ASTM D4332-99

Standard Practice for Conditioning Containers, Packages, or Packaging Components for Testing

SCOPE
1.1 This practice provides for standard and special conditioning and testing atmospheres that may be used to simulate particular field conditions that a container, package, or packaging component may encounter during its life or testing cycle.  
1.2 This practice describes procedures for conditioning these containers, packages, or packaging components so that they may reach equilibrium with the atmosphere to which they may be exposed.  
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.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Apr-2001
• ICS: 55.020 - Packaging and distribution of goods in general
• Technical Committee: D10 - Packaging
• Drafting Committee: D10.21 - Shipping Containers and Systems - Application of Performance Test Methods

Relations

• Replaced By: ASTM D4332-00 - Standard Practice for Conditioning Containers, Packages, or Packaging Components for Testing
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM F3300-23 - Standard Test Method for Abrasion Resistance of Flexible Packaging Films Using a Reciprocating Weighted Stylus
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D7932-17 - Standard Specification for Printed, Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive Labels for Use in Extreme Distribution Environments
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM E1133-86(2022) - Standard Practice for Performance Testing of Packaged Laboratory Apparatus for United States Government Procurements
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D3330/D3330M-04(2018) - Standard Test Method for Peel Adhesion of Pressure-Sensitive Tape
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D5909-20 - Standard Test Method for Drying Time of Oxidative-Drying Printing Inks by Squalene Resistance
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM E171/E171M-11(2020) - Standard Practice for Conditioning and Testing Flexible Barrier Packaging
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D7790-19 - Standard Guide for Preparation of Plastic Packagings Containing Liquids for United Nations (UN) Drop Testing
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D6295/D6295M-98(2019) - Standard Test Method for Dispensability of Light–Duty Pressure–Sensitive Film Tape (Withdrawn 2023)
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D3811/D3811M-21a - Standard Test Method for Unwind Force of Pressure-Sensitive Tapes
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM F2824-10(2020) - Standard Test Method for Mechanical Seal Strength Testing for Round Cups and Bowl Containers with Flexible Peelable Lids
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D5264-98(2019) - Standard Practice for Abrasion Resistance of Printed Materials by the Sutherland Rub Tester
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D5112-22 - Standard Test Method for Vibration (Horizontal Linear Motion) Test of Products
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D1185-98a(2017) - Standard Test Methods for Pallets and Related Structures Employed in Materials Handling and Shipping
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D4728-17(2022) - Standard Test Method for Random Vibration Testing of Shipping Containers
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-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 4332 – 99
Standard Practice for
Conditioning Containers, Packages, or Packaging
Components for Testing
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4332; 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.
1. Scope 4. Significance and Use
1.1 This practice provides for standard and special condi- 4.1 Many materials from which containers and packages are
tioning and testing atmospheres that may be used to simulate made, especially cellulosic materials, undergo changes in
particular field conditions that a container, package, or pack- physical properties as the temperature and the relative humidity
aging component may encounter during its life or testing cycle. (RH) to which they are exposed are varied. Therefore, the
1.2 This practice describes procedures for conditioning package should be placed and kept in a specified atmosphere
these containers, packages, or packaging components so that for a length of time such that subsequent measurements of
they may reach equilibrium with the atmosphere to which they physical properties will be meaningful and reproducible.
may be exposed. 4.2 The conditions described in this practice are either
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the historically accepted standard conditions or special laboratory
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the conditions chosen to represent particular phases of the distri-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- bution environment. These special conditions do not necessar-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- ily duplicate actual field conditions, but tend to simulate them
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. and have effects on packages and materials which may be
related to their field performance.
2. Referenced Documents
5. Atmospheric Conditions
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D 685 Practice for Conditioning Paper and Paper Products 5.1 Preconditioning Atmosphere—20 to 40°C (68 to 104°F)
for Testing and 10 to 35 % relative humidity.
D 996 Terminology of Packaging and Distribution Environ- 5.2 Standard Conditioning Atmosphere—23 6 1°C (73.4 6
ments 2°F) and 50 6 2 % relative humidity.
E 41 Terminology Relating to Conditioning
NOTE 1—Average values must fall within these limits. Short-term
E 171 Specification for Standard Atmospheres for Condi-
fluctuations and measurement limitations may cause individual measure-
tioning and Testing Materials
ments to vary up to 62°C (63.6°F) and 65 % relative humidity without
E 337 Test Method for Measuring Humidity with a Psy-
significant impairment of test precision.
NOTE 2—The standard conditioning in the United States is different
chrometer (the Measurement of Wet- and Dry-Bulb Tem-
than in many other countries that use the ISO 2233 preferred conditions
peratures)
(G) of 20°C (68°F) and 65 % relative humidity. See Fig. 1.
2.2 ISO Standard:
5.3 Special Atmospheres—The special standard atmo-
2233 Packaging—Complete, Filled Transport Packages:
Conditioning for Testing spheric conditions shown in Table 1 may be selected when
appropriate.
3. Terminology
NOTE 3—Temperature and humidity tolerances of 61°C (61.8°F) and
3.1 Terms and definitions used in this practice may be found
62 % relative humidity are desirable but not always attainable.
in Terminology D 996, Terminology E 41, or Specification
NOTE 4—In the absence of a specific requirement for a particular
E 171.
atmospheric condition, use the conditioning atmosphere given in 5.2.
NOTE 5—Conditioning at the desert condition (Table 1) at a constant
temperature of 60°C (140°F) may have effects on some materials that do
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-10 on Packaging
not relate to effects of cyclical field conditions.
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D10.23 on Natural Environment
Test Methods. 5.3.1 Preferred atmospheres approved by ISO, but not
Current edition approved Oct. 10, 1999. Published December 1999. Originally
required in this practice are shown in Table 2.
e1
published as D 4332 – 84. Last previous edition D 4332 – 89 (1994) .
2 5.4 The measurement of temperature and relative humidity
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.09.
of the conditioning atmosphere shall be made as close to the
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.03.
specimen being exposed as is possible. (See Test Method E 337
Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13th
for a detailed description of methods.) The temperature and
Floor, New York, NY 10036.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D 4332
FIG. 1 Moisture Content Versus Relative Humidity (Approximate)
TABLE 1 Special Atmospheres
psychrometer may be used either for direct measurement of
Relative relative humidity or for checking the hygrometer (see Test
Environment (ISO 2233 Condition) Temperature,° C (°F)
Humidity, %
Method E 337)
...