ASTM D4003-98(2019)e1

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.
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Designation: D4003 − 98 (Reapproved 2019)
Standard Test Methods for
Programmable Horizontal Impact Test for Shipping
Containers and Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D4003; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
1.1 These test methods are intended to determine the ability
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
of a package or product to withstand laboratory simulated
1.6 This international standard was developed in accor-
horizontal impact forces.
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
1.2 The horizontal impacts used in these test methods are
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
programmed shock inputs that represent the hazards as they
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
occur in the shipping and handling environments. The envi-
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
ronmental hazards may include rail switching impacts, lift
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
truck marshalling impacts, and so forth. The following test
methods apply: 2. Referenced Documents
1.2.1 Method A, Rail Car Switching Impact—This test
2.1 ASTM Standards:
method simulates the types of shock pulses experienced by
D996Terminology of Packaging and Distribution Environ-
ladinginrailcarswitching,withtheuseofarigidbulkheadon
ments
theleadingedgeofthetestcarriage,tosimulatetheendwallof
D4332Practice for Conditioning Containers, Packages, or
a railcar and shock programming devices to produce represen-
Packaging Components for Testing
tative shock pulses. With the use of backloading, this test
D5277Test Method for Performing Programmed Horizontal
method may also be used to simulate compressive forces
Impacts Using an Inclined Impact Tester
experienced by lading loads during rail car switching. It is
E122PracticeforCalculatingSampleSizetoEstimate,With
suitablefortestsofindividualcontainersorsystemsastheyare
Specified Precision, the Average for a Characteristic of a
shipped in rail cars. It may also be used to evaluate the
Lot or Process
effectiveness of pallet patterns to determine the effect of
interaction between containers during rail switching operation 3. Terminology
impacts.
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this test
1.2.2 Method B, Marshalling Impact Tests of Unit Loads—
method, see Terminology D996.
This test method assesses the ability of unit loads to withstand
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
the forces encountered during marshalling or loading opera-
3.2.1 acceleration—the rate of change of velocity of a body
tions.
2 2
with respect to time measured in in./s (m/s ).
1.3 The test levels may be varied to represent the mode on
3.2.2 backload—a duplicate specimen similar to the test
shipping and handling used for the item under test.
packageorweightstosimulatetheotherladinginthetransport
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
vehicle.
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
3.2.3 shock pulse—a substantial disturbance characterized
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
by a rise of acceleration from a constant value and decay of
and are not considered standard.
acceleration to the constant value in a short period of time.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.2.4 shock pulse programmer—a device to control the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
parameters of the acceleration versus time-shock pulse gener-
ated by a shock test impact machine.
These test methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D10 on
Packaging and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D10.21 on Shipping
Containers and Systems - Application of Performance Test Methods. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2019. Published August 2019. Originally contactASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. ForAnnual Book ofASTM
approved in 1981. Last previous edition approved in 2015 as D4003–98 (2015). Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
DOI: 10.1520/D4003-98R19E01. theASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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D4003 − 98 (2019)
3.2.5 velocity change—the sum of the impact velocity and 5.1.6.4 The desired backload weight/friction relationship.
reboundvelocity(theareaundertheacceleration—timecurve).
5.2 Specimen Backload Equipment:
5.2.1 During some horizontal impacts, the forces that test
4. Significance and Use
units encounter include both the shock forces of the accelera-
4.1 These test methods provide a measure of a shipping
tion as well as compressive forces resulting from other
container’s ability to protect a product from failure due to
products impacting against them. This will necessitate suffi-
horizontal impacts. These measures are based on controlled
cientcarriagestrengthandplatformspacetoprovidealocation
levels of shock input and may be used for arriving at the
for the desired backload weights.
optimum design of a container or system to protect a product
5.2.2 Speciallyadaptedbackloadingfixturesmaybeusedto
against a specified level of shipping environment hazard.
provide an even loading of the backload weight over the entire
back surface area of the test specimen, or additional product
4.2 These test methods provide a measure of a packaged
product’s ability to withstand the various levels of shipping samples may be used to create the desired backload.
5.2.3 The backload weight and frictional characteristics
environmenthazards.Thesemeasuresmaybeusedtoprescribe
must be specified for each test procedure and reported.
a mode of shipping and handling that will not induce damage
to the packaged product or to define the required levels of
5.3 Instrumentation:
protection that must be provided by its packaging.
5.3.1 An accelerometer, a signal conditioner, and a data
display or storage apparatus are required to measure the
4.3 Test Method A is intended to simulate the rail car
acceleration-time histories.The velocity change is obtained by
couplingenvironment.RefertoMethodsD5277forsimulating
integrating the impact shock record measured on the carriage
the standard draft gear portion of that environment.
bulkhead.
