ASTM D4332-00

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
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Designation: D 4332 – 00
Standard Practice for
Conditioning Containers, Packages, or Packaging
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Components for Testing
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4332; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope in Terminology D 996, Terminology E 41, or Specification
E 171.
1.1 This practice provides for standard and special condi-
tioning and testing atmospheres that may be used to simulate
4. Significance and Use
particular field conditions that a container, package, or pack-
4.1 Many materials from which containers and packages are
aging component may encounter during its life or testing cycle.
made, especially cellulosic materials, undergo changes in
1.2 This practice describes procedures for conditioning
physical properties as the temperature and the relative humidity
these containers, packages, or packaging components so that
(RH) to which they are exposed are varied. Therefore, the
they may reach equilibrium with the atmosphere to which they
package should be placed and kept in a specified atmosphere
may be exposed.
for a length of time such that subsequent measurements of
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
physical properties will be meaningful and reproducible.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
4.2 The conditions described in this practice are either
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
historically accepted standard conditions or special laboratory
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
conditions chosen to represent particular phases of the distri-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
bution environment. These special conditions do not necessar-
2. Referenced Documents ily duplicate actual field conditions, but tend to simulate them
and have effects on packages and materials which may be
2.1 ASTM Standards:
related to their field performance.
D 685 Practice for Conditioning Paper and Paper Products
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for Testing
5. Atmospheric Conditions
D 996 Terminology of Packaging and Distribution Environ-
2 5.1 Preconditioning Atmosphere—20 to 40°C (68 to 104°F)
ments
3 and 10 to 35 % relative humidity.
E 41 Terminology Relating to Conditioning
5.2 Standard Conditioning Atmosphere—23 6 1°C (73.4 6
E 171 Specification for Standard Atmospheres for Condi-
2 2°F) and 50 6 2 % relative humidity.
tioning and Testing Materials
E 337 Test Method for Measuring Humidity with a Psy-
NOTE 1—Average values must fall within these limits. Short-term
chrometer (the Measurement of Wet- and Dry-Bulb Tem- fluctuations and measurement limitations may cause individual measure-
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ments to vary up to 62°C (63.6°F) and 65 % relative humidity without
peratures)
significant impairment of test precision.
2.2 ISO Standard:
NOTE 2—The standard conditioning in the United States is different
2233 Packaging—Complete, Filled Transport Packages:
than in many other countries that use the ISO 2233 preferred conditions
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Conditioning for Testing
(G) of 20°C (68°F) and 65 % relative humidity.
2.3 Forest Products Laboratory:
5.3 Special Atmospheres—The special standard atmo-
Moisture Content vs. Relative Humidity Chart
spheric conditions shown in Table 1 may be selected when
3. Terminology appropriate.
3.1 Terms and definitions used in this practice may be found
NOTE 3—Temperature and humidity tolerances of 61°C (61.8°F) and
62 % relative humidity are desirable but not always attainable.
NOTE 4—In the absence of a specific requirement for a particular
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This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D10 on Packaging
atmospheric condition, use the conditioning atmosphere given in 5.2.
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D10.23 on Natural Environment
NOTE 5—Conditioning at the desert condition (Table 1) at a constant
Test Methods.
temperature of 60°C (140°F) may have effects on some materials that do
Current edition approved Aug. 10, 2000. Published October 2000. Originally
not relate to effects of cyclical field conditions.
published as D 4332 – 84. Last previous edition D 4332 – 99.
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.09.
5.3.1 Preferred atmospheres approved by ISO, but not
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
4
required in this practice are shown in Table 2.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.03.
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Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13th
5.4 The measurement of temperature and relative humidity
Floor, New York, NY 10036.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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