D10.21 - Shipping Containers and Systems - Application of Performance Test Methods

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Shipping containers are exposed to complex dynamic stresses when subjected to vibration present in all transportation vehicles. Approximating the actual damage, or lack of damage, experienced in shipping may require subjecting the container(s) and contents to vibration inputs.  
4.2 Resonant responses during shipment can be severe and may lead to package or product failure. Identification of critical frequencies, and the nature of package stresses can aid in minimizing the effect of these occurrences.  
4.3 Vibration tests should be based on representative field data. When possible, the confidence level may be improved by comparing laboratory test results with actual field shipment data. It is highly recommended that one understand the most common failures to one’s products and packaging in distribution, and then attempt to replicate those failures in the laboratory. Once such replication is established, then that test can become the minimum necessary test for future packaged products to pass.  
4.4 Exposure to vibration can affect the shipping container, its interior packaging, means of closure, and contents. These tests allow analysis of the interaction of these components. Design modification to one or more of these components may be utilized to achieve optimum performance in the shipping environment.  
4.5 Methods A1 and A2, Repetitive Shock Tests,  are suitable for tests of individual containers that are transported unrestrained on the bed of a vehicle and may be suitable for tests of containers that might be subjected to repetitive shocks due to magnification of vibrations in unit loads or stacks.
Note 1: Methods A1 and A2 produce different vibration motions, and therefore, will generate different forces which may result in different damage modes and intensities. Results from these two methods may not correlate with one another.  
4.6 Method B, Single Container Resonance Test,  tests or determines the ability of an individual container and its inter...
SCOPE
1.1 These test methods cover vibration tests of filled shipping containers. Such tests may be used to assess the performance of a container, with its interior packing and means of closure, both in terms of its strength and of the protection it provides its contents when it is subjected to vibration such as it experiences in transportation. These procedures are suitable for testing containers of any form, material, kind, design of interior packing, means of closure, and any size and weight. They are not intended for determining the response of products to vibration for product design purposes, nor are they intended for tests of products in their operational configuration as other more suitable procedures are available for these purposes.2,3  
1.2 The following methods appear:
Method A1—Repetitive Shock Test (Vertical Motion).
Method A2—Repetitive Shock Test (Rotary Motion).
Method B—Single Container Resonance Test.
Method C—Palletized Load, Unitized Load, or Vertical
Stack Resonance Test.  
1.3 For testing of intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) containing liquid hazardous materials, refer to Test Method D7387.  
1.4 These test methods fulfill the requirements of International Organization for Standardization standards ISO 8318 and ISO 2247. The ISO standards may not meet the requirements for these methods.  
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.6  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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary statements are given in Section 6.  
1.7 This internatio...

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice provides a guide for the evaluation of shipping units in accordance with a uniform system, using established test methods at levels representative of those occurring in actual distribution. The recommended test levels are based on available information on the shipping and handling environment, and current industry/government practice and experience (1-13).6 The tests should be performed sequentially on the same containers in the order given. For use as a performance test, this practice requires that the shipping unit tested remain unopened until the sequence of tests are completed. If used for other purposes, such as package development, it may be useful to open and inspect shipping units at various times throughout the sequence. This may, however, prohibit evaluating the influence of the container closure on container performance.  
4.2 For Distribution Cycle 18, as referred to in MIL-STD-2073–1, the use of this practice is defined in subsequent sections identified as DC-18.
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 Consider the use of Practice D7386 for testing of packages for single parcel shipments.  
1.3 The suitability of this practice for use with hazardous materials has not been determined.  
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.5 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 In the distribution system for many products there is a phase wherein the packaged product may be stored for a period of time in a manner such that one or more containers are superimposed one upon the other. Failure can occur in any layer4 (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 3).
FIG. 1 Containers Under Constant Load of Dead Weights Imposed by Other Containers
FIG. 2 Container Under Constant Load of Dead Weights
FIG. 3 Containers Under Constant Load in Compression Test Machine With Fixed Platen  
4.2 This test method subjects a container, empty or filled, to a predetermined static load, and to specified atmospheric conditions, if required.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method is designed to determine the resistance of a shipping container to a vertically applied constant load for either a specified time or to failure. The test method may also be used for palletized or unitized load configurations.  
1.2 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific precautionary statements, see Section 6.  
1.3 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This test method is intended for use in evaluating the ability of a container to withstand the sudden shock resulting from a free fall drop impact, or to evaluate the ability of a container and its inner packing to protect its contents during the sudden shock resulting from a free fall drop impact. This test method may also be used to compare the performance of different package designs. This test method may also permit observation of the progressive failure of a container and the damage to its contents.  
4.2 This test method is particularly suitable for containers that are normally handled manually during some part of their distribution cycle. Containers of such bulk or mass that they cannot be handled manually may be tested more satisfactorily in accordance with Test Method D880, Test Methods D6055, Test Methods D6179, or Test Methods D4003. See Practice D4169 for additional guidance.
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1.1 This test method covers procedures for the drop testing of loaded boxes, cylindrical containers, and bags and sacks by the free-fall method.  
1.2 For containers not exceeding 110 lb (50 kg), this test method fulfills the requirements of ISO Standards 2206:1987 and 2248:1985. These ISO standards may describe procedures that do not meet the requirements for this test method.  
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.4 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 Containers may be pressurized in accordance with this test method without modification to the closure or to the body of the container. This test method may be used for testing rigid containers intended for the transportation of some liquids by air in accordance with the ICAO TIs or in accordance with the UN TDG.  
5.2 This test method establishes the point at which leakage commences, with a limit of approximately 95 kPa (13.8 psi) differential. See Test Method D3078 for flexible packages.  
5.3 This test method may not be suitable for some packages, such as packages with paper cap seals, where the test fluid may rapidly deteriorate the packaging.
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1.1 This test method covers the testing of empty containers for resistance to leakage under differential pressure conditions such as those which can occur during air transport. It is suitable for testing rigid containers intended for the transportation of some hazardous liquids in accordance with the United Nations Recommendations On The Transport Of Dangerous Goods (UN TDG) and the International Civil Aviation Organization Technical Instructions For The Safe Transport Of Dangerous Goods By Air (ICAO TIs).  
1.2 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.3 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Materials shipped in elongated packages are liable to damage as a result of impact near their midpoint when only the ends are supported. This type of damage can occur during the shipment of packaging of mixed dimensions. It is particularly prevalent during conveyer line transport and sortation. This test method provides a means of determining resistance to such damage.
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1.1 This test method is intended to determine the capability of a long package with a narrow cross-section to resist impact near its center when the package is supported only at its ends. This test method allows the user to select from two test options: Option A employs the use of a free-fall drop tester (see Exhibit B), and Option B employs the use of simulated mechanical impact testing equipment (S.M.I.T.E.; see Exhibit A). The two optional procedures are designed to impart the same amount of kinetic energy at impact; therefore, each procedure yields equal damage-producing potential.  
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This test method is for use in evaluating the capability of a container or shipping system to withstand sudden shocks and crushing forces, such as those generated from rail switching impacts or pallet marshalling, or to evaluate the capability of a container and its inner packing, or shipping system, to protect its contents during the sudden shocks and crushing forces resulting from rail switching or pallet marshalling impacts. This test method may also be used to compare the performance of different container designs or shipping systems. The test may also permit observation of the progressive failure of a container or shipping system and damage to the contents. See Practice D4169 for additional guidance.  
4.2 This test method is not suitable for reproducing impact resulting from the switching of rail cars using long-travel draft gear or cushioned underframes. Refer to Test Methods D4003 (revised) as a more suitable method for testing under these circumstances, or when more precise control of shock inputs is required.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the procedures for reproducing and comparing shock damage, such as that which may result from rail switching or pallet marshalling impacts, using an incline impact tester. It is suitable for simulating the types of shock pulses experienced by lading in rail switching of rail cars with standard draft gear, but not for those with long travel draft gear or cushioned underframes. The test method can also be used for pallet marshalling tests.  
