A sound test plan is essential for packaging that must meet the stringent requirements of the Ministry of Defence. By establishing the configuration, usage scenarios, and acceptance criteria in advance, you can demonstrate that products are transported safely and reliably. With the right approach, you can reduce risks and increase the likelihood of certification.
Summary of this article
Does your company supply defense? Then the right packaging is an important part of the delivery. Of course, it is obvious that your product has to endure a lot during transport to its final destination. And so then it is important to protect the product in such a way that it arrives undamaged.
Defense wants to be sure that the packaging of the product you supply meets all requirements. Therefore, they usually ask for a test report or certificate. The process of this and drawing up a test plan requires quite a bit of specialized knowledge. This is where working with a packaging specialist comes in handy.
Proven packaging already exists for some products. But this is by no means always the case. Before developing new packaging, the packaging specialist usually initiates a certification process. During this process, the quality of the packaging is extensively tested. This is done according to the standards that Defense has included in its Package of Requirements (PoR). To perform these tests properly, a test protocol or test plan is needed.
Defense puts your company in charge of preparing the test plan. Fortunately, a packaging specialist can help with this. For example, the test procedure and preconditions of the tests are described in the plan. Think about the configuration, test environment, mode of operation and acceptance criteria to determine whether the tests are successful or not. Starting to get a little dizzy with test jargon? Below I explain it for you.
When determining the configuration, or combination of test product and packaging, it is important to know what should be involved in the test and what should not. Packaging must ensure that the product reaches its final destination in good condition. Therefore, testing only the packaging makes little sense: you want to know if the product in the packaging remains whole. When testing the packaging under conditions such as heat and cold, vibration, shock and dropping, a dummy is often used. Such a dummy makes the testing process cheaper than testing with the original sensitive or electronic equipment. So it is good to think in advance about the configuration with which the tests will be performed.
By mode of operation, we mean the state in which the product is used in practice. Most packaging and products have one mode of operation. However, sometimes there are multiple modes of operation. It is necessary to know and record this in advance, because multiple modes of operation often require additional testing.
As the client of the packaging specialist, you largely determine the acceptance criteria yourself. After all, you know better than anyone when the performance of the product is affected. This is also recorded in the protocol, so that it is clear what the product must be checked for after testing.
As an example, we can look at the acceptance criteria used for EMC tests, or Electromagnetic Compatibility tests. The following criteria are generally applied:
Depending on the type of immunity test, one of the performance criteria above is used as the acceptance criterion for your product.
The acceptance criteria of a vibration test and a drop test are again a lot easier to interpret. The packaging of sensitive equipment must protect that equipment from the vibration factors described in the specifications. A simple “yes” or “no” is then the answer. You won’t want to do this test quickly with your real product, by the way, but with a dummy. Consider again the configuration we talked about earlier. If the answer is ‘no’, chances are that your product no longer works and can be written off! A shame, of course.
A test plan should not be treated separately from the design and intended use of the packaging solution. At Faes, we therefore link the test conditions to material selection, custom engineering, production and assembly at an early stage. With many years of experience supplying the defence sector, we know that meeting a standard is not the only thing that matters. What matters most is whether the packaging continues to perform reliably under realistic operational conditions.
Our engineers help define the test objectives, mode of operation, representative test configurations and measurable acceptance criteria. Where necessary, we also support the specification of test procedures and coordination with specialist testing and certification partners. We then translate the test results into concrete design improvements. This ensures that the testing process delivers more than just a certificate or report: it results in a well-founded, robust and mission-ready packaging solution that meets the technical, logistical and operational requirements of defence organisations.
Is the test plan complete? Then you submit it to your defense customer. Once you receive a “GO” from them, you instruct us as packaging specialists to start the certification process. For some specific tests, we will engage a specialist certification or testing agency. Because one certification agency will issue a certificate for electromagnetic radiation, for example, and another for vibration and shock or scratch resistance of the paint.
Our packaging specialists also know how to choose the right certification agency. They deliver the packaging prototype together with a prototype or dummy of your product to the most suitable, independent certification agency. And is the certification process finally completed positively? Then you can start your assignment for Defense with peace of mind.
So there is a lot involved in supplying Defense. Has your company submitted an offer, or have you already been chosen to carry out the procurement? Ask your question below or contact us directly.
Michel Prins is Account Manager at Faes and a specialist in Safety & Security. Thanks to his background at the Ministry of Defense and years of experience in the sector, he advises organizations on reliable packaging solutions for critical applications. He combines practical knowledge with technical expertise to package sensitive equipment safely and efficiently.
More articles by Michel PrinsGood packaging doesn’t just happen by chance. Using a tried-and-tested approach, our specialists guide you step by step from the initial idea to the finished product.
