KOLEJ KEMAHIRAN TINGGI MARA

LENGGONG
RGP 3133
Packaging Materials & Testing 2
(Jobsheet 01)

Tittle DETERMINATION OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES (TENSILE,

TEAR, IMPACT STRENGTH) OF POLYMER MATERIAL FOR
PACKAGING

Group Members Name: Mohamad Amirul Anis Bin Ahmad Termidzi

Matrix Number: LG200189
IC Number: 990825-08-6351

Programme Diploma Technology Packaging and Design

Session Nov 2020 – Dis 2021
Semester Sem 3
Lecturer name Sir Mohamad Razif Bin Abdul Rashid
Submit date 06 DEC 2021
 Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi MARA
Lenggong, Perak

JOB SHEET

PROGRAMME DPD

SESSION SEMESTER 3
RGP3133
CODE & COURSE SHEET NO JS01
Packaging Materials & Testing 2
LECTURER RAZIF RASHID DURATION 6 Hours

DETERMINATION OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES (TENSILE,

TOPIC TEAR, IMPACT STRENGTH) OF POLYMER MATERIAL FOR
PACKAGING
SUB-TOPIC
TOPIC
At the end of the experiment, students should be able to:
LEARNING
1. Determine the tear resistance of polymer materials for packaging.
OUTCOME

Materials:
1. Low density polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene (PP) and high
density polyethylene (HDPE) sheets
TOOLS /
EQUIPMENTS /
Apparatus:
MATERIALS
1. Scissors
2. Thickness gage
3. Elmendorf Tear tester
DRAWING AND
DATA
The test used to measure the tear resistance of a plastic film or sheet
is according to ASTM D 1922 (Propagation Tear Resistance of Plastic
INSTRUCTION Film and Thin Sheeting). In this test, a pendulum tester is used to
measure the force required to propagate and existing slit a fixed
distance to the edge of the test film/sheet.

PROCEDURE

STEP KEY POINT

1. Samples are cut from the plastics sheets

1. Preparation of test specimens
in the machine direction and in the
transverse direction.
2. Five strips were cut from the plastics
sheets in both directions (machine &
PROCEDURE

STEP KEY POINT


 transverse direction) having dimensions
of 100 x 63.5 mm.
3. Code each specimen with marking pen.
1. Fix the specimen in the jaws of the
tearing tester.
2. Make a cut of 20mm along the width of
the specimen using the cutter in the
B. Determination of tear strength of the tearing tester.
plastics sheet 3. Tear the plastics sheet by using falling
pendulum of the tearing.
4. Speed 50 mm/min.
5. Record the readings from the
Elmendorf's tester's scale.

RESULT:

1. Record the results in as per Table 1 and Table 2 below and calculate average values
of 5 samples:
Specimen (machine-direction) Tear force (gram/force)
1
2
3
4
5

Specimen (transverse-direction) Tear force (gram/force)

1
2
3
4
5

QUESTION/DISCUSSION:

1. Which type of plastics sheet has the highest tear strength?

2. Which specimen (machine or transverse direction) shows higher tear strength? Explain
why the specimen has high tear strength as compared to the other specimen.
3. Discuss the importance of determining the tear strength of both directions for the
plastics used in packaging.

CONCLUSION:
RESULT

Specimen (machine-direction) Tear force (gram/force)

1. LDPE 333.308 gf
2. PP 424.905 gf
3. HDPE 3452.672 gf

Specimen (transverse-direction) Tear force (gram/force)

1. LDPE 806.556 gf
2. PP 353.663 gf
3. HDPE 3495.926 gf

QUESTION/DISCUSSION

1. Which type of plastics sheet has the highest tear strength?

• The results revealed that Polypropylene (PP) plastic sheets had the highest
tear strength

2. Which specimen (machine or transverse direction) shows higher tear strength?

Explain why the specimen has high tear strength as compared to the other
specimen.

• Transverse orientation is higher tear strength. Because Machine-direction

orientation, plastic film is heated and uniaxially stretched in the machine
direction over a series of rollers. It’s used to improve tensile strength in
adhesive tape and decorative ribbon while Transverse orientation, plastic film
is heated and uniaxially stretched in the transverse (or cross) direction on a
tenter frame. It’s used to impart thermal shrinkage characteristics in shrink
sleeves and labels.
3. Discuss the importance of determining the tear strength of both directions for the
plastics used in packaging.

• A pendulum impact tester is used to measure the force required to propagate

an existing slit a fixed distance to the edge of the test sample. One use of these
results would be for the specification of material and thickness for plastic film
used in packaging. Depending upon the application, a low propagation force or
a high propagation force might be more desirable. Ten samples each are cut
from the plastic film in the machine direction and in the transverse direction. A
sample is positioned in the tester and clamped in place. A cutting knife in the
tester is used to create a slit in the sample which ends 43mm from the far edge
of the sample. The pendulum is released to propagate the slit through the
remaining 43mm. The energy loss by the pendulum is used to calculate an
average tearing force.

CONCLUSION:

The test used to measure the tear resistance of a plastic film or sheet is according to
ASTM D 1922 (Propagation Tear Resistance of Plastic Film and Thin Sheeting). In
this test, a pendulum tester is used to measure the force required to propagate and
existing slit a fixed distance to the edge of the test film/sheet. This test determines the
force required to proceed to tear the initial cut in sheet materials such as paper, plastic
film, textiles and nonwovens.