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific hazards statements, see Section 6.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 These test methods are normally used for the following purposes:  
4.1.1 To evaluate materials and constructions for a specific type of container,  
4.1.2 To compare performance of different types of containers,  
4.1.3 To determine adequacy of protection for a specific product or application, and  
4.1.4 To maintain quality control.
SCOPE
1.1 These test methods cover the determination of water vapor transmission rates for bulk shipping containers, as follows:  
1.1.1 Method A, for Reclosable Containers, and  
1.1.2 Method B, for Containers Not Designed for Reclosing.  
1.2 Within each procedure details are given for the constant and cycle methods of test atmosphere.  
1.3 The test may be applied to the container as packed, or after one or more performance tests such as drum (Method D782), vibration (Methods D999), drop (Test Method D5276), impact resistance (Test Methods D880, D4003, and D5277), or performance tests (Practice D4169), as required.  
1.4 For small shipping containers requiring greater accuracy in weighing, the water vapor transmission may be determined in accordance with Test Method D895 or Test Method D1251.  
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.6 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 These procedures provide an indication of the environmental stress-crack resistance of plastic tight-head drums. This test method may be used for determining the applicability of various plastic resins, mold designs, processing techniques, and parameters for plastic tight-head drums.  
5.2 Environmental stress cracking is indicative of what results when a container is exposed to chemical agents such as soaps, organics, bleaches, or any surface-active solutions while under conditions of stress.  
5.3 Environmental stress cracking is a mechanism of chemical attack that is highly dependent upon the test reagent, resin, container manufacturing or processing history, exposure temperature, applied stress, and other factors. The combination of these factors may result in eventual stress crack failure.  
5.4 Both procedures minimize the potential for test variability by providing the user with rigidly defined test conditions. This test method may be used as design qualification and auditing tools for plastic tight-head drums.  
5.5 This test method is not meant to provide a quantitative value of measurement (that is, number of days to failure). It is intended only as a pass/fail procedure in accordance with user’s specifications, or as agreed upon between the user and supplier. It is not intended as a predictor or indicator of field performance regarding time to failure.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method provides an indication of the environmental stress crack resistance of plastic tight-head drums as a summation of the effects of container design, resin, manufacturing conditions, field performance, and other factors.  
1.2 This test method may be used to evaluate a plastic drum's resistance to failure by cracking when in the presence of chemical and physical stresses.  
1.3 Two procedures are provided as follows:  
1.3.1 Procedure A—Internal pressure stress crack resistance method to nonyl phenoxypoly (ethyleneoxy) ethanol solution, a stress cracking reagent. The internal pressure is controlled at a constant elevated pressure and temperature.  
1.3.2 Procedure B—Top-load stress crack resistance method to nonyl phenoxypoly ethanol, a stress cracking reagent. The compressive top-load is controlled at a constant weight while maintaining an elevated temperature.  
1.4 Although these procedures are not designed to test the ability of the closure or closure gasket material to retain the test reagent, the inclusion of closure failure as a container failure mode is optional. However, leakage through a closure may affect the internal pressure that could affect the test results.  
1.5 This test method does not attempt to address all factors that could lead to stress cracking of plastic drums. The user of this standard may use other test parameters, such as top-loads, chemical reagents, etc., as agreed upon between the user and supplier in the event of a drum qualification or purchase agreement.  
1.6 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The SI units given in parentheses are for information only.  
1.7 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific warning statements are given in 6.2.  
1.8 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Many materials from which containers and packages are made, especially cellulosic materials, undergo changes in physical properties as the temperature and the relative humidity (RH) to which they are exposed are varied. Therefore, the package should be placed and kept in a specified atmosphere for a length of time such that subsequent measurements of physical properties will be meaningful and reproducible.  
4.2 The conditions described in this practice are either historically accepted standard conditions or special laboratory conditions chosen to represent particular phases of the distribution environment. These special conditions do not necessarily duplicate actual field conditions, but tend to simulate them and have effects on packages and materials which may be related to their field performance.
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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 approach or reach equilibrium with the atmosphere to which they may be exposed. This standard is commonly used for conditioning when conducting transit simulation tests.  
1.3 Practice D685 should be used as the relevant conditioning standard when quantification of box compression strength at standard atmosphere conditions is required.  
1.4 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 In the distribution system, the packaged product may be stored for a period of time in a manner such that one or more containers are stacked on one another. The bottom package is thus continually subjected to a constant compression load.  
4.2 This test method subjects an empty container to a predetermined static load and to specified atmospheric conditions, if required, over a short period of time using fixed platen compression testing equipment. Deflection is measured over time.  
4.3 Deflection versus time data can be used to predict time to failure of corrugated shipping containers under constant load.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers determining the resistance of an empty paper corrugated shipping container to a vertically applied constant compression load for a specified time. The test method may also include palletized or unitized loads made of such containers. The boxes are tested in the orientation that they are most likely to be stacked in a unitized or palletized load.  
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
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.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Shipping containers are exposed to complex dynamic stresses in the distribution environment. Approximating the actual damage, or lack of damage, experienced in real life may require subjecting the container and its contents to random vibration tests. In this way, many product and container resonances are simultaneously excited.  
4.2 Resonance buildups during random vibration tests are less intense than during sinusoidal resonance dwell or sweep tests. Therefore, unrealistic fatigue damage due to resonance buildup is minimized.  
4.3 Random vibration tests should be based on representative field data. When possible, confidence levels may be improved by comparing laboratory test results with actual field shipment effects. Refer to Practice D4169 for recommended random vibration tests. (See Appendix X1 and Appendix X2 for related information.)  
4.4 There is no direct equivalence between random vibration tests and sinusoidal vibration tests. Equivalent tests between sine and random, in a general sense, are difficult to establish due to nonlinearities, damping and product response characteristics.  
4.5 Vibration exposure affects the shipping container, its interior packing, means of closure, and contents. This test allows analysis of the interaction between these components. Design modification to one or all of these components may be used to achieve optimum performance in the shipping environment.  
4.6 Random vibration tests may be simultaneously performed with transient or periodic data to simulate known stresses of this type, that is, rail joints, pot holes, etc.  
4.7 Random vibration may be conducted in any axis (vertical or horizontal) or in any package orientation. However, different test levels may be utilized for each axis depending on the field environment that is to be simulated.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the random vibration testing of filled shipping units. Such tests may be used to assess the performance of a container with its interior packing and means of closure in terms of its ruggedness and the protection that it provides the contents when subjected to random vibration inputs.  
1.2 This test method provides guidance in the development and use of vibration data in the testing of shipping containers.
Note 1: Sources of supplementary information are listed in the Reference section (1-11).2  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific safety hazard statements are given in Section 6.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
3.1 The preconditioning requirement is important because physical properties of a sample at 50 % relative humidity depend upon whether the sample is brought to 50 % from a higher or lower relative humidity. A detailed discussion of the importance of preconditioning may be found in Annex A1.  
3.2 The conditioning and testing atmospheres are important because both temperature and relative humidity have significant effects on the physical properties of paper and board. A more detailed discussion of the importance may be found in Annex A2.  
3.3 This standard is technically identical to TAPPI T402.
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1.1 This practice defines the standard atmospheres for normal preconditioning, conditioning, and testing of paper and paper products, paperboard, fiberboard, and containers made from them. It also specifies procedures for handling these materials in order that they may reach equilibrium with the respective atmosphere.  
1.2 This practice does not include special conditioning and testing atmospheres, such as those that attempt to simulate tropical or arctic environments.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Shipping containers and the interior packaging materials are used to protect their contents from the hazards encountered in handling, transportation, and storage. Shock is one of the more troublesome of these hazards. Free-fall drop testing, while easy to perform, often understresses the test specimen by subjecting it to drops which are not perpendicular to the dropping surface.
Note 1: For example, testing has shown that non-perpendicular drops, 2° off perpendicularity, result in 8 % lower acceleration into the test specimen resulting from the impact energy dispersing in several axes.4  
4.1.1 Controlled shock input by shock machines provides a convenient method for evaluating the ability of shipping containers, interior packaging materials, and contents to withstand shocks. Simulated free-fall drop testing of package systems, which have critical elements, has produced good results where the frequency of the shock pulse is at least three times that of the package system's natural frequency.  
