PKG&QAP MIL-PRF-32176A

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PKG&QAP MIL-PRF-32176

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C-1 ITEM DESCRIPTION

PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS FOR 

MIL-PRF-32176A, BAG, HOT BEVERAGE 

SECTION D

D-1 PACKAGING

 Referenced in applicable Assembly Contract Requirements (ACR) documents.

D-2 LABELING

 Referenced in MIL-PRF-32176A Bag, Hot Beverage. 

D-3 PACKING

 A. Packing for shipment to ration assembler. Not more than 40 pounds of product shall be 

packed in a fiberboard shipping box constructed in accordance with style RSC-L of ASTM 

D5118/D5118M, Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard Shipping Boxes. The 

fiberboard shall conform to type CF, class D, variety SW, minimum burst grade 200 or ECT 

32 of ASTM D4727/D4727M, Standard Specification for Corrugated and Solid Fiberboard 

Sheet Stock (Container Grade) and Cut Shapes. Each box shall be securely closed in 

accordance with ASTM D1974/D1974M, Standard Practice for Methods of Closing, Sealing, 

and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes.

D-5 MARKING

 A. Shipping containers. Shipping containers shall be marked in accordance with DLA 

Troop Support Form 3556, Marking Instructions for Boxes, Sacks and Unit Loads of 

Perishable and Semiperishable Subsistence.

SECTION E INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

The following quality assurance criteria, utilizing ANSI/ASQC Z1.4, Sampling Procedures 

and Tables for Inspection by Attributes, are required. Unless otherwise specified, single 

sampling plans indicated in ANSI/ASQC Z1.4 will be utilized. When required, the 
PKG&QAP MIL-PRF-32176A

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manufacturer shall provide the Certificate(s) of Conformance to the appropriate inspection 

activity. Certificate(s) of Conformance not provided shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

 A. Definitions.

(1) Critical defect. A critical defect is a defect that judgment and experience indicate 

would result in hazardous or unsafe conditions for individuals using, maintaining, or 

depending on the item; or a defect that judgment and experience indicate is likely to prevent 

the performance of the major end item, i.e., the consumption of the ration.

(2) Major defect. A major defect is a defect, other than critical, that is likely to result 

in failure, or to reduce materially the usability of the unit of product for its intended purpose.

(3) Minor defect. A minor defect is a defect that is not likely to reduce materially the 

usability of the unit of product for its intended purpose, or is a departure from established 

standards having little bearing on the effective use or operation of the unit.

E-6 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS (PACKAGING AND PACKING 

MATERIALS)

 A. Packaging.

(1) Bag testing. The bag and material shall be tested for the requirements listed in 

table I of MIL-PRF-32176A. The lot size, sample unit, and inspection level criteria for each 

test are listed below. Any test failure shall be classified as a major defect and shall be cause 

for rejection of the lot.

Requirement Lot size expressed in Sample unit Inspection level

Color Bags 1 bag S-2

Bag integrity Bags 1 bag S-2

Heat seals Bags 1 bag S-2

Interlocking closure integrity Bags 1 bag S-2

Interlocking closure operation Bags 1 bag S-2

Interface (bag & interlocking 

closure)

Bags 1 bag S-2

Environmental Bags 1 bag S-2
PKG&QAP MIL-PRF-32176A

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(2) Bag examination. The bags shall be examined for the defects listed in table II of 

MIL-PRF-32176A. The lot size shall be expressed in bags. The sample unit shall be one bag. 

The inspection level shall be S-3 and the acceptable quality level (AQL), expressed in terms 

of defects per hundred units, shall be 1.5 for major defects and 4.0 for minor defects.

 B. Packing.

(1) Shipping container and marking examination. The filled and sealed shipping 

containers shall be examined for the defects listed in table I below. The lot size shall be 

expressed in shipping containers. The sample unit shall be one shipping container fully 

packed. The inspection level shall be S-3 and the AQL, expressed in terms of defects per 

hundred units, shall be 4.0 for major defects and 10.0 for total defects.

TABLE I. Shipping container and marking defects

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Marking missing or incorrect or illegible or improper size or 

improper location sequence or improper method of application.

102 Inadequate workmanship. 1/

201 More than 40 pounds of product.

1/ Inadequate workmanship is defined as, but not limited to, incomplete closure of container 

flaps, loose strapping, inadequate stapling, improper taping, or bulged or distorted container.
PKG&QAP MIL-PRF-32176A

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PKG&QAP MIL-PRF-32176

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SECTION J REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

Unless otherwise specified, the applicable version of these documents is that which is active 

on the date of the solicitation or contract.

DLA Troop Support Form

Form 3556 Marking Instructions for Boxes, Sacks and Unit Loads of 

Perishable and Semiperishable Subsistence

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SPECIFICATION

MIL-PRF-32176A Bag, Hot Beverage

(Copies of these documents are available from http://quicksearch.dla.mil/qsSearch.aspx or 

from the Standardization Document Order Desk, 700 Robbins Ave, Building 4D, 

Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094.)

NON-GOVERNMENTAL STANDARDS

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR QUALITY (ASQ) www.asq.org

ANSI/ASQCZ1.4 Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspection by Attributes

ASTM INTERNATIONAL www.astm.org

 D1974/D1974M Standard Practice for Methods of Closing, Sealing, 

and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes

 D4727/D4727M Standard Specification for Corrugated and Solid 

Fiberboard Sheet Stock (Container Grade) and Cut 

Shapes

 D5118/D5118M Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard 

Shipping Boxes