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Comparing ASTM E96 vs. F1249 Testing Methods

Comparing ASTM E96 vs. F1249 Testing Methods
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Comparing ASTM E96 vs. F1249 Testing Methods - 1

WHITE PAPER ASTM E96 VS. F1249 WHICH PROVIDES MORE ACCURATE TEST RESULTS? AMETEK MOCON April 2024 Content: Abstract and Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Water Vapor Permeation, ASTM E96 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 ASTM E96 and ASTM F1249 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 ASTM F1249 continued . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Key Benefits of F1249, Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Manufacturers seek to avoid the expense of over-packaging their products by finding a material that meets their needs without being overly expensive.

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Comparing ASTM E96 vs. F1249 Testing Methods - 2

CONTROLLING MOISTURE IS KEY TO PRODUCT QUALITY WHITE PAPER Abstract ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing Materials) is recognized as a global leader in the development of international voluntary consensus standards. ASTM has approved two test methods to track water vapor transmission from materials: ASTM E96 – Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) Gravimetric Test Method (adopted in 1941), and ASTM 1249 – Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) Measurements With a Modulated Infrared Sensor (adopted in 1990). This white paper explores these methods to determine...

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Comparing ASTM E96 vs. F1249 Testing Methods - 3

BOTH TEMPERATURE AND RH AFFECT PERMEATION Water Vapor Permeation WHITE PAPER In some materials, RH can also affect the permeation rate of gases. Proper RH generation and measurement are necessary to obtain accurate permeation results. To ensure proper testing conditions, RH must always be measured at the film. When considering packaging materials, it’s important to remember that all materials permeate. Measuring permeation in various packaging materials is useful because a number of factors can affect shelf life, resulting in spoilage and/or a bad brand experience by consumers. Effects of...

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Comparing ASTM E96 vs. F1249 Testing Methods - 4

MOCON COMPARISON STUDY WHITE PAPER It is possible to test only one sample per test dish, so multiple test setups are required to analyze multiple samples. To obtain accurate results, test conditions must remain constant. Slight changes in RH and temperature can significantly affect test results – even removing the dishes from the environmental chamber for weighing can cause fluctuations that impact the results. Due to the challenges in accurately controlling RH and temperatures, this method provides excessive lab-to-lab variability. E96 test results can be highly operator-dependent....

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Comparing ASTM E96 vs. F1249 Testing Methods - 5

PERMEATION TEST RESULTS WHITE PAPER According to Robert Demorest, former President & CEO, the main advantage of F1249 over E96 is speed. “General Mills had a cup test cabinet with 100 cups in it, and technicians would spend two days setting them up, weighing each cup, and getting them into the cabinet. Then, over the next 10 days they would remove each cup, weigh it and log the weight, and return the cup to the cabinet,” said Demorest. “Technicians could determine the equilibrium WVTR from the 10-day curves. The entire cycle took two weeks, and they would have the WVTR on 100 samples.” From...

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Comparing ASTM E96 vs. F1249 Testing Methods - 6

Key Benefits of ASTM F1249 Method F1249 has many clear advantages over E96, including precision, repeatability, accuracy and sensitivity. The inability to achieve precise and repeatable packaging test results may result in package failure when confronted with demanding environmental conditions. Under-packaging products can result in costly product shelf life failure, as well as potential lost goodwill among retailers and consumers. Similarly, over-packaging results in wasteful and unnecessary spending for packaging materials – money that could be better spent developing new products. The...

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