Monday, July 27, 2009

The Properties Of Bubble Wrap

By Dylan McThomas

Usually when transporting objects, particularly fragile ones, it is important to package them protectively. It is not uncommon for packages to be roughly handled, or accidentally dropped, and so cushioning the package is essential to minimise damage.

A reliable way of cushioning an object so that it doesnt get harmed in the transportation process is to use bubble wrap. Bubble wrap has been used for this for just over fifty years and is still going strong.

Bubble wrap is basically, a sheet of translucent plastic that has bubbles of air evenly spaced out across its surface to provide the padding for the item wrapped within it.

Two engineers by the names of Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes created bubble wrap in 1957. The term bubble wrap is technically a trademark of the Sealed Air Corporation (also created by Fielding and Chavannes) and in theory should only be used for that companys products.

Sometimes more than one layer of bubble wrap is more effective than bigger bubbles, but its not always necessary. If something isnt likely to break completely but has a delicate finish on the surface, then a single layer of bubble wrap will suffice to ensure that the item does not get scratched.

The bubbles can be as small as a quarter of an inch in diameter, and then can usually go up to an inch in diameter but, depending on where you buy it from, you can usually make a customised size request. The reason for this is of course, the bigger the air bubbles, the greater protection the bubble wrap provides.

Bubble wrap comes in different materials because some delicate objects may require wrapping in a specific material to avoid damage, such as sensitive electronic parts that would be damaged by the static of the standard bubble wrap material.

Of course, bubble wrap is also used as a form of amusement as it makes a clearly audible and somewhat satisfying popping sound when the bubbles are squeezed and punctured. Many people use it as a stress relief tool and there are even websites that contain virtual bubble wrap that you can pop by clicking on the bubbles. Some would say pointless, others would say brilliant, and both could well be the case.

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