Evaluation of product dropping damage based on key component

This paper analyses the packaging system of a product as a two‐degrees‐of‐freedom system, one degree for the key component and the other for the main part of the product. The dropping damage boundary curve was developed based on the key component for linear and non‐linear packaging systems to predict product damage as a result of drop impacts. The dynamic models of two‐degrees‐of‐freedom dropping shock were obtained. For a linear packaging system, the dropping response of the key component was determined by the dimensionless dropping shock velocity, the frequency parameter ratio, the mass ratio and the damping parameters; for a non‐linear system, the system parameter was also used. The frequency parameter ratio of the packaging system and the dimensionless dropping shock velocity were selected as the basic evaluation quantities for the dropping damage of the key component. As an example, the dropping damage boundary curves based on the key component were given for linear and tangent packaging systems. The influence of related parameters such as the mass ratio, the system parameter and the damping parameters on the dropping damage boundary curve was investigated. To verify the theory, experiments were designed and completed. Experiment results for both linear and tangent packaging systems were consistent with the theory suggested in this paper. These results have important value not only for the design of cushioning packaging but also for the improvement of products. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.