Grip stiffness analysis of carton board packages

Abstract: This report is a part of the research project "A New Model for Deformation of Carton Board Packages by Manual Handling". This project is a collaboration between Örebro University and two companies engaged in carton board packages. This report describes whether Syntouch's BioTac is an appropriate tool, compared with a consumer study when investigating the grip stiffness of consumer packaging. Syntouch's BioTac is an artificial sensor designed to imitate the force of a human fingertip. The concept of grip stiffness is used in the packaging industry to describe the packaging’s properties to withstand clamping pressure when handling by the user. That is, the robustness of the packaging. The carton board packaging should perceive as stiff, firm to grip and not deform during handling. The purpose is to perform laboratory tests with the BioTac sensor, to see if the sensor can be used as a measurement method for grip stiffness of card board materials.