Drop Test

Siripong Malasri, Ph.D., P.E., CPLP Technician Packaging Department Chair & Healthcare Packaging Consortium Director

Mallory Harvey Civil Engineering Major & Packaging Minor

Packaging Department

Christian Brothers University

650 East Parkway South, Memphis, TN 38104, USA

Revision: July 7, 2013

© 2013 by Siripong Malasri

Introduction

• There are four major types of hazards during distribution of a package: drop, vibration, compression, and atmospheric condition.

• Drop test is specified in various ISTA procedures, including 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1G, 1H, 2A, 2B, 2C, and 3A.

• ISTA specifies drop heights based on package weight. Heavier packages require lower drop heights.

• Number of drops

• Drop height distribution (how many at what heights) – usually in 6-in increments.

• Orientation of drops (corner, edge, face)

• Order of drops (which is first, second, etc.)

• Number of test cycles (how many times the test series is performed)

• Number of specimens and any conditioning, pre-conditioning, or other treatment

Drop Test Specifications

Drop Heights

Package Weight Range (lb) Drop Height (in)

0 - 21 30

21 - 41 24

41 - 61 18

61 - 100 12

100 - 150 8

ISTA Resource Book, 2013

• Free-fall drop machines are usually used to test small to medium size packages.

• Could also use slings around the package and use quick release hooks.

• Free fall and rigid surface are important.

• Simple “hand” drops (hold and release) are generally not acceptable.

Drop Tester

Quick Release Hook

The Lansmont PDT-56ED Drop Tester features an electric hoist capable of dropping packages up to 175 lbs (79 kg) from a height of 11 to 72 inches. The machine utilizes a high-velocity pneumatic cylinder and unique brake system for accurate flat drop testing. The hand-held controller is microprocessor based, giving the user the ability to set drop heights, to move the hoist up and down, and to return to the set drop height.

Drop Tester @ CBU Lab

Operations of Lansmont PDT-56ED Drop Tester

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

ISTA specifies specific drop sequence for some test procedures. The drop sequence used in Procedures 1A, 1C, 1G, 2A, and 2C is shown as an example:

Drop Sequence

Drop No. Orientation of Drop

1 Corner (most fragile face-3 corner or corner 2-3-5)

2 Edge (shortest edge radiating from the corner tested)

3 Edge (medium edge radiating from the corner tested)

4 Edge (longest edge radiating from the corner tested)

5 Face (one of the two opposite smallest faces)

6 Face (the opposite smallest face)

7 Face (one of the two opposite medium faces)

8 Face (the opposite medium face)

9 Face (one of the two opposite largest faces)

10 Face (the opposite largest face)

ISTA Resource Book, 2013

Manufacturer’s Joints

Face 1 (top) Opposite (bottom) is Face 3

Face 5 (front) Opposite (back) is Face 6

Face 2 (right) Opposite (left) is Face 4

Corner 2-3-5

Edge 1-2

Introduction to Drop Sequence

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Terminology: Corner, Edge, and Face

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Drop 1: Corner (most fragile face-3 corner or corner 2-3-5)

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Drop 2: Edge (shortest edge radiating from the corner tested)

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Drop 3: Edge (medium edge radiating from the corner tested)

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Drop 4: Edge (longest edge radiating from the corner tested)

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Drop 5: Face (one of the two opposite smallest faces)

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Drop 6: Face (the opposite smallest face)

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Drop 7: Face (one of the two opposite medium faces)

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Drop 8: Face (the opposite medium face)

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Drop 9: Face (one of the two opposite largest faces)

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Drop 10: Face (the opposite largest face)

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Procedures 1B, 1D, and 2B use the following drop sequence:

Drop No. Orientation of Drop

5 Face (one of the two opposite smallest faces)

6 Face (the opposite smallest face)

7 Face (one of the two opposite medium faces)

8 Face (the opposite medium face)

9 Face (one of the two opposite largest faces)

10 Face (the opposite largest face)

ISTA Resource Book, 2013

For Procedure 3A, check ISTA Resource Book for more information.

• Larger items require a big drop tester.

• CBU Lab has a big drop tester, L.A.B. Model AD-500., as shown. It has 500-lb maximum payload capacity with three tines to lift a package up to a specific drop height.

Drop Test of Larger Packages

Operations of L.A.B. AD 500 Drop Tester

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Sample Drop Using L.A.B. AD 500 Drop Tester

(Click on the image above to play the mp4 video clip)

Overviews of ISTA Procedures

(Click on a link above to view an overview from www.ista.org)

Procedure Title & Link

1A Packaged-Products weighing 150 lb (68 kg) or Less

1B Packaged-Products weighing Over 150 lb (68 kg)

1C Extended Testing for Individual Packaged-Products weighing 150 lb (68 kg) or Less

1D Extended Testing for Individual Packaged-Products weighing Over 150 lb (68 kg)

1G Packaged-Products weighing 150 lb (68 kg) or Less (Random Vibration)

2A Packaged-Products weighing 150 lb (68 kg) or Less

2B Packaged-Products weighing Over 150 lb (68 kg)

2C Furniture Packages

3A Packaged-Products for Parcel Delivery System Shipment weighing 70 kg (150 lb)or Less

CBU Packaging Lab is certified by the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) since 2009. Some of its equipment are shown below:

CBU Packaging Lab

http://cbu.edu/packaging/packaginglab.html

The Healthcare Packaging Consortium was founded on June 1, 2010, at Christian Brothers University by seven founding members: Evergreen Packaging, FedEx, Medtronic, Merck Consumer Care, Plastic Ingenuity, Smith & Nephew, and Wright Medical. Since then, The Pallet Factory, Inc., Olympus Surgical Technologies America and WS Packaging have joined the consortium. The mission of the consortium is to advance the knowledge related to healthcare packaging through education and research. Our vision is to be a unique world-class healthcare packaging consortium with member companies from various segments of the packaging industry.

Healthcare Packaging Consortium

http://cbu.edu/packaging/healthcare.html

Why CBU Packaging?

http://cbu.edu/images/Documents/Engineering/Packaging/whycbupackaging-2.pdf

http://facstaff.cbu.edu/pong/e-Materials.html

For more packaging training materials, please visit:

Please email your feedback to pong@cbu.edu