Packing materials vary from a simple bubble-wrap to protect the vase you are sending your aunt for her birthday, to industrial strength materials able to withstand being dropped from a crane while unloading them. Testing packing materials to determine how well they stand-up before they leave the factory or local post-office helps reduce the chances of the articles getting damaged on the way and the industry having to pay for expensive returns and replacements. The standard tests for packing materials include the drop, compression, horizontal impact water spray, material bending, vibration and joint or glue tests.
First we need to inspect the packing material with withstand test. This may include surviving vibrations or ability to withstand the impact of being dropped when being unloaded from a ship. Find out what means of transport is going to be used because this will help you determine the "highest normal" strains that the packing material will be subjected to. Sea transport, for instance, may require waterproof packing materials that are able to withstand rolling and pitching, whereas sending things by semi-truck may require packing materials that can be stacked on top of each other and subjected to jarring.
