Packaging optimization through transport simulation
With the "TX1001" transport simulator, the British company Talos enables its customers to find out how they can optimize the transport and packaging of their products and mitigate the negative consequences of shocks and impacts. Talos uses the MSR165 shock and vibration data logger to measure the G-forces.
Talos Packaging Systems, based in Leeds, UK, is a pioneer in the field of packaging services. The company works closely with international packaging machinery manufacturers and leading polyethylene producers, enabling them to provide their customers with comprehensive packaging solutions. Talos procures, assembles and installs shrink/hood stretch wrapping machines, various types of conveyors and much more. The company also offers logistics services with a focus on improving packaging methods.
With the TX1001 transportation simulator, Talos enables its customers to simulate road conditions in-house and investigate how the transportation of goods can be improved. The MSR165 data logger equipped with an internal acceleration sensor, which is used to program the TX1001, is a key component of this simulation service for Talos. The MSR165 was chosen because it is small, lightweight and has a high measurement frequency. With the mini logger, Talos can perform 1600 measurements per second. The sensitive 200 g sensor registers accelerations that occur when the logger moves in all three axes: forwards-backwards (x), right-left (y), up-down (z). As the data logger also measures gravity, the actual position can also be determined. By determining the position and the acceleration forces, the data analysis can identify which loads have occurred.
The data logger's memory capacity of over two million measured values is sufficient for Talos to record over 10,000 impacts. If a higher storage capacity is required, the MSR165 model is also available with a microSD card (≥4GB), which can be used to increase the capacity of the data logger to over 1 billion measured values.
Reproduction of real road conditions
The MSR165 data logger thus enables Talos to measure the G-forces that occurred during the simulation and then reproduce this force in order to mimic the effects of these movements on the pallet. The force measurements obtained across the x, y and z axes provide Talos with valuable data that is fed into the transport simulator - without this information it would not be possible to replicate real road conditions, according to Liam Formanik, Marketing Manager at Talos.