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Blister packaging · Industry glossary

Whole-package transmission rate

The amount of a specified gas or vapour passing through a complete package per unit time under defined test conditions.

Also called: package transmission rate; whole-pack OTR; package OTR; blister card transmission.

What does per package per day mean?

It refers to the defined package specimen, rather than automatically to one square metre of film. Film OTR may use cm³/(m²·day), while package OTR may use cm³/(package·day). Identify whether the specimen is a complete card, one cavity or another prepared package.

For moisture, distinguish a measured mass gain from a rate. A per-cavity daily rate also needs a stated time interval and normalisation basis; it is not interchangeable with an unqualified package weight gain.

Can a card result simply be divided by the number of cavities?

Division produces an average per nominal cavity only if the numerator and specimen boundary genuinely cover those cavities on the stated basis. It does not demonstrate that every cavity has that same transmission. Keep the card result and any normalisation visibly separate.

Identify which cavities and seals belong to the specimen and how it was mounted. Package and film fixtures can expose different boundaries, so the fixture and specimen preparation remain part of the result.

Fields needed to interpret a whole-package result
Report fieldReason to retain it
Package boundaryDefines card, cavity or other measured specimen.
Permeant and unitDistinguishes oxygen volume, moisture mass and time basis.
Conditions and methodIdentifies temperature, humidity and gas conditions.
Reported vs normalised valueSeparates actual measurement from a per-cavity calculation.

Flat-film calculations and finished-pack measurements

A simple area calculation is not a measurement of the finished blister. Flat film and a formed, sealed pack have different geometry and processing histories. Keep local thickness distribution and the complete prepared specimen within the package-evaluation scope.

Package transmission quantifies transfer across the tested boundary. Locating a defect and establishing product storage life require separate assessments.

IN THE PRODUCTION LINE

Plan trials & acceptance

Terminology checked .