Overview of Procedure 3E: Similar Packaged-Products in Unitized Loads For Truckload Shipment
Overview of Procedure 3E: Similar Packaged-Products in Unitized Loads For Truckload Shipment
3E
2
0
Truckload Shipment 1
7
Preface
OVERVIEW OF PROCEDURE 3E
Procedure 3E is a general simulation test for unitized loads of similar retail or institutional packaged-products shipped from a
manufacturing location to a distribution center. The unitized loads of packaged-products are shipped through a motor carrier
(truck) delivery system, where an entire trailer-load is filled with unitized packaged-products, often of similar retail packaged-
products, intended for one destination. This type of shipment is called Full Truckload (FTL).
A unitized load is defined as one or more products or packaged-products usually on a skid or pallet, but always secured together or
restrained for distribution as a single load. Examples would be a stretch wrapped pallet load of individual containers, a single non-
packaged machine banded to a pallet or a pallet with a corrugated tray, tube and a cap.
It can be used to evaluate the protective performance of packaged-products related to vibrations, shocks and other stresses
normally encountered during handling and transportation.
It can be used to evaluate load stability.
The test levels are based on general data and may not represent any specific distribution system.
The package and product are considered together and not separately.
Some conditions of transit, such as moisture, pressure or unusual handling, may not be covered.
Other ISTA Procedures may be appropriate for different conditions or to meet different objectives.
Specific suggestions:
To test the individual packaged-product that might be shipped non-unitized from a distribution center to a retail outlet, use
ISTA Test Procedure 3F.
To test packaged-products prepared for shipment via a Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) delivery system carrier. LTL is defined as
a motor carrier (truck) shipment, where different types of packaged-products, often from different shippers and intended for
different ultimate destinations, are mixed in the same load then use ISTA Test Procedure 3B.
Refer to Guidelines for Selecting and Using ISTA Procedures and Projects for additional information.
Δ – Most recent technical change(s) ISTA 3E 2017 - Page 1 of 12
Ο – Most recent technical addition(s) © 2017 International Safe Transit Association. All rights Reserved.
3E OVERVIEW OF PROCEDURE 3E
Scope Procedure 3E covers the testing of unitized loads, made up of either single or multiple products or packages of similar products
prepared for shipment via a Full Truckload (FTL) delivery system carrier. FTL is defined as motor carrier shipment, where an
entire trailer-load is filled with unitized packaged-products, often of similar retail packaged-products, intended for one destination.
Product Damage
Tolerance and The shipper shall determine the following prior to testing:
Package what constitutes damage to the product and
Degradation what damage tolerance level is allowable, if any, and
Allowance the correct methodology to determine product condition at the conclusion of the test and
the acceptable package condition at the conclusion of the test.
For additional information on this determination process refer to Guidelines for Selecting and Using ISTA Procedures and Projects.
Samples
Samples should be the untested actual package and product, but if one or both are not available, the substitutes shall be as
identical as possible to actual items.
Sequence # Test Category Test Type Test Level For ISTA Certification
1 Atmospheric Temperature and Humidity Ambient Required
Preconditioning
2 Atmospheric Controlled Temperature and Temperature and humidity Optional
Conditioning Humidity chosen from chart
Δ 3 Shock Incline Impact (Conbur) 48 in per second Required
(Alternative methods (1.2 m per second)
allowed – select one Horizontal Impact
test type)
48 in per second
(1.2 m per second)
Δ 4 Shock Rotational Edge Drop Height varies with packaged- Required
product weight
5 Compression Machine Apply and Release Calculated Test Force x 1.4 Required
Δ (Alternative methods
allowed – select one Machine Apply and Hold Calculated Test Force
test type)
Weight and Load Spreader Calculated Test Load
Equipment The following alternatives are acceptable for the equipment required for the Impact Test:
Required
Shock
Type of Shock Test Equipment In compliance with the apparatus section of:
Incline Test Incline impact tester (conbur) ASTM D 880
Horizontal Test Horizontal impact test system ASTM D 4003
Equipment The following alternatives are acceptable for the equipment required for the Compression Test:
Required
Compression Type of Compression Equipment In compliance with the Additional Required
Test apparatus section of: Equipment
Compression Test Machine ASTM D 642 Use an identical pallet on
Ο Apply and Release Test top as what the test item is
Fixed or Floating platen
acceptable shipped on.
