Lansmont package testing equipment is designed to perform industry standards, such as ASTM, ISTA, ISO, EUMOS and others. Our equipment is compliant with all of the most common ASTM and ISTA package testing procedures. There are individual standards that specifically reference how to perform drop testing , compression testing , side impact testing and vibration testing . In addition to those standards, there are groups of procedures referred to as distribution simulation tests, which incorporate some strategic combination of testing inputs, with the idea of simulating a typical journey through the supply chain. Some of the most common distribution simulation standards that are performed globally are published by ASTM and ISTA.
ASTM D-4169 – Standard Practice for Performance Testing of Shipping Containers and Systems. As stated by ASTM, “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.”
ASTM D-4169 provides 18 different distribution cycle (DC) simulation procedures, including a number of different transportation scenarios such as motor freight, rail, air parcel, export and even non-commercial government shipments.
ISTA (International Safe Transit Association) groups their test procedures/protocols into what they call Test Series. Testing moves from non-simulation of transport environmental hazards through simulation in general or broad terms and finally to a test developed from a comprehensive collection of field data.
1 Series: Non-Simulation Integrity Performance Tests
2 Series: Partial Simulation Performance Tests
3 Series: General Simulation Performance Tests
4 Series: Enhanced Simulation Performance Tests
ISTA’s 6 Series include test protocols created by ISTA members to meet their needs and applications. The tests may be completely original or may be modifications or variations of ISTA Procedures or Projects or other published and accepted tests. ISTA reviews and approves these tests, but primary responsibility rests with the originating members.
6 Series: Member Performance Tests
Amazon has partnered with ISTA to develop two 6 Series test methods to help simulate a journey of a package through Amazon’s fulfilment network. The two 6 Series tests are:
Project 6-AMAZON.COM-SIOC, Ships in Own Container (SIOC)
Project 6-AMAZON.COM-Over Boxing