4.2 As in most mechanical shock test procedures, fixturing of the package on the shock test machine may have significant influence on the test results. Typically, packages will be firmly held on the table by securing some type of cross member(s) across the top of the package. Care should be taken that any pressure resulting from such fixturing should be minimal, particularly when the container being tested is corrugated or some other similar material.  
4.2.1 In cases where low-acceleration, long-duration responses are anticipated, any fixturing can potentially influence packaged item response and can possibly alter any correlation between this test method and free-fall drop testing. Where such correlation is desired, the package can be tested without it being fixed directly to the table. Note that in such circumstances, the shipping container can vigorously rebound from the table and can, if not otherwise controlled, present a safety problem for operators. Fixing the...
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the general procedures of using shock machines to replicate the effects of vertical drops of loaded shipping containers, cylindrical containers, and bags and sacks.  
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 These procedures provide an indication of the environmental stress-crack resistance of injection molded open head pails, covers, and components from a selected group or lot. Provided the thermal history of each container is constant, this test method may be used for determining the applicability of various plastic resins and mold designs for injection molding of open head pails and covers.  
5.2 The environmental stress-crack that occurs is indicative of what results when a container is exposed to agents such as soaps, organics, or any surface active solutions while under environmental conditions of stress.  
5.3 Environmental stress-cracking is a mechanism of chemical attack that is highly dependent upon the test reagent, resin, container manufacturing or processing history, exposure temperature, applied stress, and other factors. The combination of these factors may result in eventual stress-crack failure.  
5.4 Procedure A minimizes the potential for test variability by providing the user with rigidly defined test conditions. This test method may be used for production quality control of injection molded open head containers.  
5.5 Procedure B allows the user to select and evaluate extreme individual elements or the interaction of several test levels on container performance. These conditions are established based on laboratory experience and available knowledge of the distribution environment. This test method may be used for identifying critical stresses which could aid in container design or help in minimizing the occurrence of these stresses during distribution.  
5.6 This test method is intended only as a pass/fail procedure in accordance with the user's specification, or as agreed upon between the user and the supplier. It is not intended as a predictor or indicator of field performance regarding time to failure.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method provides procedures for an indication of the environmental stress crack resistance of plastic injection molded open head pails, covers, and components as a summation of the effects of container design, resin, manufacturing conditions, field performance, and other factors.  
1.2 This test method may be used to evaluate a container's resistance to mechanical failure by cracking when in the presence of chemical and physical stresses.  
1.3 Two procedures are provided as follows:  
1.3.1 Procedure A, Specified Stress-Crack Resistance Test Method—This procedure is particularly useful for quality control since the conditions of the test are specified.  
1.3.2 Procedure B, User Selected Stress-Crack Resistance Test Method—This procedure allows individual selection of test levels and is particularly useful as a design and development tool.  
1.4 These procedures are not designed to test the ability of the cover gasketing material or closure to retain the test reagent. Loss or leakage of the reagent through these openings does not constitute container failure. However, this may indicate an internal pressure loss that might affect test results.  
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.6 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific warning statements are given in 6.2, 10.2.3, 10.2.4, 10.2.6, and 10.2.8.  
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trad...

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Packaged products transported by meansn of the feeder aircraft network are liable to experience altitudes as high as 5 791 m [19 000 ft].4 When exposed to these high altitude conditions, products or packaging systems, or a combination thereof, may be affected negatively by the resultant pressure differential.  
4.2 These test methods are suitable for evaluating the effect of high altitude on packaging systems.  
4.3 These test methods are suitable for package or product, or both, development and engineering.  
4.4 Other test methods, such as Test Methods D3078, D4991 and D5094, test for leakage of packaging systems by vacuum method and are applicable for testing the effects of high altitude.
SCOPE
1.1 These test methods determine the effects of pressure differential when packaged products are transported by meansn of certain modes of transport, such as feeder aircraft or ground over high mountain passes. The results of these tests are intended to be used for qualitative purposes.  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The impact test has been found useful in laboratory simulation of impacts such as those encountered in manual and mechanical handling and transportation. The impact test simulates some types of shocks that could occur in the handling of packages or shipping units and helps evaluate the ability of the package to protect the contents against these shocks. The test may also permit observation of progressive failure of a package and damage to the contents.  
5.2 The test results within a given laboratory using this test method may be useful for evaluating and comparing packages. However, because of the variability of test machines that have been used in the past, especially the impact surface (backstop), it has been found that interlaboratory correlation of test results has been poor.  
5.3 These procedures are not intended to simulate rail car coupling environment. Refer to Test Method D4003 and Test Methods D5277.  
5.4 This test method fulfills the requirement of ISO 2244.
Note 1: ISO 2244 may not meet the requirements for this test method.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers two procedures for conducting impact tests on loaded containers or shipping units (pallet loads), as follows:  
1.1.1 Procedure A, to test the ability of a container or shipping unit to withstand impacts, and  
1.1.2 Procedure B, to test the ability of a container or shipping unit or interior packing, or both, to provide protection to the contents, when subjected to impacts.  
1.2 Either of these two procedures may be used to evaluate different designs of containers of the same size and carrying the same load. These procedures are suitable for testing various types of containers such as boxes, crates, barrels, drums, kegs, bags, sacks, or pails made of various materials or combinations of materials and for shipping units such as pallet loads or palletized units.  
1.3 The procedures described in this test method are particularly suitable for testing large or heavily loaded containers.  
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.5 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary statements are given in Note 1 and Section 7.  
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Compressive resistance is one of the properties used to evaluate the ability of shipping containers, components, and unit loads to successfully survive the compressive forces they are subjected to during storage and distribution (see Note 1).
Note 1: For constant load test refer to Test Method D4577.  
4.2 Compressive resistance may be determined with either fixed- or swiveled-platen-type testing machines. However, a fixed-head compression machine is required to perform edge-to-edge and corner-to-corner orientations on test specimens (see Note 2). Also, unit loads are generally tested only in the top-to-bottom orientation.
Note 2: Fixed-platen machines generally cause corrugated box specimens to fail at their strongest point, while swivel-platen machines cause corrugated box specimens to fail at their weakest point.5 The swiveled platen is allowed to move to the weakest point of the container.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers compression tests on shipping containers (for example, boxes and drums) or components, or both. Shipping containers may be tested with or without contents. The procedure may be used for measuring the ability of the container to resist external compressive loads applied to its faces, to diagonally opposite edges, or to corners. This test method covers testing of multiple containers or unit loads, in addition to individual shipping containers, components, materials, or combination thereof.  
1.2 The test method of applying load may be used to compare the characteristics of a given design of container with a standard, or to compare the characteristics of containers differing in construction.  
1.3 This test method is related to TAPPI T 804. This test method fulfills the requirements of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Test Method 12048. The ISO standards may not meet the requirements for this test method.  
1.4 The test may be conducted with the container loaded with contents and interior packaging in cases where the contents share the load.  
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.6 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 These test methods will allow the user to determine integrity and stability of the load as well as provide guidance to improve the design of the shipping container or the unit load where deficiencies are found.  
4.2 Damage to products or packages observed during testing can be expected to correlate at least in a qualitative way to damage observed in actual distribution handling systems.  
4.3 The results received from shock machine testing and free fall drop testing are different for certain products. Where this test is performed to satisfy a regulatory or contractual requirement, its use is subject to approval by the agency concerned.
SCOPE
1.1 These test methods cover testing the integrity of unitized loads and large shipping cases and crates as well as the ability of the contents to endure rough handling. Not all of the test methods are applicable to all products, containers, and loads. These test methods are applicable to common means of material handling as follows:  
1.1.1 Test Method A, B, C, D, and E—Drop Test—For measuring the ability of the case or crate or unitized load to withstand rough handling impacts and provide information useful in improving the design of the container. Normally, Test Methods A and B are not applied to unitized loads.  
1.1.2 Test Method F—Tip Test—For determining if filled tall or top heavy cases, crates, or unitized loads will tip over when tilted to a predetermined angle.  
1.1.3 Method G—Tipover Test—For determining the ability of filled large shipping cases or crates to resist the impacts associated with tipover hazards, and for determining the ability of the packaging and packing methods to provide protection to the contents, when the case or crate is tipped over.
