AUTOMATED PACKAGING-FILM TESTING SYSTEMS WITH EFFICIENT LOADING CONFIGURATIONS AND OPERATION AND/OR SERVICE ACCESSIBLE COMPONENTS AND RELATED METHODS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS

摘要

An automated packaging-film testing systems are configured to perform at least one of a Hot Tack Test, Heat Seal Test, and an Aged Seal Test. The systems include at least one of the following components: (a) side-insertion peel clamps that are configured to releasably grip film specimens using a resilient fluid-expandable member that cooperates with a side insertion finger to releasably clamp a film specimen; (b) at least one film specimen positioning clip configured to releasably hold film specimens in position prior to initiation of a test sequence, (c) a motion assembly comprising a single drive system attached to one end portion of an arm that supports and moves all lower seal jaws at each testing station substantially in concert to thereby allow for faster extraction of film specimens from the seal jaws; (d) seal jaw pressure control using a closed-loop pressure system comprising a pressure regulator valve in fluid communication with a pressurized air source without load cells; (e) at least one seal jaw clip configured to releasably slidably mount a seal jaw to a heater block, (f) an upper heater block release mechanism configured to releasably mount a heater block assembly to a reaction frame allow fast operator replacement of heaters and temperature transducers without tools, and (g) an integrated film guide and film cooling system.