# Packaging engineering

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{{Short description|Broad topic ranging from design conceptualization to product placement}}
[[File:Testing MAP for carrots.jpg|right|thumb|175px|Testing [modified atmosphere](/source/modified_atmosphere) in a [plastic bag](/source/plastic_bag) of carrots]]
[[File:Drop test haz-mat.jpg|right|thumb|175px|Military [shipping container](/source/shipping_container) being drop tested]]
right|thumb|175px|Engineers developing methods of molding packaging components from renewable resources such as straw<ref>{{Cite journal | last = Wood | first = Marcia | title = Leftover Straw Gets New Life | journal = Agricultural Research |date=April 2002 | url = https://agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov/2002/apr/straw }}</ref>
right|thumb|175px|Package design involves interactions of several factors

'''[Packaging](/source/Packaging) engineering''', also '''package engineering''', '''packaging technology''' and '''packaging science''', is a broad topic ranging from design conceptualization to product placement.  All steps along the manufacturing process, and more, must be taken into account in the design of the package for any given product.  Package engineering  is an interdisciplinary field integrating science, engineering, technology and management to protect and identify products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. It encompasses the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages.  It is a system integral to the value chain that impacts product quality, user satisfaction, distribution efficiencies, and safety. Package engineering includes industry-specific aspects of [industrial engineering](/source/industrial_engineering),  [marketing](/source/marketing),  [materials science](/source/materials_science), [industrial design](/source/industrial_design) and [logistics](/source/logistics).  Packaging engineers must interact with research and development, manufacturing, marketing, graphic design, regulatory, purchasing, planning and so on.  The package must sell and protect the product, while maintaining an efficient, cost-effective process cycle.<ref>{{Cite book
  | last = Johnson
  | first = C
  | contribution = In-House Testing of Computer Packaging
  | year = 1995
  | title = Distribution Packaging Technology
  | editor-last = Fiedler
  | editor-first = R M
  | publisher = IoPP
  }}
</ref>

Engineers develop packages from a wide variety of rigid and flexible materials.  Some materials have scores or creases to allow controlled folding into package shapes (sometimes resembling [origami](/source/origami)<ref>
{{Citation
 |last    = Merali
 |first   = Zeeya
 |title   = Origami Engineer Flexes to Create Stronger, More Agile Materials
 |journal = Science
 |volume  = 332
 |issue   = 6036
 |pages   = 1376–1377
 |date    = 17 June 2011
 |doi     = 10.1126/science.332.6036.1376
 |pmid    = 21680824
|bibcode = 2011Sci...332.1376M
 }}
</ref>).  Packaging involves [extrusion](/source/extrusion), [thermoforming](/source/thermoforming), [molding](/source/molding_(process)) and other processing technologies.  Packages are often developed for high speed fabrication, filling, processing, and shipment. Packaging engineers use principles of [structural analysis](/source/structural_analysis) and [thermal analysis](/source/thermal_analysis) in their evaluations.

==Education==
Some [packaging](/source/packaging) engineers have backgrounds in other [science](/source/science), [engineering](/source/engineering), or [design](/source/design) disciplines while some have college degrees specializing in this field.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.packworld.com/schools|title=Packaging Directory-Packaging Schools|date=20 October 2011 |access-date=14 Feb 2015 |publisher=Packaging world}}</ref>

Formal packaging programs might be listed as package engineering, packaging science, packaging technology, etc.  BE, BS, MS, M.Tech and PhD programs are available.  Students in a packaging program typically begin with generalized science, business, and engineering classes before progressing into industry-specific topics such as [shelf life](/source/shelf_life) stability, [corrugated box design](/source/corrugated_box_design), [cushioning](/source/cushioning), [engineering design](/source/engineering_design), labeling regulations,  [project management](/source/project_management), [food safety](/source/food_safety),<ref>{{cite journal |last=Lee |first=Ki-Eun |author2=Kim, An |author3=Lyu, Lee|date=November 1998 |title=Effectiveness of modified atmosphere packaging in preserving a prepared ready-to-eat food|journal=Packaging Technology and Science|volume=21 |issue=7 |pages= 417–423|doi=10.1002/pts.821 }}</ref> [robotics](/source/robotics), [RFID](/source/RFID) tags, [quality management](/source/quality_management), [package testing](/source/package_testing), packaging machinery,<ref>{{cite journal |last=Braglia|first= Maracello|author2=Frosolini, Montanari|date=January 2003 |title=Fuzzy logic controller in a packaging plant|journal=Packaging Technology and Science|volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=21–35 |doi=10.1002/pts.608 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Hicks |first= A. J.|author2=Medland, Mullineux |date=September 2001 |title=A constraint-based approach to the modelling and analysis of packaging machinery|journal=Packaging Technology and Science|volume=14 |issue=5 |pages=183–225 |doi=10.1002/pts.553 }}</ref> [tamper-evident](/source/tamper-evident) methods,<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1520/jte11883j |last=Johnston |first= R.G.|date=July 1997 |title=Effective Vulnerability Assessment of Tamper-Indicating Seals|journal= Journal of Testing and Evaluation|volume=25 |issue=4 |pages=451–455 |s2cid=111289045 }}</ref> [recycling](/source/recycling), [computer-aided design](/source/computer-aided_design),<ref>{{cite journal |last=Han|first= Jongkoo |author2=Park|date=January 2007 |title=Finite element analysis of vent/hand hole designs for corrugated fibreboard boxes|journal=Packaging Technology and Science|volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=39–47 |doi=10.1002/pts.741 }}</ref> etc.