Note 1: Test Method G fulfills the requirements of ISO 8768. ISO 8768 may not meet the requirements for Test Method G.  
1.1.4 Test Method H—Rolling Test—For determining the ability of complete, filled large shipping cases or crates to withstand the effects of rolling.
Note 2: Test Method H fulfills the requirements of ISO 2876. ISO 2876 may not meet the requirements for Test Method H.  
1.2 Additional Test Procedures:  
1.2.1 Test methods for mechanical handling of unitized loads and large shipping cases and crates are set forth in Test Method D6055. Additional tests that apply to mechanical handling of unitized loads and large cases and crates include incline impact tests, described in Test Method D880 and horizontal impact tests, described in Test Methods D4003 and Test Method D5277. Test Methods D4003 includes a special pallet marshaling test and Test Methods D1185 provides test methods for pallets and related structures.  
1.2.2 Practice D4169 provides a series of options for selecting and running performance tests on all types of shipping containers and systems.  
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The SI units given in parentheses are for information only.  
1.4 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This test method is intended for use for evaluating the performance of thermal insulated packaging used for high-value, high-risk materials. This test method may also be used for any product that requires accurate internal package temperature readings while being exposed to a range of external air temperatures.  
4.2 Certain items, such as biological materials, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and blood products, must be shipped inside temperature-controlled packages. Factors affecting the rate of heat transfer of the package include the insulation of the exterior package, the energy source, and the product payload.  
4.3 Because of the variety of factors affecting the performance of a thermally insulated package, testing should be conducted with the actual package whenever possible. When simulated packages are used, special care must be exercised so that the simulated payload and coolant will be as close as possible to the actual packages in temperature and other relevant physical properties.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the determination of the thermal insulation quality of a package and the thermal stability of its contents when exposed to variable ambient temperature conditions. It is suitable for testing packages with various internal energy sources with or without product payloads.  
1.2 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary statements are given in 5.3.  
1.3 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 These test methods are designed for use in most cases with the actual equipment to be used in load handling.  
4.2 These test methods may be used in evaluating the shipping unit as to suitability for mechanical handling by standard user-specified load-handling equipment.  
4.3 These test methods will allow the user to determine integrity and stability of the load as well as provide guidance to improve the design of the unit load where deficiencies are found.  
4.4 Damage to products or packages observed during testing may be expected to correlate at least in a qualitative way to damage observed in actual distribution handling systems.
SCOPE
1.1 These test methods are suitable for testing the integrity of unitized loads and large cases and crates, but not individual drums or palletized drums, as well as the ability of the contents to endure normal handling, using standard mechanical handling equipment. Not all of the test methods are applicable to all products containers and loads. These test methods are applicable to common means of material handling, including pull pack, clamp truck, and spade lift-type handling equipment as follows:  
1.1.1 Test Method A—Fork Truck Handling—For testing the ability of the shipping unit to withstand repeated handlings by this test method.  
1.1.2 Test Method B—Spade Lift Test—For lifting by spade lift attachment to determine the ability of the handling flap of the case or shipping unit to withstand repeated lifting and handling by this test method.  
1.1.3 Test Method C—Clamp Handling Test—For lifting by hydraulic clamp attachment, to determine the ability of the shipping unit to withstand squeeze clamp handling consisting of repeated side compression and lifting.  
1.1.4 Test Method D—Push-Pull Handling Test—For testing the ability of a unitized load on a slip-sheet to withstand repeated handling by this test method.  
1.1.5 Test Method E—Grabhook Test—For lifting by grabhooks to determine the ability of the shipping unit to withstand the horizontal pressures of grabhooks.  
1.1.6 Test Method F—Sling Tests—For lifting by wire rope, cable, or woven fiber slings to determine the ability of the shipping unit to withstand the compression of slings.  
1.2 Additional Test Methods:  
1.2.1 Additional test methods that apply to mechanical handling and rough handling tests of unitized loads and large cases and crates include incline impact tests, described in Test Method D880; horizontal impact tests, described in Test Method D4003.  
1.2.2 Practice D4169 provides a series of options for selecting and running performance tests on all types of shipping containers and systems.  
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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 These test methods provide a measure of a shipping container's ability to protect a product from failure due to horizontal impacts. These measures are based on controlled levels of shock input and may be used for arriving at the optimum design of a container or system to protect a product against a specified level of shipping environment hazard.  
4.2 These test methods provide a measure of a packaged product's ability to withstand the various levels of shipping environment hazards. These measures may be used to prescribe a mode of shipping and handling that will not induce damage to the packaged product or to define the required levels of protection that must be provided by its packaging.  
4.3 Test Method A is intended to simulate the rail car coupling environment. Refer to Methods D5277 for simulating the standard draft gear portion of that environment.
SCOPE
1.1 These test methods are intended to determine the ability of a package or product to withstand laboratory simulated horizontal impact forces.  
1.2 The horizontal impacts used in these test methods are programmed shock inputs that represent the hazards as they occur in the shipping and handling environments. The environmental hazards may include rail switching impacts, lift truck marshalling impacts, and so forth. The following test methods apply:  
1.2.1 Method A, Rail Car Switching Impact—This test method simulates the types of shock pulses experienced by lading in rail car switching, with the use of a rigid bulkhead on the leading edge of the test carriage, to simulate the end wall of a railcar and shock programming devices to produce representative shock pulses. With the use of backloading, this test method may also be used to simulate compressive forces experienced by lading loads during rail car switching. It is suitable for tests of individual containers or systems as they are shipped in rail cars. It may also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of pallet patterns to determine the effect of interaction between containers during rail switching operation impacts.  
1.2.2 Method B, Marshalling Impact Tests of Unit Loads—This test method assesses the ability of unit loads to withstand the forces encountered during marshalling or loading operations.  
1.3 The test levels may be varied to represent the mode on shipping and handling used for the item under test.  
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.5 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

ABSTRACT
This specification establishes the performance requirements and test methods for molded polyethylene open-head, self-supporting, and nonreusable pails used in packaging and transporting nonhazardous goods. The products for packaging in the open-head pails may be in liquid, solid, past, granular, or powder form. Each pail is classified as either pails for liquids or pails for nonliquids. Materials for the manufacture of the pails should be compatible with the intended contents. Carbon black or other suitable pigments may be used for ultraviolet protection if needed. Each pail should conform to the required values of capacity, closure, drop strength, stacking strength, amount of column stack vibratioin, compatibility permeation, resistance to environmental stress cracking, and other special requirements.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification covers molded polyethylene, open-head, self-supporting, nonreusable pails intended for the packaging and transportation of nonhazardous goods. Pails are to have volume capacities between 1 and 7 gal (3.8 to 26.5 L).  
1.2 Pails intended to contain hazardous goods (materials) shall be in accordance with and tested to United States Department of Transportation Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 49, Parts (100–199).  
1.3 The purpose of this specification is to establish performance requirements and test methods for molded open-head polyethylene pails.  
1.4 Additives for the resin used and design of the pails are left to the discretion of the supplier, within the allowable limits of regulatory and performance requirements.  
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.6 The following safety hazards caveat pertains to the test method portions, Section 10, of this specification: 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This guide assists users in design and development of packaging intended for the protection of goods while they are in transit from point of origin to final destination. By following all steps of this guide, users will be assured that the most important factors are included in package design. In some cases, the sequence of steps may be changed, and often the steps may occur simultaneously with concurrent work activities.  
4.2 The design process focuses on protection from hazards of handling, storage, and shipping while recognizing the economics of all other facets of distribution, including packaging materials and labor, and transportation.  
4.3 In transport packaging, distribution  is generally defined as inclusion of handling, storage, and transportation factors.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers an approach to design of packaging for distributing goods through the hazards of handling, storage, and transportation.  
1.2 The principal content of this guide is the identification of the key steps involved in development of transport packages, including shipping containers, interior protective packaging, and unit loads. It is recognized that actual usage and application to individual design projects may vary appreciably without diminishing the value of the process. Consult with a packaging professional whenever needed.  
1.3 This guide is not intended for design of primary packaging unless the primary package is planned for use as a shipping container.  
