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Why need to perform drop test and what is procedure?

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Product damage during shipping is a serious business menace. It inflates operations costs, creates irate customers due to delayed deliveries and puts a heavy strain on inventory – not to mention the doubling of shipping costs to replace damaged goods. Also, if you are an e-commerce vendor registered with a multi-vendor e-commerce store like Amazon, eBay, Target, etc., there is a high chance you will be penalized for poor packing and damaged product deliveries.

 

The drop test during inspection can provide a means to predetermine the probability of the safe arrival of their packaged-products at their destination through the utilization of tests developed to simulate the shocks and stresses normally encountered during handling and transportation.

 

ISTA 1A  Drop Test is technique for measuring the durability of a part or material by subjecting it to a free fall, from a predetermined height into a surface, under prescribed conditions. The most common, and often quoted, drop test procedure is the ISTA Procedure 1A 10-drop procedure.

ISTA Procedure 1A 10- drop procedure includes one drop on a base corner, one drop on each edge radiating from that corner, and one on each flat face of the package; a total of 10 impacts. All these drops are from the "design drop height". It is unknown how the ISTA procedure developed. It is, however, widely used and widely accepted. Other procedures use different drop heights, number of impacts, and orientations. Some electronic firms do not specify the exact corner for an impact; only that it should be the "most vulnerable" corner.

ISTA 1A 10 times drop procedure -6 flat, 1 corner, 3 edges

The procedure for Identification of the faces and corners of the containers shall be as follows. Facing one end of containers shall be as manufacturer’s joint on the observer’s left if the container is fiberboard, designates the top of the container as Face1. The front as Face 2, the bottom as Face 3, the back as Face 4, the left side as Face 5, and the right side as Face 6.

After the drop test, Examine the appearance of both the products and packing construction by visual and perform functional check after this test.