ASTM D4169-01

Standard Practice for Performance Testing of Shipping Containers and Systems

SCOPE
1.1 This practice provides a uniform basis of evaluating, in a laboratory, the ability of shipping units to withstand the distribution environment. This is accomplished by subjecting them to a test plan consisting of a sequence of anticipated hazard elements encountered in various distribution cycles. This practice is not intended to supplant material specifications or existing preshipment test procedures.
1.2 The suitability of this practice for use with hazardous materials has not been determined.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary statements are given in 1.1.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Oct-2001
• Technical Committee: D10 - Packaging
• Drafting Committee: D10.21 - Shipping Containers and Systems - Application of Performance Test Methods

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D4169-99e1 - Standard Practice for Performance Testing of Shipping Containers and Systems
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Replaced By: ASTM D4169-01e1 - Standard Practice for Performance Testing of Shipping Containers and Systems
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D6251/D6251M-19 - Standard Specification for Wood-Cleated Panelboard Shipping Boxes
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM F2097-20 - Standard Guide for Design and Evaluation of Primary Flexible Packaging for Medical Products
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D6254/D6254M-20 - Standard Specification for Wirebound Pallet-Type Wood Boxes
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D2063/D2063M-10(2018) - Standard Test Methods for Measurement of Torque Retention for Packages with Continuous Thread Closures Using Non-Automated (Manual) Torque Testing Equipment
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM E921-97(2022) - Standard Specification for Export Packaged Laboratory Apparatus
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D6055-96(2019) - Standard Test Methods for Mechanical Handling of Unitized Loads and Large Shipping Cases and Crates
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D6344-04(2017) - Standard Test Method for Concentrated Impacts to Transport Packages
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D5118/D5118M-22 - Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard Shipping Boxes
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D3951-18 - Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D6537-00(2021) - Standard Practice for Instrumented Package Shock Testing For Determination of Package Performance
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D6573/D6573M-13(2020) - Standard Specification for General Purpose Wirebound Shipping Boxes
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM E3051-16 - Standard Guide for Specification, Design, Verification, and Application of Single-Use Systems in Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001
• Referred By: ASTM A700-14(2019) - Standard Guide for Packaging, Marking, and Loading Methods for Steel Products for Shipment
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-2001

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: D 4169 – 01
Standard Practice for
1
Performance Testing of Shipping Containers and Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4169; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope D 5277 Test Method for Performing Programmed Horizon-
2
tal Impacts Using an Inclined Tester
1.1 This practice provides a uniform basis of evaluating, in
D 5487 Test Method for Simulated Drop of Loaded Con-
a laboratory, the ability of shipping units to withstand the
2
tainers by Shock Machines
distribution environment. This is accomplished by subjecting
D 6055 Test Methods for Mechanical Handling of Unitized
them to a test plan consisting of a sequence of anticipated
2
Loads and Large Shipping Cases and Crates
hazard elements encountered in various distribution cycles.
D 6179 Test Methods for Rough Handling of Unitized
This practice is not intended to supplant material specifications
2
Loads and Large Shipping Cases and Crates
or existing preshipment test procedures.
3
2.2 Military Standards:
1.2 The suitability of this practice for use with hazardous
MIL-STD-2073-1 DOD Standard Practice for Military
materials has not been determined.
Packaging
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3. Terminology
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.1 Definitions— General definitions for the packaging and
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
distribution environments are found in Terminology D 996.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precau-
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
tionary statements are given in 1.1.
3.2.1 acceptance criteria—the acceptable quality level that
2. Referenced Documents must be met after the shipping unit has been subjected to the
test plan. See Section 7.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.2.2 assurance level—the level of test intensity based on
D 642 Test Method for Determining Compressive Resis-
its probability of occurring in a typical distribution cycle.
tance of Shipping Containers, Components, and Unit
2
3.2.2.1 Discussion—Level I is a high level of test intensity
Loads
and has a low probability of occurrence. Level III is a low level
D 880 Test Method for Impact Testing for Shipping Con-
2
of test intensity, but has a correspondingly high probability of
tainers and Systems
occurrence. Level II is between these extremes. For Distribu-
D 951 Test Method for Water Resistance of Shipping Con-
2
tion Cycle 18, DC-18 see MIL–STD–2073–1 for definitions of
tainers by Spray Method
military levels of protection.
D 996 Terminology of Packaging and Distribution Environ-
2
3.2.3 coeffıcient of restitution—the ratio of the rebound
ments
velocity to the impact velocity.
D 999 Test Methods for Vibration Testing of Shipping
2
3.2.4 distribution cycle (DC)—the sequential listing of the
Containers
test schedules employed to simulate the hazard elements
D 4003 Methods of Programmable Horizontal Impact Test
2
expected to occur for a specific routing of a shipping unit from
for Shipping Containers
production to consumption. See Table 1.
D 4332 Practice for Conditioning Containers, Packages, or
2
3.2.5 hazard element—a specific event that occurs in a
Packaging Components for Testing
distribution cycle that may pose a hazard to a shipping unit.
D 4728 Test Method for Random Vibration Testing of
2
The element will usually be simulated by a single test schedule.
Shipping Containers
See Section 9.
D 5276 Test Method for Drop Test of Loaded Containers by
2
3.2.6 shipping unit—the smallest complete unit that will be
Free Fall
subjected to the distribution environment, for example, a
shipping container and its contents.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D10 on Packaging
3.2.6.1 small shipping unit—for DC-18, a small shipping
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D10.21 on Shipping Containers and
Systems-Application of Performance Test Methods.
Current edition approved Oct. 10, 2001. Published December 2001. Originally
e1 3
published as D 4169-82. Last previous edition D 4169-99 . Available from Standardization Documents Order Desk, Bldg. 4 Section D, 700
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.09. Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Attn: NPODS.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
D 4169
TABLE 1 Distribution C
...