==AI==
[Artificial intelligence](/source/Artificial_intelligence) is becoming useful in several aspects of packaging development.<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Zhang
 | first =Sheng
 | title =Research on energy-saving packaging design based on artificial intelligence
 | journal =Energy Reports
 | volume =8
 | issue =7
 | pages =480–489
 | date =2022
| doi =10.1016/j.egyr.2022.05.069
 | bibcode =2022EnRep...8..480Z
 | url = https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352484722009155
| access-date = 2 January 2025| url-access =subscription
 | doi-access =free
 }}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis |type=PhD|last=Esfahanian |first=Shiva |date=2024 |title=Implementing Artificial Intelligence in the Evaluation of Packaging Distribution and Label Design Modeling|publisher=Michigan State University | url = https://www.proquest.com/openview/54fe8c37622b006817131887d5c7fb1e/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y | access-date= 2 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal
| last =Kumar
 | first =L
 | title =Packaging 4.0: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Applications in the Food Packaging Industry
 | journal = 	June 2025Current Food Science and Technology Reports 3(19)
 | volume =3
 | issue =19
 | date =2025
| url = https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kirtiraj-Gaikwad/publication/392654941_Packaging_40_Artificial_Intelligence_and_Machine_Learning_Applications_in_the_Food_Packaging_Industry/links/684c088c69e22a0aa9d5f2db/Packaging-40-Artificial-Intelligence-and-Machine-Learning-Applications-in-the-Food-Packaging-Industry.pdf
| access-date = 1 November 2025}}</ref>  Packaging engineers are using AI systems in their [operations research](/source/operations_research), graphics, logistics, report writing, plant layout, presentation preparation,  and many other types of business and engineering areas.

AI can also design novel packages.  For example, the [DABUS](/source/DABUS) system designed containers for food and beverages with fractal patterns for gripping and for optical impact.  Patent law is developing in this area.  A World Patent has been issued with the inventor listed as DABUS <ref> {{cite patent
| country       =World
| number        =WO2020079499
| title         =Food container and devices and methods for attracting enhanced attention

| pubdate       =2020
|inventor1-last=	Inventor The invention was autonomously generated by an artificial intelligence DABUS
|inventor1-first=
| url = https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2020079499A1/en
}} </ref> but several jurisdictions indicate that a living person must be the inventor.<ref>{{Citation
| last =Sandys
 | first =A
| title = UK Supreme Court has final say on Dabus as named inventor
|journal =Juve Patent
| date = 21 December 2023 
| url= https://www.juve-patent.com/cases/uk-supreme-court-dabus-named-inventor-patent-stephen-thaler/
}}</ref><ref name="verge">{{cite web |title=US patent office rules that artificial intelligence cannot be a legal inventor |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/29/21241251/artificial-intelligence-inventor-united-states-patent-trademark-office-intellectual-property |website=www.theverge.com |date=29 April 2020 |accessdate=26 August 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [Packaging](/source/Packaging)
*[Packing problems](/source/Packing_problems)
*[Queueing theory](/source/Queueing_theory)
*[Engineering economics](/source/Engineering_economics)
*[Manufacturing engineering](/source/Manufacturing_engineering)
*[Cutting stock problem](/source/Cutting_stock_problem)
*[Bin packing problem](/source/Bin_packing_problem)
*[Integrated circuit packaging](/source/Integrated_circuit_packaging) and [Semiconductor packaging](/source/Semiconductor_packaging)

==Notes==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* Yam, K. L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 2009, {{ISBN|978-0-470-08704-6}}
* Hanlon, Kelsey, and Forcinio,  "Handbook of Package Engineering", CRC Press, 1998

{{packaging}}

Category:Packaging
Category:Engineering disciplines
Category:Packing problems
Category:Industrial engineering

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Packaging engineering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packaging_engineering) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packaging_engineering?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.