1.4 The user of this guide must be aware of the carrier rules regarding packaging for shipment via each mode of transportation in which the transport package may move, such as the National Motor Freight Classification (less-than truckload) and the Uniform Freight Classification (railroad). For hazardous materials packaging, the packaging must perform to the requirements of the applicable modal regulations listed in Section 2.  
1.5 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This practice provides a method for conditioning packaging systems using climatic conditions that occur in actual distribution. The recommended exposure levels are based on available information on shipping, handling and storage environments, current industry practices, and published studies. They are not absolute extremes, but recorded daily averages in cold and hot climates of the world.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice provides a uniform basis for evaluating, in a laboratory, the ability of a packaging system to withstand a range of climatic stresses that a packaging system may be exposed to during distribution throughout the world and still provide the product protection from damage or alteration.  
1.2 This practice is designed as conditioning prior to testing for overnight or two-day delivery systems of a single parcel packaging system or as a standalone test for climatic stressing of packaging systems.
Note 1: Practice F2825 climatic stressing or conditioning is short term in duration. Fiberboard containers are not expected to approach equilibrium moisture content at the climatic conditions used in Practice F2825. Therefore, Practice F2825 conditioning should not be used for distribution environments other than one- to two-day single parcel delivery as it may provide inaccurate or misleading test results for the fiberboard containers.  
1.3 This practice does not cover refrigerated, frozen food storage, or cryogenic storage conditions. Only the climatic environments encountered in various regions of the world are covered by this practice.  
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
1.5 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This test method is used to determine the water resistance of shipping containers. It can be used to determine the ability of the container to resist deterioration caused by water or the ability of the container to protect the contents from water. It is frequently used in conjunction with other tests made prior to or after the spray test, such as the drop test, inclined impact test, vibration test or compression test.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the determination of the water resistance of shipping containers.  
1.2 This test method is frequently used in conjunction with other tests made prior to or after the spray test, such as the drop test, vibration test, inclined impact test, compression test or the environmental hazard test of Practice D4169, or combinations thereof.  
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.4 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Static compression and bending tests provide data that are used to estimate stiffness, strength, and safe working loads for pallets under specified load and support conditions. These estimates provide a basis for designing pallets and comparing the performance between pallets of different designs and constructions.  
4.2 Dynamic tests provide data which are used to estimate the physical durability and functionality of a pallet in specified material handling and shipping environments. These estimates provide a basis for designing single or multiple-use pallets.  
4.3 Other tests may be performed to assess the properties of specific materials (Test Methods D2395, D4442, D4444, and T 208 OM) and connecting devices (Test Methods D1761, F680, Test Method F1575, and Specification F1667), design features, use applications, and other variables encountered.
SCOPE
1.1 These test methods cover the performance of pallets and related structures, functioning as skids, bases, platforms, and bins in materials handling and shipping. Their use facilitates the protection of both packaged and unpackaged products during storage and transportation. The test methods include measurements of the relative resistance of pallets and related structures to deformations, damages, and structural failures which detrimentally affect the functionality of the unit load.  
1.2 These test methods include conditioning requirements, static stiffness and strength tests, and dynamic tests of structural reliability. These test methods are used to evaluate the relative performance of new, used, or reconditioned general and special-purpose pallets fabricated from various materials including solid wood, wood composites, fiberboard, honeycomb, plastics, or metal, or to compare the performance of such pallets and related structures to specified performance criteria. Recommended criteria for all tests specified in this standard are listed in Appendix X2.  
1.2.1 These test methods are also used to classify pallets as single- or multiple-use pallets and to determine the safe working loads for pallets under specified load and support conditions.  
1.3 Nonmandatory Preliminary Tests—Because each pallet may be used under several different conditions of load and support, pallet-design considerations and safe working-load estimates shall be based on that condition under which the pallet offers least resistance or is most severely stressed.  
1.3.1 Preliminary, short-duration static tests up to the ultimate (see 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4) shall be performed on previously non-tested pallets to determine which load and support conditions influence most severely the pallet load-carrying capacity and safe working loads.  
1.3.2 During the development of prototypes leading to designs that will be subject to acceptance testing, as described in 1.4, these preliminary tests shall include the free-fall drop tests in accordance with 9.1.  
1.4 Mandatory Acceptance Tests:  
1.4.1 General-Purpose Pallets—When the objective of the test is to determine the safe working load or to classify a general-purpose pallet as a single- or multiple-use pallet, all tests described in these test methods shall be performed in the order specified. The same pallet shall be used for all static and dynamic tests, where feasible.  
1.4.2 Special-Purpose Pallets—When the objective of the test is to determine the safe working load or to classify a special-purpose pallet, as a single- or multiple-use pallet, only those tests representing the intended condition of use shall be performed. Certain special–purpose pallet designs, because of the pallet size, its shape, or the material of fabrication, or combinations thereof, cannot be reliably tested using this methodology. When available, alternative test methods should be used.  
1.4.3 Field Testing—It is recommended that pallet designs passing these acceptance tests be further subjected to field testing in the distribution en...

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This test method is intended to evaluate the ability of packaging to resist the force of concentrated impacts from outside sources, such as those encountered in various modes of transportation and handling. These impacts may be inflicted by adjacent freight jostling against the package in a carrier vehicle, by accidental bumps against other freight when loaded or unloaded from vehicles, by packages bumping against one another during sorting on conveyors or chutes, or many other circumstances.  
4.2 This test method is intended to determine the ability of packaging to protect contents from such impacts, and to evaluate if there is sufficient clearance or support or both between the package wall and its contents.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers procedures and equipment for testing complete filled transport packages for resistance against concentrated low-level impacts typical of those encountered in the distribution environment. The test is most appropriate for packages such as thin fluted/lighter grade corrugated boxes or stretch-wrapped packaging.  
1.2 The test result is a pass/fail determination, based on acceptance criteria previously established, and a record of the energy dissipated by the complete filled transport package during a low level concentrated impact.
Note 1: This test method discusses the conduct of the test from a prescribed height that either meets or does not meet specific acceptance criteria. It may be possible to conduct this type of testing using modified procedures that provide a numerical response. These might include an incremental test where the drop height (or mass) is increased until a specific failure occurs or an up-and-down or staircase procedure used to find the average height to failure.  
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.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice provides a guide for the evaluation of shipping units in accordance with a uniform system, using established test methods at levels representative of those occurring in actual distribution. The recommended test levels are based on available information on the shipping and handling environment, and current industry/government practice and experience. The tests should be performed sequentially on the same containers in the order given. For use as a performance test, this practice requires that the shipping unit tested remain unopened until the sequence of tests are completed. If used for other purposes, such as package development, it may be useful to open and inspect shipping units at various times throughout the sequence. This may, however, prohibit evaluating the influence of the container closure on container performance.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice provides a uniform basis of evaluating, in a laboratory, the ability of shipping units, weighing up to but not exceeding 150 lb (68 kg), intended for the single parcel delivery system to withstand the hazards associated with the distribution environment. This is accomplished by subjecting them to a test plan consisting of a sequence of anticipated hazard elements encountered in the distribution cycles. This practice is not intended to supplant material specifications or existing pre-shipment test procedures.  
1.2 The suitability of this practice for use with hazardous materials has not been determined.  
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.4 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice provides a guide for the evaluation of shipping units in accordance with a uniform system, using established test methods at levels representative of those occurring in actual distribution. The recommended test levels are based on available information on the shipping and handling environment, and current industry/government practice and experience (1-13).6 The tests should be performed sequentially on the same containers in the order given. For use as a performance test, this practice requires that the shipping unit tested remain unopened until the sequence of tests are completed. If used for other purposes, such as package development, it may be useful to open and inspect shipping units at various times throughout the sequence. This may, however, prohibit evaluating the influence of the container closure on container performance.  
4.2 For Distribution Cycle 18, as referred to in MIL-STD-2073–1, the use of this practice is defined in subsequent sections identified as DC-18.
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 Consider the use of Practice D7386 for testing of packages for single parcel shipments.  