Pallet
on top
4 Identify edges using the numbers of the two faces forming that edge.
Example: Edge 3-4 is the edge formed by face 3 and face 4 of the unit load.
5 Go to next page for further Before You Begin details.
Condition packaged-products according to one or more of the conditions listed in the table below.
Remaining test requirements should be performed as soon as possible after removing the packaged-product from
environmental conditioning apparatus.
If more than one conditioning sequence is selected, a new and complete test should be performed following each sequence.
Anticipated Conditions Time in Hours Temperature in °C 2C (°F 4F) Humidity in %
Extreme Cold, 72 -29C (-20F) uncontrolled RH
Uncontrolled RH
Cold, Humid 72 5C (40F) 85 RH 5
Controlled Conditions 72 23C (73F) 50 RH 5
Hot, Humid 72 38C (100F) 85 RH 5
Hot, Humid 72 38C (100F) 85 RH 5
then then then then
Extreme Heat, Moderate RH 6 60C (140F) 30 RH 5
Elevated Temperature, 72 50C (120F) uncontrolled RH
Uncontrolled RH
Extreme Heat, Dry 72 60ºC (140ºF) 15% RH +/- 5%
Severe Cold, 72 -18ºC (0ºF) uncontrolled RH
Uncontrolled RH
User Defined High Limit 72 Based upon known conditions Known conditions
User Defined Low Limit 72 Based upon known conditions Known conditions
User Defined Cycle 72 Based upon known conditions Known conditions
Before You
Begin CAUTION:
Shock Testing If the Unit Load:
has a length twice the width or more and
a center of gravity above the midpoint of the height,
there is the possibility that the Unit Load could tip over when testing one of the longest edges, therefore
you may conduct the Rotational Edge Drop test on both the shortest edges.
Inclined or Horizontal Impacts:
Δ
The required impact tests may be accomplished with either an inclined or horizontal machine. If an inclined-impact machine
is used, the minimum required impact velocity must be 48 in/sec (1.2 m/sec). If a horizontal-impact machine is used, the
minimum required velocity change must be 48 in/sec (1.2 m/sec) and the required shock must be a nominal 10 millisecond
duration half sine pulse.
When using impact velocity or velocity change, if any velocity in a Test Sequence is below the required minimum level, that
sequence event must be repeated until the test velocity meets the minimum.
CAUTION:
When using weights and a load spreader use extreme care to prevent injury.
For example:
If compression testing is performed in conjunction with atmospheric conditioning which reduces container strength (e.g.
corrugated containers under high humidity, plastic containers under high temperature), Compensating Factors may be
reduced.
If the materials and structures which support the compression load (whether product, primary package, transport
package, or a combination) are not affected by time, temperature, or humidity, then Compensating Factors may be
reduced.
If the Compensating Factor values given in the sections that follow are not used, sufficient justification must be included
in the Test Report.
Compression Calculation:
There are three separate calculations, each with English and Metric units, to accommodate the three different allowable test
approaches.
Δ Apply-and-
{[Wt x (S – 1) + (Wt / L)(L – 1)] x F – (Wt / L)(L – 1)} {[Wt x (S – 1) + (Wt / L)(L – 1)] x F – (Wt / L)(L – 1)}
release
x 1.4 x 1.4 x 9.8
test force
Apply-and-hold {[Wt x (S – 1) + (Wt / L)(L – 1)] x F – (Wt / L)(L – 1)}
[Wt x (S – 1) + (Wt / L)(L – 1)] x F – (Wt / L)(L – 1)
test force x 9.8
Weight and
Pounds (lb) Kilograms (kg)
Load Spreader
Apply-and-hold
dead weight [Wt x (S – 1) + (Wt / L)(L – 1)] x F – (Wt / L)(L – 1) {[Wt x (S – 1) + (Wt / L)(L – 1)] x F – (Wt / L)(L – 1)}
test
NOTES:
Use an F value of 3 for these calculations or supply sufficient justification in the Test Report to support use of a different value.