This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation:D4169–99 Designation:D4169–01
Standard Practice for
1
Performance Testing of Shipping Containers and Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4169; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope
1.1 Thispracticeprovidesauniformbasisofevaluating,inalaboratory,theabilityofshippingunitstowithstandthedistribution
environment. This is accomplished by subjecting them to a test plan consisting of a sequence of anticipated hazard elements
encountered in various distribution cycles.This practice is not intended to supplant material specifications or existing preshipment
test procedures.
1.2 The suitability of this practice for use with hazardous materials has not been determined.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary statements are given in 1.1.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
2
D 642 Test Method for Determining Compressive Resistance of Shipping Containers, Components, and Unit Loads
2
D 880 Test Method for Impact Testing for Shipping Containers and Systems
2
D 951 Test Method for Water Resistance of Shipping Containers by Spray Method
2
D 996 Terminology of Packaging and Distribution Environments
2
D 999 Test Methods for Vibration Testing of Shipping Containers
2
D 4003 Methods of Programmable Horizontal Impact Test for Shipping Containers
2
D 4332 Practice for Conditioning Containers, Packages, or Packaging Components for Testing
2
D 4728 Test Method for Random Vibration Testing of Shipping Containers
2
D 5276 Test Method for Drop Test of Loaded Containers by Free Fall
2
D 5277 Test Method for Performing Programmed Horizontal Impacts Using an Inclined Tester
2
D 5487 Test Method for Simulated Drop of Loaded Containers by Shock Machines
2
D 6055 Test Methods for Mechanical Handling of Unitized Loads and Large Shipping Cases and Crates
2
D 6179 Test Methods for Rough Handling of Unitized Loads and Large Shipping Cases and Crates
3
2.2 Military Standards:
MIL-STD-2073-1 DOD Standard Practice for Military Packaging
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions— General definitions for the packaging and distribution environments are found in Terminology D 996.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.2.1 acceptance criteria—the acceptable quality level that must be met after the shipping unit has been subjected to the test
plan. See Section 7.
3.2.2 assurance level—the level of test intensity based on its probability of occurring in a typical distribution cycle.
3.2.2.1 Discussion—Level I is a high level of test intensity and has a low probability of occurrence. Level III is a low level of
test intensity, but has a correspondingly high probability of occurrence. Level II is between these extremes. For Distribution Cycle
18, DC-18 see MIL–STD–2073–1 for definitions of military levels of protection.
3.2.3 coeffıcient of restitution—the ratio of the rebound velocity to the impact velocity.
3.2.4 distribution cycle (DC)—the sequential listing of the test schedules employed to simulate the hazard elements expected
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-10 D10 on Packaging and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D10.21 on Shipping Containers
and Systems-Application of Performance Test Methods.
´1
Current edition approved Oct. 10, 1999.2001. Published December 1999.2001. Originally published as D 4169-82. Last previous edition D 4169-989 .
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.09.
3
Available from Standardization Documents Order Desk, Bldg. 4 Section D, 700 Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Attn: NPODS.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
D4169–01
to occur for a specific routing of a shipping unit from production to consumption. See Table 1.
3.2.5 hazard element—a specific event that occurs in a distribution cycle that may pose a hazard to a shipping unit.The element
will us
...