1.3 The suitability of this practice for use with hazardous materials has not been determined.  
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.5 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice provides a guide for the evaluation of shipping units in accordance with a uniform system, using established test methods at levels representative of those occurring in actual distribution. The recommended test levels are based on available information on the shipping and handling environment, and current industry/government practice and experience (1-13).6 The tests should be performed sequentially on the same containers in the order given. For use as a performance test, this practice requires that the shipping unit tested remain unopened until the sequence of tests are completed. If used for other purposes, such as package development, it may be useful to open and inspect shipping units at various times throughout the sequence. This may, however, prohibit evaluating the influence of the container closure on container performance.  
4.2 For Distribution Cycle 18, as referred to in MIL-STD-2073–1, the use of this practice is defined in subsequent sections identified as DC-18.
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 Consider the use of Practice D7386 for testing of packages for single parcel shipments.  
1.3 The suitability of this practice for use with hazardous materials has not been determined.  
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.5 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 In the distribution system for many products there is a phase wherein the packaged product may be stored for a period of time in a manner such that one or more containers are superimposed one upon the other. Failure can occur in any layer4 (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 3).
FIG. 1 Containers Under Constant Load of Dead Weights Imposed by Other Containers
FIG. 2 Container Under Constant Load of Dead Weights
FIG. 3 Containers Under Constant Load in Compression Test Machine With Fixed Platen  
4.2 This test method subjects a container, empty or filled, to a predetermined static load, and to specified atmospheric conditions, if required.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method is designed to determine the resistance of a shipping container to a vertically applied constant load for either a specified time or to failure. The test method may also be used for palletized or unitized load configurations.  
1.2 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific precautionary statements, see Section 6.  
1.3 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This test method is intended for use in evaluating the ability of a container to withstand the sudden shock resulting from a free fall drop impact, or to evaluate the ability of a container and its inner packing to protect its contents during the sudden shock resulting from a free fall drop impact. This test method may also be used to compare the performance of different package designs. This test method may also permit observation of the progressive failure of a container and the damage to its contents.  
4.2 This test method is particularly suitable for containers that are normally handled manually during some part of their distribution cycle. Containers of such bulk or mass that they cannot be handled manually may be tested more satisfactorily in accordance with Test Method D880, Test Methods D6055, Test Methods D6179, or Test Methods D4003. See Practice D4169 for additional guidance.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers procedures for the drop testing of loaded boxes, cylindrical containers, and bags and sacks by the free-fall method.  
1.2 For containers not exceeding 110 lb (50 kg), this test method fulfills the requirements of ISO Standards 2206:1987 and 2248:1985. These ISO standards may describe procedures that do not meet the requirements for this test method.  
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.4 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 In the distribution system for many products there is a phase wherein the packaged product may be stored for a period of time in a manner such that one or more containers are superimposed one upon the other. The bottom package is thus continually stressed with a constant load.  
4.2 This test method subjects a container, empty or filled, to a predetermined static load, and to specified atmospheric conditions, if required.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method is designed to determine the resistance of a shipping container to a vertically applied constant load for either a specified time or to failure. The test method may also be used for palletized or unitized load configurations.  
1.2 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, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific precautionary statements, see Section 6.  
1.3 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Shipping containers are exposed to complex dynamic stresses in the distribution environment. Approximating the actual damage, or lack of damage, experienced in real life may require subjecting the container and its contents to random vibration tests. In this way, many product and container resonances are simultaneously excited.  
4.2 Resonance buildups during random vibration tests are less intense than during sinusoidal resonance dwell or sweep tests. Therefore, unrealistic fatigue damage due to resonance buildup is minimized.  
4.3 Random vibration tests should be based on representative field data. When possible, confidence levels may be improved by comparing laboratory test results with actual field shipment effects. Refer to Practice D4169 for recommended random vibration tests. (See Appendix X1 and Appendix X2 for related information.)  
4.4 There is no direct equivalence between random vibration tests and sinusoidal vibration tests. Equivalent tests between sine and random, in a general sense, are difficult to establish due to nonlinearities, damping and product response characteristics.  
4.5 Vibration exposure affects the shipping container, its interior packing, means of closure, and contents. This test allows analysis of the interaction between these components. Design modification to one or all of these components may be used to achieve optimum performance in the shipping environment.  
4.6 Random vibration tests may be simultaneously performed with transient or periodic data to simulate known stresses of this type, that is, rail joints, pot holes, etc.  
4.7 Random vibration may be conducted in any axis (vertical or horizontal) or in any package orientation. However, different test levels may be utilized for each axis depending on the field environment that is to be simulated.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the random vibration testing of filled shipping units. Such tests may be used to assess the performance of a container with its interior packing and means of closure in terms of its ruggedness and the protection that it provides the contents when subjected to random vibration inputs.  
1.2 This test method provides guidance in the development and use of vibration data in the testing of shipping containers.
Note 1: Sources of supplementary information are listed in the Reference section (1-11).2  
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, health and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific safety hazard statements are given in Section 6.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This test method is intended for use in evaluating the capability of a container to withstand the sudden shock resulting from a free fall, or to evaluate the capability of a container and its inner packing to protect its contents during the sudden shock resulting from a free fall. This test method may also be used to compare the performance of different package designs. This test method may also permit observation of the progressive failure of a container and the damage to its contents.  
4.2 This test method is particularly suitable for containers that are normally handled manually during some part of their distribution cycle. Containers of such bulk or mass that they cannot be handled manually may be tested more satisfactorily in accordance with Test Method D880, Test Methods D6055, Test Methods D6179, or Test Methods D4003. See Practice D4169 for additional guidance.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers procedures for the drop testing of loaded boxes, cylindrical containers, and bags and sacks by the free-fall method.  
1.2 For containers not exceeding 110 lb (50 kg), this test method fulfills the requirements of ISO Standards 2206:1987 and 2248:1985. These ISO standards may describe procedures that do not meet the requirements for this test method.  
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.4 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.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 These test methods are normally used for the following purposes:  
4.1.1 To evaluate materials and constructions for a specific type of container,  
4.1.2 To compare performance of different types of containers,  
4.1.3 To determine adequacy of protection for a specific product or application, and  
4.1.4 To maintain quality control.
SCOPE
1.1 These test methods cover the determination of water vapor transmission rates for bulk shipping containers, as follows:  
1.1.1 Method A, for Reclosable Containers, and  
1.1.2 Method B, for Containers Not Designed for Reclosing.  
1.2 Within each procedure details are given for the constant and cycle methods of test atmosphere.  
1.3 The test may be applied to the container as packed, or after one or more performance tests such as drum (Method D782), vibration (Methods D999), drop (Test Method D5276), impact resistance (Test Methods D880, D4003, and D5277), or performance tests (Practice D4169), as required.  
1.4 For small shipping containers requiring greater accuracy in weighing, the water vapor transmission may be determined in accordance with Test Method D895 or Test Method D1251.  
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.6 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.  
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 In the distribution system, the packaged product may be stored for a period of time in a manner such that one or more containers are stacked on one another. The bottom package is thus continually subjected to a constant compression load.  
4.2 This test method subjects an empty container to a predetermined static load and to specified atmospheric conditions, if required, over a short period of time using fixed platen compression testing equipment. Deflection is measured over time.  
4.3 Deflection versus time data can be used to predict time to failure of corrugated shipping containers under constant load.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers determining the resistance of an empty paper corrugated shipping container to a vertically applied constant compression load for a specified time. The test method may also include palletized or unitized loads made of such containers. The boxes are tested in the orientation that they are most likely to be stacked in a unitized or palletized load.  
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
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.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
3.1 The preconditioning requirement is important because physical properties of a sample at 50 % relative humidity depend upon whether the sample is brought to 50 % from a higher or lower relative humidity. A detailed discussion of the importance of preconditioning may be found in Annex A1.  
3.2 The conditioning and testing atmospheres are important because both temperature and relative humidity have significant effects on the physical properties of paper and board. A more detailed discussion of the importance may be found in Annex A2.  
3.3 This standard is technically identical to TAPPI T-402.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice defines the standard atmospheres for normal preconditioning, conditioning, and testing of paper and paper products, paperboard, fiberboard, and containers made from them. It also specifies procedures for handling these materials in order that they may reach equilibrium with the respective atmosphere.  
1.2 This practice does not include special conditioning and testing atmospheres, such as those that attempt to simulate tropical or arctic environments.  
