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Plastic film · Laboratory data reduction

Flexible Package Seal Strength Calculator

Normalize maximum and average flexible-package peel force to N/mm and the common N/15 mm reporting basis.

Formula and method

Seal strength (N/mm) = peel force (N) ÷ specimen width (mm). N/15 mm result = seal strength (N/mm) × 15 mm.

Inputs and units

Enter the measured specimen width, maximum peel force, and the average force for the defined region of the seal trace. Keep sealing conditions, specimen orientation, test technique, unsupported tail length, separation rate, conditioning, and failure mode with the result.

Worked example

A 15 mm specimen with 8.4 N maximum and 6.6 N average force gives 8.4 N/15 mm peak and 6.6 N/15 mm average seal strength.

When to use it

Use after a flexible-package seal pull to normalize differently cut specimen widths or to verify laboratory/exported spreadsheet arithmetic.

How to interpret the result

Peak and average values are not interchangeable. Pair the normalized number with the failure mode because peel, cohesive rupture, material tear, elongation, and grip effects can produce different meaning.

Assumptions and limitations

Normalization does not make different test techniques or materials equivalent. The tool does not select a seal-window target, remove machine dynamics, identify seal leaks, or approve package integrity.

Validation guidance

Measure the actual cut width, confirm force units and the averaging region, review the curve and failure mode, preserve every valid replicate, and follow the current governing procedure for specimen preparation and reporting.

FAQ

Why show both N/mm and N/15 mm?

N/mm is a direct width normalization; N/15 mm is common in flexible-packaging records. Keeping both makes conversions explicit without changing the underlying force trace.

Sources

ASTM F88/F88M: Seal Strength of Flexible Barrier Materials