PouchLab: driving innovation with the new Enflex F-17 addition
In recent years, customers across the value chain have asked us for the same thing: a reliable place to test new materials and pouch formats under real production conditions, with expert guidance.
PouchLab is our response. It brings together machinery, testing tools and engineering know-how so that every trial (from film behavior to closure integration) leads to clear decisions and a confident path to industrial implementation.
Real-world testing for different pouch formats
PouchLab is a space built for actionable insights, not assumptions. Operating as a production-grade environment, it goes beyond simulations by testing materials and pouch formats directly on running equipment under real-world conditions of pressure, temperature, and mechanical stress. With Volpak’s HFFS platform and the newly integrated Enflex F-17, PouchLab now enables comprehensive validation: stand-up pouches on Volpak solutions, flat pouches on both platforms, and gusseted formats on Enflex. This setup reveals how films and closures behave during actual motion: how a film stretches, how reacts form under varying conditions, and how structures respond dynamically. Each test delivers concrete data, empowering teams to refine designs confidently and eliminate uncertainty early in development.
Exploring new materials: a direct way to sustainability
As more brands transition to recyclable and mono-material structures, material behavior becomes less predictable, and therefore more important to measure precisely. PouchLab provides a space where films can be observed throughout every phase of the process. Engineers examine feed stability, tension balance, sealing response, thermal distribution and the way each structure reacts to different pouch shapes or speeds.
This close observation reveals strengths and limitations that would remain hidden in a non-industrial setting. With this knowledge, customers can make informed decisions about whether a new material supports both sustainability requirements and industrial efficiency, reducing the risk of surprises when production scales up.
Ensuring closure compatibility from the start
As packaging formats evolve, closures (zippers, spouts, and caps) have become increasingly engineered components. Their interaction with new film structures can be unpredictable, affecting everything from seal integrity to consumer experience.
PouchLab offers a controlled environment to evaluate:
- Zipper sealing compatibility with mono-material films
- Spout and cap welding feasibility
- Heat transfer performance during closure application
- Mechanical stability of the final pack
By testing closures in combination with actual film structures and on real machine configurations, PouchLab minimizes development cycles and reduces the likelihood of costly surprises during scale-up.
Advanced testing capabilities for complete validation
Beyond pouch forming, filling and sealing, PouchLab is equipped with an extensive suite of analytical tools that deliver precise, actionable insights.
1. Pouch forming & machinability
Assessment of film feed, tension behavior, wrinkle formation, seal temperature response and stability across different line speeds.
2. Closure integration tests
Verification of spout welding zones, zipper sealing parameters and long-term compatibility between materials and closures.
3. Seal integrity & strength
Burst tests, vacuum tests and pressure cycles that reveal leakage risks and weak points in the sealing area.
4. Mechanical durability
Drop testing, compression resistance and stress analysis to simulate distribution and shelf-life conditions.
5. Film characterization
Detailed analysis of stretching properties, pulling force behavior, friction and electrostatic charge levels.
6. Microscopy & thermal imaging
Micro-level visualization of seal layers and thermal profile mapping to detect irregularities invisible to the naked eye.
7. Rapid prototyping
3D printing capabilities for trial adaptors, nozzle shapes or alternative closure designs, speeding up iterations and experimentation.
Every test is conducted with strict confidentiality, ensuring innovation stays protected from early exposure or competitive insight.
Advising customers from concept to production
What distinguishes PouchLab is its collaborative approach. Customers work directly with Volpak’s R&D engineers, who accompany them through each phase of development, helping interpret material behavior, sealing responses and the mechanical interactions inside a running machine. Rather than simply providing raw results, the team translates data into clear recommendations, highlighting which adjustments will improve machinability, strengthen seals, or enhance compatibility between components.
This shared interpretation transforms testing into a guided journey from concept to industrial implementation, ensuring that every insight leads to practical improvements and a smoother scale-up.
Reducing risk while accelerating innovation
Packaging teams face constant pressure to innovate, but each new material or closure adds a degree of uncertainty. PouchLab helps reduce this uncertainty by offering a confidential, controlled environment where concepts can be validated under the same conditions they will encounter in production.
Real-machine testing replaces assumptions with data; detailed analysis highlights potential issues long before they reach the factory floor; and direct support from Volpak engineers ensures every finding can be translated into operational decisions. This combination allows companies to compress development timelines while reducing the risk of rework, inefficiencies, or performance failures during scale-up.
Build the future of your packaging with confidence
With the integration of the Enflex F-17 and the combined expertise of Volpak’s engineering team, PouchLab stands as one of the most advanced R&D environments for flexible packaging. It brings together real-machine validation, detailed analytical testing and hands-on partnership, all within a confidential, collaborative space designed to turn ideas into production-ready solutions.
At PouchLab, you don’t just test your materials, you build the future of your packaging, side by side with our experts.