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.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Shipping containers and the interior packaging materials are used to protect their contents from the hazards encountered in handling, transportation, and storage. Shock is one of the more troublesome of these hazards. Free-fall drop testing, while easy to perform, often understresses the test specimen by subjecting it to drops which are not perpendicular to the dropping surface.
Note 1: For example, testing has shown that non-perpendicular drops, 2° off perpendicularity, result in 8 % lower acceleration into the test specimen resulting from the impact energy dispersing in several axes.4  
4.1.1 Controlled shock input by shock machines provides a convenient method for evaluating the ability of shipping containers, interior packaging materials, and contents to withstand shocks. Simulated free-fall drop testing of package systems, which have critical elements, has produced good results where the frequency of the shock pulse is at least three times that of the package system's natural frequency.  
4.2 As in most mechanical shock test procedures, fixturing of the package on the shock test machine may have significant influence on the test results. Typically, packages will be firmly held on the table by securing some type of cross member(s) across the top of the package. Care should be taken that any pressure resulting from such fixturing should be minimal, particularly when the container being tested is corrugated or some other similar material.  
4.2.1 In cases where low-acceleration, long-duration responses are anticipated, any fixturing can potentially influence packaged item response and can possibly alter any correlation between this test method and free-fall drop testing. Where such correlation is desired, the package can be tested without it being fixed directly to the table. Note that in such circumstances, the shipping container can vigorously rebound from the table and can, if not otherwise controlled, present a safety problem for operators. Fixing the...
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the general procedures of using shock machines to replicate the effects of vertical drops of loaded shipping containers, cylindrical containers, and bags and sacks.  
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 These procedures provide an indication of the environmental stress-crack resistance of plastic tighthead drums. This test method may be used for determining the applicability of various plastic resins, mold designs, processing techniques and parameters for plastic tighthead drums.  
5.2 Environmental stress cracking is indicative of what results when a container is exposed to chemical agents such as soaps, organics, bleaches, or any surface active solutions while under conditions of stress.  
5.3 Environmental stress cracking is a mechanism of chemical attack that is highly dependent upon the test reagent, resin, container manufacturing or processing history, exposure temperature, applied stress and other factors. The combination of these factors may result in eventual stress crack failure.  
5.4 Both procedures minimize the potential for test variability by providing the user with rigidly defined test conditions. This test method may be used as design qualification and auditing tools for plastic tighthead drums.  
5.5 This test method is not meant to provide a quantitative value of measurement (that is, number of days to failure). It is intended only as a pass/fail procedure in accordance with user's specifications, or as agreed upon between the user and supplier. It is not intended as a predictor or indicator of field performance regarding time to failure.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method provides an indication of the environmental stress crack resistance of plastic tighthead drums as a summation of the effects of container design, resin, manufacturing conditions, field performance, and other factors.  
1.2 This test method may be used to evaluate a plastic drum's resistance to failure by cracking when in the presence of chemical and physical stresses.  
1.3 Two procedures are provided as follows:  
1.3.1 Procedure A—Internal pressure stress crack resistance method to nonyl phenoxypoly (ethyleneoxy) ethanol solution, a stress cracking reagent. The internal pressure is controlled at a constant elevated pressure and temperature.  
1.3.2 Procedure B—Top-load stress crack resistance method to nonyl phenoxypoly ethanol, a stress cracking reagent. The compressive top load is controlled at a constant weight while maintaining an elevated temperature.  
1.4 Although these procedures are not designed to test the ability of the closure or closure gasket material to retain the test reagent, the inclusion of closure failure as a container failure mode is optional. However, leakage through a closure may affect the internal pressure that could affect the test results.  
1.5 This test method does not attempt to address all factors that could lead to stress cracking of plastic drums. The user of this standard may use other test parameters, such as top loads, chemical reagents, etc., as agreed upon between the user and supplier in the event of a drum qualification or purchase agreement.  
1.6 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The SI units given in parentheses are for information only.  
1.7 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 warning statements are given in 6.2.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 These procedures provide an indication of the environmental stress-crack resistance of injection molded open head pails, covers, and components from a selected group or lot. Provided the thermal history of each container is constant, this test method may be used for determining the applicability of various plastic resins and mold designs for injection molding of open head pails and covers.  
5.2 The environmental stress-crack that occurs is indicative of what results when a container is exposed to agents such as soaps, organics, or any surface active solutions while under environmental conditions of stress.  
5.3 Environmental stress-cracking is a mechanism of chemical attack that is highly dependent upon the test reagent, resin, container manufacturing or processing history, exposure temperature, applied stress, and other factors. The combination of these factors may result in eventual stress-crack failure.  
5.4 Procedure A minimizes the potential for test variability by providing the user with rigidly defined test conditions. This test method may be used for production quality control of injection molded open head containers.  
5.5 Procedure B allows the user to select and evaluate extreme individual elements or the interaction of several test levels on container performance. These conditions are established based on laboratory experience and available knowledge of the distribution environment. This test method may be used for identifying critical stresses which could aid in container design or help in minimizing the occurrence of these stresses during distribution.  
5.6 This test method is intended only as a pass/fail procedure in accordance with the user's specification, or as agreed upon between the user and the supplier. It is not intended as a predictor or indicator of field performance regarding time to failure.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method provides procedures for an indication of the environmental stress crack resistance of plastic injection molded open head pails, covers, and components as a summation of the effects of container design, resin, manufacturing conditions, field performance, and other factors.  
1.2 This test method may be used to evaluate a container's resistance to mechanical failure by cracking when in the presence of chemical and physical stresses.  
1.3 Two procedures are provided as follows:  
1.3.1 Procedure A, Specified Stress-Crack Resistance Test Method—This procedure is particularly useful for quality control since the conditions of the test are specified.  
1.3.2 Procedure B, User Selected Stress-Crack Resistance Test Method—This procedure allows individual selection of test levels and is particularly useful as a design and development tool.  
1.4 These procedures are not designed to test the ability of the cover gasketing material or closure to retain the test reagent. Loss or leakage of the reagent through these openings does not constitute container failure. However, this may indicate an internal pressure loss that might affect test results.  
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, 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 warning statements are given in 6.2, 10.2.3, 10.2.4, 10.2.6, and 10.2.8.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Materials shipped in elongated packages are liable to damage as a result of impact near their midpoint when only the ends are supported. This type of damage can occur during the shipment of packaging of mixed dimensions. It is particularly prevalent during conveyer line transport and sortation. This test method provides a means of determining resistance to such damage.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method is intended to determine the capability of a long package with a narrow cross-section to resist impact near its center when the package is supported only at its ends. This test method allows the user to select from two test options: Option A employs the use of a free-fall drop tester (see Exhibit B), and Option B employs the use of simulated mechanical impact testing equipment (S.M.I.T.E.; see Exhibit A). The two optional procedures are designed to impart the same amount of kinetic energy at impact; therefore, each procedure yields equal damage-producing potential.  
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice provides a guide for the evaluation of shipping units in accordance with a uniform system, using established test methods at levels representative of those occurring in actual distribution. The recommended test levels are based on available information on the shipping and handling environment, and current industry/government practice and experience (1-13).6 The tests should be performed sequentially on the same containers in the order given. For use as a performance test, this practice requires that the shipping unit tested remain unopened until the sequence of tests are completed. If used for other purposes, such as package development, it may be useful to open and inspect shipping units at various times throughout the sequence. This may, however, prohibit evaluating the influence of the container closure on container performance.  
4.2 For Distribution Cycle 18, as referred to in MIL-STD-2073–1, the use of this practice is defined in subsequent sections identified as DC-18.
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 Consider the use of Practice D7386 for testing of packages for single parcel shipments.  
1.3 The suitability of this practice for use with hazardous materials has not been determined.  
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.5 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The impact test has been found useful in laboratory simulation of impacts such as those encountered in manual and mechanical handling and transportation. The impact test simulates some types of shocks that could occur in the handling of packages or shipping units and helps evaluate the ability of the package to protect the contents against these shocks. The test may also permit observation of progressive failure of a package and damage to the contents.  
5.2 The test results within a given laboratory using this test method may be useful for evaluating and comparing packages. However, because of the variability of test machines that have been used in the past, especially the impact surface (backstop), it has been found that interlaboratory correlation of test results has been poor.  
