Reviewed by Anurag Mishra (Sr. Technical Consultant)
Product packaging and manufacturing primarily focus on making products durable for transport and handling. Accidental drops can lead to product damage, resulting in economic losses and customer dissatisfaction. A drop test is a standard procedure designed to assess a product's or package's ability to withstand the sudden shock of falls.
By simulating real-life fall conditions, drop testing can identify structural flaws and enhance design. This process ensures product safety, reduces damage rates, and fosters customer confidence in quality. In this article, we will explore the details of drop testing, including the drop test procedure, how it works, and the common standards to follow when conducting a drop test.
A drop test is a method used to evaluate the durability and resilience of an object by dropping it from a specific height to assess the impact resistance and structural integrity after the fall. A drop test is a type of physical testing that quantifies how a product or a package is able to withstand impact as a result of testing.
It helps in simulating real-world conditions like accidental drops, shipment handling, and other use cases in daily life.
A drop test procedure involves a series of controlled steps, including sample preparation, choosing the drop surface, setting the drop height, result evaluation, and more. Each steps are discussed below:
Sample Preparation: Choose the package or product to be tested. Make sure it is in its final packaged state, such as it would be shipped or handled.
Conditioning: The sample is conditioned at a certain temperature and humidity level before testing, according to applicable standards (e.g., ISTA or ASTM). This replicates actual environmental conditions.
Selecting the Drop Surface: The drop is performed on a hard, flat surface such as steel or concrete, as recommended by the standard test procedure being used.
Determining the Drop Height: The distance from which the product is dropped varies with the weight and nature of the package. For instance, lighter packages can be dropped from higher heights than heavier ones. Typical drop heights range from 12 to 48 inches.
Orientation of Drops: The sample is dropped in varying orientations—edges, flat sides, and corners—to test impact resistance in all directions.
Conducting the Drop: The sample is dropped either manually or with a drop test machine that guarantees accuracy. The drop must be free-fall and without any external force.
Inspection & Documentation: Inspect the product after every drop for damage, structural breakdown, or performance. Document observations like cracks, deformation, or functional faults.
Evaluation of Results: Compare the results to acceptance criteria derived from relevant standards (e.g., ASTM D5276, ISTA 1A). The product is acceptable if it is still in working condition and not damaged within the specified range.
Drop tests are governed by various standards, such as ASTM D5276, ISTA series, and MIL-STD-810G. These standards ensure consistency, accuracy, and reliability of results across industries.
ASTM D5276: Standard test method for Drop Test of Loaded Containers by Free Fall.
ISTA series (1A,1B, 2A, 3A series): International Safe Transit Association Protocols.
MIL-STD-810G: Standard test method for Functional Shock (Drop Test) of Equipment under simulated field conditions.
Other Important Standards: Additional applicable Standards are ISO 2248 (vertical impact testing by dropping) and IEC 60068-2-31 (rough handling shocks).
Drop Test is used in various industries, such as the Packaging Industry, Consumer Electronics, Automotive and Aerospace components, Medical devices, Military, and Tactical equipment.
Drop testing is widely applied to determine the roughness of packaging materials such as cartons, boxes, and protective wraps. It establishes whether a package can shield the product inside against damage when being transported, stored, and handled.
Example: A smartphone box is drop-tested on corners, edges, and flat sides to ascertain that it is able to absorb shock and shield against screen damage.
Electronics are susceptible to internal and external damage due to even slight drops. Drop testing assesses the product's shock resistance, allowing manufacturers to enhance product design for practical application.
Example: Smartphones, laptops, tablets, and remote controls are subjected to several drop tests to make sure screens won't crack easily and internal components function properly.
Vital components on vehicles and aircraft have to withstand harsh handling conditions. Drop testing assures that mechanical components, sensors, and control systems can withstand unintentional impacts without affecting safety and performance.
Example: Sensors, circuit boards, or connectors for airbag systems or flight control modules are drop-tested during product development.
Medical devices should be able to withstand being dropped accidentally. Drop testing ensures that equipment like portable defibrillators, glucose testers, and portable diagnostic equipment can provide accurate results and be safe even after dropping.
Example: A portable ECG monitor is put through a test to confirm it provides correct readings after dropping from a user's hand.
Gadgets used in tactical or military operations tend to encounter severe conditions. Drop testing under conditions such as MIL-STD-810G tests if communications equipment, tools, or portable weapon systems can withstand harsh environments.
Example: A field radio is drop-tested from different heights and orientations to ensure it still functions reliably when deployed.
Drop Testing consists of several benefits, such as improving product durability, enhancing customer satisfaction, reducing damage-related costs, ensuring compliance with industry standards, optimizing packaging design, and boosting brand reputation.
A drop test determines structural vulnerabilities of a product or its package. Manufacturers can design more robust, longer-lasting products that function consistently even after unintended drops by resolving these issues and challenges at the development stage.
A well-tested product is less prone to arrive damaged or be easily broken by the user. This minimizes customer complaints, returns, and bad reviews and assists in establishing brand trust and loyalty or toughness.
By minimizing product breakage during shipping and handling, a drop test helps reduce financial losses related to damaged goods, returns, replacements, and warranty claims.
Several industries have standards for packaging reliability and safety. Drop testing enables manufacturers to ensure their packaging is up to these standards. By doing this through drop testing, manufacturers can demonstrate that they are willing to work hard to produce high-quality, dependable products.
Drop testing tests the functionality of package structures and materials. It assists in the choice or design of inexpensive packaging that is of maximum protection without added weight or cost.
The equipment primarily used for drop tests includes drop testers, free-fall testers, and drop towers. These instruments enable engineers to conduct repeatable and controlled drops from predetermined heights and angles, ensuring that the tests can be precisely replicated for consistency in results.
Drop testers often feature adjustable platforms that allow for variations in drop height, as well as safety enclosures to protect both the test equipment and observers. Among the leading manufacturers of drop testers, Testronix stands out as a premier provider in India and the global market. Testronix specializes in producing high-quality drop test machines tailored for various industries, ensuring that customers receive reliable and effective testing solutions.
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