The following breakpoints shall be programmed into the vibration controller to produce the acceleration versus frequency profile
(spectrum) below with an overall Gr m s level of 0.54. The theoretical stroke required to run this vibration profile is 1.777 in (45.13
mm) peak to peak.
Frequency (Hz) PSD Level, g2/Hz ISTA Steel Spring Truck
1.0 0.00072 Random Vibration Spectrum
3.0 0.018 0.1
4.0 0.018
6.0 0.00072 0.01
12.0 0.00072
PSD, g /Hz
16.0 0.0036
2
0.001
25.0 0.0036
30.0 0.00072
0.0001
40.0 0.0036
80.0 0.0036
0.00001
100.0 0.00036 1 10 100 1000
Test Time duration in minutes = (Transport Miles) ÷ 5. Maximum test time 240 minutes
OR
Test Time duration in minutes = (Transport Kilometers) ÷ 8. Maximum test time 240 minutes
Examples:
If the estimated distance is 750 miles, the Test Time would be 150 minutes.
If the estimated distance is 1000 km., the Test Time would be 125 minutes.
3 Center the unitized load on the carriage with the vertical face of the unitized load flat against the backstop
or sail and parallel to the leading edge of the carriage.
Δ Step Action
1 Perform a rotational edge drop. Follow the sequence in the table below.
Sequence # Action
1 Place the packaged-product on a flat, rigid surface such as steel or concrete with
face 3 down.
2 Support edge 3-5 with a timber or support 3.5 to 4.0 in (90 to 100 mm) in height and
width.
3 Lift the opposite edge (3-6) to the prescribed drop height as indicated at the beginning
of this Test Block.
4 Release the edge so that it falls freely onto the flat, rigid surface.
2 Does the Unit Load have a length equal to or greater than twice the width and a center of gravity above the
midpoint of the height?
If Yes, then go to Step 4.
If No, then continue with the next step.
3 Repeat Step 1 on one of the face 3 edges radiating 90° from the edge just tested in Step 1 Sequence 4.
Then go to Step 5.
4 Repeat Step 1 on the face 3 edge opposite the edge just tested in Step 1 Sequence 4. Then go to the next
Step.
5 This rotational edge drop testing is now complete. Go to TEST BLOCK 4 (Compression).
2 Does the Unit Load have a length equal to or greater than twice the width and a center of gravity above the
midpoint of the height?
If Yes, then go to Step 4.
If No, then continue with the next step.
3 Repeat Step 1 on one of the face 3 edges radiating 90° from the edge just tested in Step 1 Sequence 4.
Then go to Step 5.
4 Repeat Step 1 on the face 3 edge opposite the edge just tested in Step 1 Sequence 4. Then go to the next
Step.
5 All testing is now complete. Go to the Reporting an ISTA Test section at the end of this Procedure.
When a Shipper member prints this certification mark on a packaged-product, with their manufacturer’s license number, they are
showing their customer, vendors and carriers that it has passed the requirements of ISTA preshipment testing.
In order to maintain its certified status and eligibility for identification with the Transit Tested Certification Mark, each packaged-
product must be re-tested whenever a change is made in the:
Product or
Process or
Package.
If corrugated packaging is used, it is recommended that the basis weights of the constituent papers/paperboards be determined
after testing and documented to provide the best indicator of equivalence or change.
As a quality control procedure, packaged-products should be re-tested frequently, for example, yearly.
For additional information, refer to Guidelines for Selecting and Using ISTA Test Procedures and Projects.
Order Information: Additional copies of this Test Procedure and the ISTA® RESOURCE BOOK may be ordered online at www.ista.org or by
contacting ISTA at (+1) 517.333.3437. A listing of current procedure version dates is available at www.ista.org.