South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) is purchasing an OTR/WVTR permeation tester as part of the “Xamk - LUKE NOHEVA Forest Bioeconomy RI" project funded by the Academy of Finland during 1.1.2026 – 30.12.2028.

Procurement background and objectives

The procurement is part of the “Xamk - LUKE NOHEVA Forest Bioeconomy RI” project, which aims to strengthen Xamk’s forest bioeconomy research environment in Savonlinna Finland. Fiber-based packaging plays a key role in the forest bioeconomy by replacing fossil-based raw materials. Xamk is expanding its capabilities in the development of fiber-based packaging and forest-based bio-barrier materials. As part of this effort, Xamk is investing in permeation testing equipment that will enable the evaluation of the barrier properties of fiber-based packaging materials. The equipment will significantly complement and strengthen the research environment’s capabilities and collaboration opportunities with both academic and industrial partners.

The purchased equipment will be located at the FiberLaboratory, which is a multidisciplinary research and testing environment operated by Xamk. The laboratory is an innovative, networked operating environment for developing future bioproduct processes, implementing new ideas, solving process technology problems and testing industrial maintenance. FiberLaboratory promotes the sustainable development of the forest and technology industry as well as the sensible use of resources.

Procurement content

The subject of the procurement is Oxygen transmission rate (OTR) and Water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) testers, either as a separate apparatus or a combination model.

Materials to be tested

The equipment offered is to be suited for testing OTR and WVTR performance of diverse films and sheets. The tested materials are mostly (but not limited to) bio- and fiber-based multilayer and coated structures with varying barrier materials. Intended use is mostly research and / material development in cooperation with academic and industrial partners.

Technical requirements for the tester(s)

OTR oxygen permeation tester, including the following features:

• Minimum two measurement cells, enabling simultaneous analysis of parallel samples

• Sensor type: Coulometric

• Compliance with ASTM D3985

• OTR testing range with a standard 50 cm² sample test area minimum 0.05–200 cm³·m-²·24h-¹ (unmasked)

• Resolution minimum 0.0001 cm³·m-²·24h-¹ @ 50cm²

• Repeatability minimum 0.02 cm³·m-²·24h-¹ or 1%, whichever is greater

• Temperature range minimum 15-40 °C

• Humidity range minimum 0%RH, 30-90%RH

• Automatic climate condition (testing temperature and humidity) control

• Carrier gas automatically controlled

WVTR water vapor permeation tester, including the following features:

• Minimum two measurement cells, enabling simultaneous analysis of parallel samples

• Sensor type: Infrared sensor

• Compliance with ASTM F1249

• WVTR testing range with a standard 50 cm² sample test area minimum 0.01-40 g·m-²·24h-¹ (unmasked)

• Resolution minimum 0.0001 g·m-²·24h-¹

• Repeatability minimum 0.05 g·m-²·24h-¹ or 2%, whichever is greater

• Temperature range minimum 15-40 °C

• •Humidity range minimum 0%RH, 50-90%RH

• Automatic climate condition (testing temperature and humidity) control

• Carrier gas automatically controlled

Installation, commissioning and training

Masks or masking tools (as an option)