Finding the source
The seal looked complete. Small channels were still getting through.
The lines were observed in production to understand why the packages were not sealing consistently.
The existing film could create a seal that looked complete, but small gaps or channels sometimes remained. Normal variations in the equipment made the problem less predictable. The package needed a sealant that could conform more effectively around those irregularities and produce the hermetic seal required for the application.
The inspection team could identify leaking packages after they were made. The film redesign focused on what was creating the leakers.
The change
Design the sealant around the real production line.
A new high-barrier film was developed with a sealant selected to fill minor gaps and close channels in the seal area more effectively.
The replacement film cost more than the original material. The expected improvement had the potential to reduce inspection labor, rework, and the production constraints caused by leaking packages.
Supplier technical specifications showed stronger barrier performance. The customer then monitored product quality through real-time shelf-life testing. The product met the intended quality target, so a separate accelerated study was not needed for this project.
Production validation
Use the same inspection process and let the results decide.
The new film went through trial and production testing. The customer evaluated it using the same inspection process and acceptance criteria used for the previous material.
Rework dropped below the customer’s established threshold. The extra employees positioned at the end of the lines were no longer needed for continuous leak inspection and could be reassigned to other productive work.
Within one month of the transition, the customer reported that the improvement was large enough to discontinue the previous film and move fully to the new structure.
The result
A higher film price created a better operating result.
The customer estimated that the recovered labor capacity was worth more than $700,000 annually.
That figure did not include the additional value created by reducing rework, freeing production capacity, and removing a long-standing bottleneck from lines that operated 24 hours a day.