THERMOCON / DEVELOPMENT & TESTING
Thermal engineering for temperature-controlled packaging
THERMOCON develops and tests passive thermal packaging for pharmaceutical and biotech shipments. We simulate new and existing packaging, build prototypes and test them in climate chambers. We assess whether the packout keeps the goods within the specified temperature range for the required transport duration.
For new packaging, changes to transport routes and existing shippers with temperature control problems.
From initial calculations to finished packaging
You can come to us with a new shipping requirement or an existing packaging system. We start by establishing which development steps and tests your project needs.
1. Model and design the packaging
We calculate the thermal requirements and design the packaging using computer models. Insulation, dimensions and coolant packs are matched to the product quantity, required transport duration and expected external temperatures.
2. Build prototypes
We produce machined prototypes and 3D-printed models. These allow us to check the components, space for the goods and coolant pack arrangement before defining the configuration for the temperature test.
3. Test in a climate chamber
The packed system is exposed to the agreed temperature profile. The measurements show whether the configuration meets the temperature requirements and when any deviations occur.
4. Manufacture shippers and coolant packs
THERMOCON and Schaumaplast manufacture EPS and EPP insulated shippers as well as coolant packs. For production to begin, the materials, components and packout must match the tested configuration.
Climate chamber testing: assess the complete packout
The complete configuration of insulation, coolant packs and payload is tested at the specified starting temperatures. The climate chamber runs the agreed external temperature profile, while sensors record temperatures over time at defined positions within the payload space.
What needs to be agreed before testing
- Temperature and duration: the permitted temperature range for the goods and the time to be tested through to receipt.
- Payload: the minimum and maximum intended product quantities and the properties of any substitute product used for testing.
- Packout: coolant pack positioning and preparation, and the starting temperature of the goods.
- Test profile: summer, winter or measured transport route data, with additional waiting times based on the risks.
- Measurement: sensor positions, recording interval, calibration and pass criteria.
What the results tell you
The analysis shows whether the tested configuration stays within the agreed temperature limits, where deviations occur and when. This helps you decide whether the configuration is suitable or whether, for example, the quantity of coolant packs, preparation or insulation needs to change.
Agree the documentation needed for your quality assurance process: the packout with photographs, test conditions, sensor layout, temperature curves and assessment against the defined criteria.
A climate chamber test demonstrates performance under the conditions tested. How the packaging is used and monitored on your actual transport route forms part of qualifying your shipping process. Read more about qualifying thermal packaging (German).
Simulation: compare changes before the next test
We also create computer models of existing thermal packaging. This allows us to investigate how a different packout or temperature profile affects the product temperature. A transport route risk assessment (German) helps identify relevant stops and waiting times to include in the study.
Example: an extra day before delivery
A shipment takes an extra day to arrive. The calculation also needs the temperatures during that additional time: refrigerated interim storage places a different thermal load on the box from a depot without temperature control. Simulation helps narrow down which change, such as adding more coolant packs, should be investigated in the climate chamber. The subsequent test shows whether the modified configuration meets the requirements.
The reliability of a simulation depends on the material data, modelling assumptions and comparison with measurements.
Which standards are relevant to your test?
THERMOCON uses real temperature data and profiles based on ISTA or AFNOR for climate chamber testing. The edition of the standard and the test conditions for your project are agreed before testing.
ISTA 7E and Standard 20
ISTA 7E describes temperature testing for thermal packaging used in parcel delivery. Standard 20 describes the development and qualification process. A test using a 7E profile alone does not constitute ISTA certification. The suitability of the profile for pallets or specific transport routes must be assessed separately.
AFNOR NF S99-700:2022
This French standard describes the thermal qualification of passive transport solutions for healthcare products. It includes a standard method and a method with project-specific adjustments. It does not demonstrate resistance to impact or compression.
EU GDP, Chapter 9
The EU GDP guidelines require suitable transport conditions and planning based on risk for medicinal products for human use. They provide a framework for selecting packaging; they are not a climate chamber test method.
ASTM D3103-20(2025)
This test method assesses the thermal performance of packaging under changing external temperatures. It may be relevant if your test specification requires ASTM testing. Testing to this method must be agreed separately before you place the order.
Our guide to ISTA and AFNOR temperature profiles (German) explains which profile suits a given shipping requirement.
What we need to know about your project
Describe your requirements using a typical shipment wherever possible. The following information helps us get started:
- Product and shipping quantity: dimensions, weight, and minimum and maximum payloads.
- Temperature and transport: permitted temperature range, time until receipt, origin and destination, and known delays.
- Packing operation: available cold rooms or freezers, coolant pack preparation and space at the packing station.
- Existing documentation: packing instructions, drawings, data logger temperature curves or previous test reports.
- Your objective: for example, a longer transport duration, fewer packing steps, smaller shipping dimensions or a different product quantity.
Still missing some details? Start by describing your current shipping process. We can clarify the remaining points when we discuss your project.
Could pre-qualified packaging meet your needs?
Before developing a new design, consider our pre-qualified systems. The product quantity, transport duration and temperature requirements must be compatible with the documented packout and test conditions.