DEAS 934: 2018
ICS 55.120
 
© EAC 2018 – All rights reserved ii
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
Packaging — Flexible laminate  tubes — Test met hods to assess th e 
strength of the side seam 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITYDEAS 934: 2018 
© EAC 2018 – All rights reserved ii
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© EAC 2018 – All rights reserved  iii
 Foreword 
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated  by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are encountered  when goods and services are exchanged 
within the Community will be removed.  
The Community has established an East African Standards Committ ee(EASC) mandated to develop and 
issue East African Standards(EAS).The Committee is composed of representatives of the National Standards 
Bodies in Partner States, together with the representatives fro m the public and private sector organizations in 
the community.  
East African Standards are developed through Technical Committe es that are representative of key 
stakeholders including government, academia, consumer groups, p rivate sector and other interested parties. 
Draft East African Standards are circulated to stakeholders thr ough the National Standards Bodies in the 
Partner States. The comments received are discussed and incorpo rated before finalization of standards, in 
accordance with the Principles and procedures for development o f East African Standards.  
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with  technological advances. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they al ways have the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing .  
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Commit tee EASC/TC 066, Packaging . 
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements  of this document may be subject of patent 
rights. EAC shall not be held responsible for identifying any o r all such patent rights. 
During the preparation of this Standard, reference was made to the following document: 
EN 15387, Packaging — Flexible laminate tubes — Test methods to assessthe strength of the side seam 
Acknowledgment is hereby made for the assistance derived from t his source. 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD DEAS 934: 2018
 
© EAC 2018 – All rights reserved 1
 Packaging — Flexible laminate t ubes — Test methods to assess 
the strength of the side seam 
1 Scope 
This Draft East African Standard specifies methods for the asse ssment of the strength of the side seam of 
flexiblelaminate tubes.It is applicable to flexible laminate tu bes used for packing pharmaceutical, cosmetic, 
hygiene, food and otherhousehold products 
2 Normative reference 
There are no normative references in this document 
3 Principle 
The burst test and the overlap test serve to assess the strengt h of the side seam. These tests are 
complementary. The burst test is used to measure whether the tu be can withstand a defined air pressure. In 
addition the overlap test gives information about possible reas ons for an insufficient strength of the overlap of 
the laminate at the side seam. 
4 Test equipment for burst test 
4.1 Compressed air system 
Air compressor with an initial minimum pressure of 2 bar equipp ed with an air regulator allowing a constant 
and stable pressure. 
4.2 Test device 
 
 
2 © EAC 2018 – All rights reserved
 Key 
1 Valve 
2 Pressure gauge 
3 Tube 
4 Clamp 5 Adaptor for thread 
6 Protective box 
7 Compressed air 
Figure 1 — Burst test
 principle  
4 Test operation 
4.1 Burst test 
4.1.1 Place the tube in the clamp (side seam centred), close one end of the tube and introduce the air from 
the other end of the tube. 
4.1.2 For tubes with a diameter less than or equal to 40 mm apply a p ressure of 2 bar for 10 s. For tubes 
with a diameter larger  than 40 mm apply a pressure of 1.8 bar f or 10 s. 
4.1.3 The tube shall not burst in the overlap area or the side seam d uring the 10 s that the pressure is 
applied. If the tube bursts in any other area than the side sea m or the overlap or if the tube does not burst at 
all, it meets the specifications. 
4.1.4 Below 250 µm laminate thickness the test shall be subject to a mutual agreement between customer 
and supplier. 
4.2 Overlap test 
4.2.1  An appropriate measure shall be taken to make the inner layer visible. If the inner layer is not visible, 
samples shall be prepared by using an appropriate contrasting a gent. 
4.2.2  Cut across-section of the tube approximately10 mm from its ope n end. 
a) if the tube is an ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) barrier lami nate, stain the section with a contrasting agent 
(e.g .iodine solution of 2.5 grams iodine, 2.5 grams potassium iodide, 15 grams distilled water, 80 grams 
ethanol).This will turn an EVOH barrier layer dark brown or bla ck within approximately one minute and 
enable it to be seen easily under the magnifying device; 
b) if the tube is an aluminium barrier laminate, no additional sample preparation is required; 
c) other plastic or metal laminates will require careful examin ation to allow correct measurement of the 
overlap. 
4.2.3  Under the magnifying device the sideseam will show an overlap of aluminium or a blackline with 
polymer flow around the weld. 
4.2.4  Take the reading in mm from the graticule.  
© EAC 2018 – All rights reserved  3
 
4.2.5  The overlap shall be equal to or larger than 1mm. 
4.2.6  The overlap test does not apply to laminate tubes where the tub e wall is joined edge to edge.  
 
 
  
   
4 © EAC 2018 – All rights reserved
 Key 
1 external layer 
2 adhesive 
3 barrier 
4 inner layer 5 overlap  
Figure 2 — Tested 
side seam 
If laminate structures without an aluminium or EVOH barrier are  used, a suitable test procedure should be 
mutually agreed upon between customer and supplier. 
5 Test report 
If not otherwise agreed between supplier and customer the test report shall contain the following information: 
a) reference to this East African Standard and – if necessary –  a specification for the method of sampling 
and acceptance of the batch; 
b) the complete identification of the batch and of the tubes ch ecked; 
c) the number of tubes checked; 
d) the number of defects; e) the test result; 
f) all factors which could have affected the results or all ope rating details not specified in this standard; 
g) date, place of test  and name of tester. 
 DEAS 934: 2018 
 
© EAC 2018 – All rights reserved