Péter Csavajda

Site-specific management requires the identification of treatment areas based on homogeneous characteristics. This study aimed to determine whether soil mapping based on apparent soil electrical conductivity (EC_a) is suitable for mapping soil properties of fields with topographic heterogeneity. Research was conducted on two neighbouring fields in Fejér county, Hungary, with contrasting topographic heterogeneity. To characterise the spatial variability of soil attributes, EC_a was measured and supplemented by obtaining soil samples and performing soil profile analysis. The relationship between EC_a and soil physical and chemical properties was analysed using correlation, principal component, and regression analyses. The research revealed that the quality and strength of the relationship between EC_a and soil remarkably differed in the two studied fields. In homogeneous topographic conditions, EC_a was weakly correlated with elevation as determined by soil physical texture and nutrient content in a strong (R² = 0.72) linear model. On the other hand, EC_a was significantly determined by elevation in heterogeneous topographic conditions in a moderate (R² = 0.47) linear model. Consequently, EC_a-based soil mapping can only be used to characterise the soil, thus delineating management zones under homogeneous topographic conditions.

Polyethylene (PE) and its variations are among the most traditional materials used for cushioning in packaging systems. The role of these materials is to prevent damages during handling and distribution processes from physical events such as vibration stress. This study presents new results on the characterization of properties of PE and XPE (cross-linked polyethylene) packaging materials, which have significant relevance as a protective mechanism due to their vibration transmissibility and frequency curve properties. The main goal of this study is the evaluation of vibration transmissibility of PE and XPE cushion material at varied real temperature and static load conditions through a series of experiments using a vibration tester and climate chamber to determine the peak frequencies, vibration transmissibility, and damping ratios. The results can be used by engineers in the package-design process, and can be useful in different distribution conditions. Three different kinds of static loads and a 0.5 oct/min sine sweep of vibration test were used to find the peak frequencies and vibration transmissibility at −20 °C, 0 °C, 20 °C and 40 °C to estimate the damping ratios. The results provided a better understanding of the materials and can assist in the design of suitable protective packaging systems.

The aim of this paper is to provide useful information about climate conditions of transcontinental shipments from Hungary and compare them to the climate profiles of conditioning standards. The climatic environments inside ISO intermodal containers carrying automotive products to three different destinations in India, China and South Africa were measured. All three recorded surveys contain temperature and relative humidity data while the containers were stored outdoors and indoors and travelled on truck, rail and ship. The measured data was analyzed and mean statistical values of daily temperature and RH shifts were determined for each route. The recorded data shows that 50 % of maximum temperature and RH shifts occurred in the EU continent. Temperature and relative humidity distribution as a function of cumulative percentages [%] of the duration of total shipping was also determined and compared to the climate profiles of conditioning standards. It shows that peak temperature and RH ranges occur mostly in the defined duration of conditioning testing time.

To control the climate when temperature sensitive drugs are delivered is an essential consideration of shippers and freight forwarders. It is common practice to utilize insulated boxes. A survey was conducted to determine the properties of these daily deliveries and factors were observed that influence the climate environment of drugs during travel. These factors included opening intervals, number of openings, trip times and distances. Then the results of the survey were used to perform the recorded circumstances of distribution in laboratory tests as close to reality as possible and analyse the effect of the above-mentioned factors. During real distribution the temperature range from 2°C – 8°C was targeted. For the comparison of profiles, the static temperature profiles were also measured in the laboratory. One objective of this paper was to do a comparative performance analysis for the velocity changes of temperature between opened and not-opened procedures. A second objective was to show how to effect the vibration of temperature affects different parts of the box. The final objective was to provide packaging engineers with new information to design cost-efficient and practical reusable transportation solutions for these drugs on daily deliveries with more stopovers and openings.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, logistics has undergone a huge technological development, which has, however, resulted in many negative effects as well. The industry, particularly in the packaging industry has been a massive waste producer, although recently it has forced the use of new materials and it started to focus on environmentally friendly technologies. During the transportation of finished and semi-finished Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) sensitive products, the product packaging system has a vital role. These kind of packaging materials must be suitable to both logistic (protection against mechanical and environmental stresses) and special ESD protection requirements. During the transportation of printed-circuit electronic products, ESD defense is then of primary significance. However there is a huge disadvantage for the use of various shield bags. Namely, this kind of associated packaging is particularly pollutant, it causes a lot of inconvenience in the form of waste. In order to rule out these materials from the packaging system, new innovative solutions have to be found. The investigated TPS (thermoplastic starch biodegradable foam) is subjected to a validation, a long process to certify that this material unites properties of two types of packaging materials at the same time. On the one hand, this packaging foam has to meet the requirements product defense. On the other hand, the material must be anti-static under the logistic stress effects. In case it is found suitable, it can be an alternative of the conventional materials. In this article, we investigate the ESD characteristic of TPS foam. As this material sensitive for environmental parameters during transportation, we make the relevant Surface Resistance (Rs) tests on different temperature and humidity conditions. Based on result, the decision of the application can be done, as an ESD packaging material.