. Accurate hardness measurement helps prevent issues such as slippage, uneven pulling or premature belt wear, supporting smooth and reliable machine operation.
Method or instrument: 200x Digital Microscope
We inspect films under magnification up to 200x, with full image capture, to examine surface structure and detect defects. This helps identify issues such as coating inconsistencies or contamination that are not visible to the naked eye but can affect forming, sealing and pack performance.
Method or instrument: FLIR Thermal Imaging Camera
We use thermal imaging to assess how evenly heat is distributed across seal jaws. Bagmaker and flow wrapper jaws may run hot, but not always uniformly so. Identifying temperature variations, especially cold spots, is key to ensuring consistent seals and maintaining pack hermeticity.
Mark Tilley has over 25 years experience in flexible packaging, both from a FMCG food manufacturing perspective, and a subject matter expert in the properties and performance of packaging films and laminates.
He is able to advise on selection and properties of flexible packaging, and also to offer diagnostic insight into films that are performing poorly.
Our Packaging Lab can assess every critical attribute under real operating conditions, helping you make informed decisions on materials, machine settings and forming performance.