5.3 These procedures are not intended to simulate rail car coupling environment. Refer to Test Method D4003 and Test Methods D5277.  
5.4 This test method fulfills the requirement of ISO 2244.
Note 1: ISO 2244 may not meet the requirements for this test method.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers two procedures for conducting impact tests on loaded containers or shipping units (pallet loads), as follows:  
1.1.1 Procedure A, to test the ability of a container or shipping unit to withstand impacts, and  
1.1.2 Procedure B, to test the ability of a container or shipping unit or interior packing, or both, to provide protection to the contents, when subjected to impacts.  
1.2 Either of these two procedures may be used to evaluate different designs of containers of the same size and carrying the same load. These procedures are suitable for testing various types of containers such as boxes, crates, barrels, drums, kegs, bags, sacks, or pails made of various materials or combinations of materials and for shipping units such as pallet loads or palletized units.  
1.3 The procedures described in this test method are particularly suitable for testing large or heavily loaded containers.  
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.5 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 Note 1 and Section 7.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Shipping containers are exposed to complex dynamic stresses when subjected to vibration present in all transportation vehicles. Approximating the actual damage, or lack of damage, experienced in shipping may require subjecting the container(s) and contents to vibration inputs.  
4.2 Resonant responses during shipment can be severe and may lead to package or product failure. Identification of critical frequencies, and the nature of package stresses can aid in minimizing the effect of these occurrences.  
4.3 Vibration tests should be based on representative field data. When possible, the confidence level may be improved by comparing laboratory test results with actual field shipment data. It is highly recommended that one understand the most common failures to one’s products and packaging in distribution, and then attempt to replicate those failures in the laboratory. Once such replication is established, then that test can become the minimum necessary test for future packaged products to pass.  
4.4 Exposure to vibration can affect the shipping container, its interior packaging, means of closure, and contents. These tests allow analysis of the interaction of these components. Design modification to one or more of these components may be utilized to achieve optimum performance in the shipping environment.  
4.5 Methods A1 and A2, Repetitive Shock Tests,  are suitable for tests of individual containers that are transported unrestrained on the bed of a vehicle and may be suitable for tests of containers that might be subjected to repetitive shocks due to magnification of vibrations in unit loads or stacks.
Note 1: Methods A1 and A2 produce different vibration motions, and therefore, will generate different forces which may result in different damage modes and intensities. Results from these two methods may not correlate with one another.  
4.6 Method B, Single Container Resonance Test,  tests or determines the ability of an individual container and its inter...
SCOPE
1.1 These test methods cover vibration tests of filled shipping containers. Such tests may be used to assess the performance of a container, with its interior packing and means of closure, both in terms of its strength and of the protection it provides its contents when it is subjected to vibration such as it experiences in transportation. These procedures are suitable for testing containers of any form, material, kind, design of interior packing, means of closure, and any size and weight. They are not intended for determining the response of products to vibration for product design purposes, nor are they intended for tests of products in their operational configuration as other more suitable procedures are available for these purposes.2,3  
1.2 The following methods appear:
Method A1—Repetitive Shock Test (Vertical Motion).
Method A2—Repetitive Shock Test (Rotary Motion).
Method B—Single Container Resonance Test.
Method C—Palletized Load, Unitized Load, or Vertical
Stack Resonance Test.  
1.3 For testing of intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) containing liquid hazardous materials, refer to Test Method D7387.  
1.4 These test methods fulfill the requirements of International Organization for Standardization standards ISO 8318 and ISO 2247. The ISO standards may not meet the requirements for these methods.  
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.6  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 Section 6.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This practice provides a method for conditioning packaging systems using climatic conditions that occur in actual distribution. The recommended exposure levels are based on available information on shipping, handling and storage environments, current industry practices, and published studies. They are not absolute extremes, but recorded daily averages in cold and hot climates of the world.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice provides a uniform basis for evaluating, in a laboratory, the ability of a packaging system to withstand a range of climatic stresses that a packaging system may be exposed to during distribution throughout the world and still provide the product protection from damage or alteration.  
1.2 This practice is designed as conditioning prior to testing for overnight or two-day delivery systems of a single parcel packaging system or as a standalone test for climatic stressing of packaging systems.  
1.3 This practice does not cover refrigerated, frozen food storage, or cryogenic storage conditions. Only the climatic environments encountered in various regions of the world are covered by this practice.  
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 These test methods provide a measure of a shipping container's ability to protect a product from failure due to horizontal impacts. These measures are based on controlled levels of shock input and may be used for arriving at the optimum design of a container or system to protect a product against a specified level of shipping environment hazard.  
4.2 These test methods provide a measure of a packaged product's ability to withstand the various levels of shipping environment hazards. These measures may be used to prescribe a mode of shipping and handling that will not induce damage to the packaged product or to define the required levels of protection that must be provided by its packaging.  
4.3 Test Method A is intended to simulate the rail car coupling environment. Refer to Methods D5277 for simulating the standard draft gear portion of that environment.
SCOPE
1.1 These test methods are intended to determine the ability of a package or product to withstand laboratory simulated horizontal impact forces.  
1.2 The horizontal impacts used in these test methods are programmed shock inputs that represent the hazards as they occur in the shipping and handling environments. The environmental hazards may include rail switching impacts, lift truck marshalling impacts, and so forth. The following test methods apply:  
1.2.1 Method A, Rail Car Switching Impact—This test method simulates the types of shock pulses experienced by lading in rail car switching, with the use of a rigid bulkhead on the leading edge of the test carriage, to simulate the end wall of a railcar and shock programming devices to produce representative shock pulses. With the use of backloading, this test method may also be used to simulate compressive forces experienced by lading loads during rail car switching. It is suitable for tests of individual containers or systems as they are shipped in rail cars. It may also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of pallet patterns to determine the effect of interaction between containers during rail switching operation impacts.  
1.2.2 Method B, Marshalling Impact Tests of Unit Loads—This test method assesses the ability of unit loads to withstand the forces encountered during marshalling or loading operations.  
1.3 The test levels may be varied to represent the mode on shipping and handling used for the item under test.  
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.5 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 Containers may be pressurized in accordance with this test method without modification to the closure or to the body of the container. This test method may be used for testing rigid containers intended for the transportation of some liquids by air in accordance with the ICAO TIs or in accordance with the UN TDG.  
5.2 This test method establishes the point at which leakage commences, with a limit of approximately 95-kPa (13.8-psi) differential. See Test Method D3078 for flexible packages.  
5.3 This test method may not be suitable for some packages, such as packages with paper cap seals, where the test fluid may rapidly deteriorate the packaging.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the testing of empty containers for resistance to leakage under differential pressure conditions such as those which can occur during air transport. It is suitable for testing rigid containers intended for the transportation of some hazardous liquids in accordance with the United Nations Recommendations On The Transport Of Dangerous Goods (UN TDG) and the International Civil Aviation Organization Technical Instructions For The Safe Transport Of Dangerous Goods By Air (ICAO TIs).  
1.2 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This test method is for use in evaluating the capability of a container or shipping system to withstand sudden shocks and crushing forces, such as those generated from rail switching impacts or pallet marshalling, or to evaluate the capability of a container and its inner packing, or shipping system, to protect its contents during the sudden shocks and crushing forces resulting from rail switching or pallet marshalling impacts. This test method may also be used to compare the performance of different container designs or shipping systems. The test may also permit observation of the progressive failure of a container or shipping system and damage to the contents. See Practice D4169 for additional guidance.  
4.2 This test method is not suitable for reproducing impact resulting from the switching of rail cars using long-travel draft gear or cushioned underframes. Refer to Method D4003 (revised) as a more suitable method for testing under these circumstances, or when more precise control of shock inputs is required.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the procedures for reproducing and comparing shock damage, such as that which may result from rail switching or pallet marshalling impacts, using an incline impact tester. It is suitable for simulating the types of shock pulses experienced by lading in rail switching of rail cars with standard draft gear, but not for those with long travel draft gear or cushioned underframes. The test method can also be used for pallet marshalling tests.  
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
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. For specific hazards statements, see Section 6.