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Analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of Cape flora (Fynbos), and improving the structural integrity through design changes
Cronjee, T. 2025. Analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of Cape flora (Fynbos), and improving the structural integrity through design changes. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/cbb4f8ca-4fdb-43...
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614063740059648 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Cronje, Tiaan |
| author2 | Coetzee, Corne |
| author_browse | Coetzee, Corne Cronje, Tiaan |
| author_facet | Coetzee, Corne Cronje, Tiaan |
| author_sort | Cronje, Tiaan |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Cronjee, T. 2025. Analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of Cape flora (Fynbos), and improving the structural integrity through
design changes. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/cbb4f8ca-4fdb-4384-bf2d-2807a3db9905 |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132114 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:04.365Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132114 Analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of Cape flora (Fynbos), and improving the structural integrity through design changes Cronje, Tiaan Coetzee, Corne Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Load factor design Fynbos -- Packaging Packing (Mechanical engineering) Materials -- Compression testing UCTD Cronjee, T. 2025. Analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of Cape flora (Fynbos), and improving the structural integrity through design changes. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/cbb4f8ca-4fdb-4384-bf2d-2807a3db9905 Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The packaging of fresh produce forms an integral part of the farm‑to‑consumer supply chain. Corrugated paperboard boxes are used to export Cape flora to other parts of the world. However, due to the high humidity conditions that the boxes are exposed to, between 5 % and 13 % of boxes get damaged, deformed or totally collapse during handling and transportation. This results in damaged produce and has a negative impact on the Capeflora export industry. The objectives of this study was to quantify the loads acting on a box, to develop a new test standard and minimum criteria for the structural integrity of the box, and to compare the performance of existing and new box designs against this standard. A new load cell device was designed to measure the load acting on a palletised box under field conditions. This data was used to set up standard box testing procedures, which included conditioning at cold room conditions and box compression tests (BCT). Additionally, two new procedures were developed to test a single box, namely cyclic box compression tests (C‑BCT), and box shear tests (BST). In addition, the performance of the box in a palletised stack was analysed using a pallet lateral acceleration tester (PLAT). While stack stability is usually analysed with the PLAT, it was also used to analyse the effects of cyclic loading on the boxes under combined compression and shear loading. The tests were used to analyse the effects of environmental conditions (standard and cold room), production methods (production‑cut and table/prototype‑cut), and cyclic loading during transport on the boxes. Using the current box design, a baseline for the structural performance was established, as a first step to a new test standard. Two new boxes, a modified version of the current box with an anti‑shear mechanism and a smaller box with a tuck‑in lid, were designed, manufactured, and tested. The results showed that the BCT strength can decrease by up to 50 % when the box is subjected to cold room environmental conditions, compared to standard conditions. Furthermore, a box from the production line can have a BCT strength that is up to 20 % lower than an identical box produced as a prototype (table‑cut). Under combined compression and shear cyclic loading in a palletised stack, the box can lose up to 9 % of its BCT strength after 10 cycles. The current boxes failed mainly in shear and had a BST strength of 0.61 kN. The newly designed box with the anti‑shear mechanism, had a BST strength of 0.74 kN and performed better in the stack when subjected to cyclic loading. The newly designed smaller box significantly improved the stability of the stack under lateral loading by reducing the maximum pallet lateral displacement by 8 %. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verpakking van vars produkte vorm ’n integrale deel van die plaastot‑verbruiker‑voorsieningsketting. Geriffelde kartonbokse word gebruik om Kaapse flora na ander dele van die wêreld uit te voer. As gevolg van die hoë humiditeitstoestande waaraan die bokse blootgestel word, word tussen 5 % en 13 % van die bokse beskadig, vervorm of stort heeltemal ineen tydens hantering en vervoer. Dit lei tot beskadigde produkte en het ’n negatiewe impak op die Kaapse flora‑uitvoerbedryf. Die doelwitte van hierdie studie was om die kragte wat op ’n boks inwerk te kwantifiseer, om ’n nuwe toetsstandaard en minimum kriteria vir die strukturele integriteit van die boks te ontwikkel, en om die werkverrigting van bestaande en nuwe boksontwerpe met hierdie standaard te vergelyk. ’n Nuwe lasseltoestel is ontwerp om die kragte, wat op ’n gepalletiseerde boks inwerk onder veldtoestande, te meet. Hierdie data is gebruik om standaard bokstoetsprosedures op te stel, wat kondisionering by koelkamertoestande en boksdruktoetse (BDT) ingesluit het. Daarbenewens is twee nuwe prosedures ontwikkel om ’n enkele boks te toets, naamlik sikliese boksdruktoetse (S‑BDT) en boksskuiftoetse (BST). Boonop is die werkverrigting van die boks in ’n gepalletiseerde stapel ontleed met behulp van ’n palet laterale versnellingstoetser (PLVT). Terwyl stapelstabiliteit gewoonlik met die PLVT ontleed word, is dit hier ook gebruik om die uitwerking van sikliese lading op die bokse onder gekombineerde druk‑ en skuiflading te ontleed. Die toetse is gebruik om die uitwerking van omgewingstoestande (standaard‑en koelkamer), produksiemetodes (produksiesnit en tafel/prototipesnit) en sikliese lading tydens vervoer op die bokse te ontleed. Met behulp van die huidige boksontwerp is ’n basislyn vir die strukturele werkverrigting vasgestel, as ’n eerste stap na ’n nuwe toetsstandaard. Twee nuwe bokse, ’n aangepaste weergawe van die huidige boks met ’n teen‑skuifmeganisme en ’n kleiner boks met ’n insteekdeksel, is ontwerp, vervaardig en getoets. Die resultate het getoon dat die BDT‑krag met tot 50 % kan afneem wanneer die boks aan koelkameromgewingstoestande onderwerp word, in vergelyking met standaardtoestande. Verder kan ’n boks van die produksielyn ’n BDT‑krag hê wat tot 20 % laer is as ’n identiese boks wat as ’n prototipe vervaardig word (tafelsnit). Onder gekombineerde druk‑ en skuifsikliese lading in ’n gepalletiseerde stapel kan die boks tot 9 % van sy BDT‑krag na 10 siklusse verloor. Die huidige bokse het hoofsaaklik in skuif gefaal en het ’n BST‑krag van 0.61 kN gehad. Die nuwe boks ontwerp met die teen‑skuifmeganisme het ’n BST‑krag van 0.74 kN gehad en het beter gevaar in die stapel wanneer dit aan sikliese lading onderwerp word. Die nuwe, kleiner boks ontwerp het die stabiliteit van die stapel onder laterale lading aansienlik verbeter deur die maksimum laterale stapelverplasing met 8 % te verlaag. Masters 2025-05-23T18:50:09Z 2025-05-23T18:50:09Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132114 Stellenbosch University xvii 122 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Load factor design Fynbos -- Packaging Packing (Mechanical engineering) Materials -- Compression testing UCTD Cronje, Tiaan Analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of Cape flora (Fynbos), and improving the structural integrity through design changes |
| title | Analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of Cape flora (Fynbos), and improving the structural integrity through design changes
|
| title_full | Analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of Cape flora (Fynbos), and improving the structural integrity through design changes
|
| title_fullStr | Analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of Cape flora (Fynbos), and improving the structural integrity through design changes
|
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of Cape flora (Fynbos), and improving the structural integrity through design changes
|
| title_short | Analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of Cape flora (Fynbos), and improving the structural integrity through design changes
|
| title_sort | analysing the failure of existing boxes used for the export of cape flora fynbos and improving the structural integrity through design changes |
| topic | Load factor design Fynbos -- Packaging Packing (Mechanical engineering) Materials -- Compression testing UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132114 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cronjetiaan analysingthefailureofexistingboxesusedfortheexportofcapeflorafynbosandimprovingthestructuralintegritythroughdesignchanges |