5. Apparatus
5.3.2 Theinstrumentationsystemshallbeaccuratetowithin
65%oftheactualvalue.Thelongpulsedurationsinvolvedin
5.1 Horizontal Impact Test Machine:
this test method require an instrumentation system with good
5.1.1 The impact test machine shall consist of a guided test
low-frequency response. As an alternative, instrumentation
carriage with a flat test specimen mounting and an upright
capable of recording direct current (dC) shall be acceptable.
bulkhead that is at a 90° angle 630 min ( ⁄2 °) to the specimen
For short pulse durations the high-end frequency response
mounting surface.The carriage should be of sufficient strength
should be twenty times the frequency of the pulse being
and rigidity so that the test specimen mounting surface and
recorded. For example, the 10-ms pulse has a full pulse
bulkhead remain rigid under the stresses developed during the
duration of 20 ms and a frequency of 50 Hz. Therefore, the
test.
instrumentation system should be capable of measuring 1000
5.1.2 The impact test machine shall provide some means of
Hz. (20 × 50 Hz).
moving the test carriage in a single guided horizontal direction
of motion. The motion of the carriage shall be controlled in
NOTE 1—As a guide, the following equation may be used to determine
such a manner that its velocity change is known after the
the adequacy of instrumentation low-frequency response:
moment of impact.
low 2 frequencyresponsepoint ~LFRP! 5 7.95/pulsewidth ~PW!~ms!
5.1.3 The machine shall be equipped with programmable
(1)
devices to produce shock pulses at the carriage bulkhead when
the carriage strikes the impact reaction mass.
where LFRP is the low frequency 3-db attenuation roll-off
5.1.4 The machine shall have an impact reaction mass,
point, expressed in hertz (cycles per second), of an instrumen-
sufficient in size to react against the force of impact from the
tation system that will ensure no more than 5% amplitude
carriage. The prescribed shock pulse limits will provide the
error, and PW is the pulse width of the acceleration pulse to be
controlling factor as to the design or concept of the reaction
recorded, measured in milliseconds at the baseline. For
mass required.
example,anintendedshockaccelerationsignalwithaduration
5.1.5 Means shall be provided to arrest the motion of the
of 300 ms, the LFRP of the instrumentation would have to be
carriage after impact to prevent secondary shock. The design
at least equal to or lower than 0.027 Hz.
shall prevent excessive lateral or over turning motion that
5.3.3 Optional instrumentation may include optical or me-
could result in an unsafe condition or invalidate the test.
chanical timing devices for measuring the carriage image and
5.1.6 Machine Setting—Since the desired shock pulses are
rebound velocities for determining the total velocity change of
influenced by the response of the test specimen, pretest runs
the impact. This instrumentation system, if used, shall have a
should be conducted with duplicate test specimens with
response accurate to within 62.5% of the actual value. Total
equivalent dynamic loading characteristics and backload, if
velocitychangemustbemeasuredtowithin 65.0%ofitstotal
required, prior to actual test to establish the approximate
value.
machine equipment settings.
6. Precautions
5.1.6.1 The control parameters that must be specified in-
clude: 6.1 These test methods may produce severe mechanical
5.1.6.2 The desired velocity change (impact plus rebound responses in the test specimen. Therefore, operating personnel
velocity of the test carriage), must remain alert to the potential hazards and take necessary
5.1.6.3 The desired pulse, shape, duration, and acceleration safetyprecautions.Thetestareashouldbeclearedpriortoeach
levels, and impact. The testing of hazardous material or products may
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D4003 − 98 (2019)
require special precautions that must be observed. Safety center of the specimen mounting surface with the face or edge
equipment may be required and its use must be understood that is to receive the impact firmly positioned against the
before starting the test. upright bulkhead. If duplicate test specimens are not available,
useassimilaraspecimenaspossible.Weightsequivalenttothe
7. Sampling
weight of the product to be tested are not recommended unless
7.1 The number of test specimens depends on the desired they can simulate the reactive or compliant nature of the test
degree of precision and the availability of specimens. Practice specimen.
E122 provides guidance on the choice of sample size. It is 10.1.3 Then backload the duplicate test specimen with
recommended that at least three representative test specimens additional product samples or the specially adapted backload-
be used. ing fixture that provides an even loading of the backload
weightovertheentirebacksurfaceareaofthetestspecimenas
8. Test Specimen
specified in the test plan. Impact the test carriage with various
8.1 The package and product as shipped or intended for test machine setups into the programmers to produce the
shipment constitutes the test specimen.Apply sensing devices desired pulse durations.
to the package, product, or some component of the product to
NOTE 4—Continue the pretesting until the desired range of velocity
measure the response levels during impact. Test loads of equal
changes is obtained. This pretesting is not necessary if the levels of the
configuration, size, and weight distribution and packaging are
major test parameters are known
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