What Is Drop?
The drop test is a test in which the specimen is released in free fall from a defined height, onto a hard surface, in specified orientations, evaluating damage and loss of function. In battery applications, safety behaviour is also monitored.
Purpose of Drop
The purpose is to verify that the product withstands drops during transport and handling, that the packaging provides protection, and that battery-containing products remain safe.
Which Products Is Drop Applied To?
- Battery cells, modules and packages
- Packaged shipment products
- Electronic devices
- Hand tools and portable equipment
In Which Sectors Is Drop Used?
Standards Related to Drop
- IEC 60068-2-31drop and tipping test test
- ISO 2248
- ASTM D5276free fall test on packages test
- ISTA series
- IEC 62133-2Safety in portable lithium cells and batteries test
- ISTApackaging transport performance test series test
Drop Conditions
- Drop height
- Defined according to product mass and the specification
- Surface
- Rigid, flat concrete or steel floor
- Orientations
- Corner, edge and face drops; sequence defined in the standard
- Repeats
- The defined number of drops for each orientation
Equipment for Drop
- Drop test machine
- Rigid impact floor
- High-speed camera (optional)
- Temperature and voltage recording (battery)
- Function-check arrangement
Sample Requirements for Drop
- The specimen must be the actual product, or the product in its packaging
- Function must be checked before the test
- The specimen must be fully charged in battery tests
- The number of specimens is set out in the specification
Duration of Drop
It depends on the number of drops; a typical set is completed in half a working day to one full day.
Drop Procedure
- 1The specimen is identified, and a function check and photographic record are made.
- 2The drop height and orientation sequence are determined according to the specification.
- 3The specimen is released in the defined orientation.
- 4Damage and function are checked after each drop.
- 5Voltage and temperature are monitored in battery tests.
- 6A final assessment is made after all orientations are completed.
Drop Acceptance Criteria
The acceptance criterion is defined in the specification: preservation of the safety function and continuity of function. In battery tests, the absence of leakage, fire and explosion is required.
Evaluation of Results
Structural damage, loss of function and safety risk are assessed separately. Whether cosmetic damage is acceptable is stated in the specification.
Drop Report
- Standard applied
- Drop height, surface and orientation sequence
- Number of drops
- Damage and function status at each stage
- Photographic records
Accreditation
EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.
Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Regulations
- UN 38.3 (battery transport)
- Packaging and transport specifications
Ambalaj Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Drop test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Packaging testing examines two different functions separately: does the packaging protect the product during transport, and does the packaging material transfer harmful substances into its contents? These two questions require different laboratory infrastructure and must not be confused.
On the protection side, distribution simulation is carried out: drop, vibration, compression, stacking and, where needed, low pressure tests are applied in sequences representing the real shipping chain. These tests are meaningful as a SEQUENCE rather than individually; in real life too, packaging is exposed to successive loads and each load builds on the damage left by the previous one. Specifications such as ISTA and ASTM D4169 define these sequences by shipment type.
The shipment type determines the sequence itself. The exposure of a palletised load differs from that of a parcel shipped individually: the latter sees far more handling, more drops and impacts in a wider variety of orientations. The growth of e-commerce has brought this second scenario to the fore and turned parcel shipping simulation into a specification group of its own.
On the food contact side, MIGRATION is what counts: the amount of substance passing from the packaging material into the food is compared against overall and specific migration limits. For plastic packaging the list of permitted substances and the limits are defined in separate legislation; the declaration of conformity (DoC) rests on this assessment and is a document that every link in the supply chain must carry.
In a migration test the choice of SIMULANT is critical. Because testing with real food is not practical, liquids representing food are used: different simulants for aqueous foods, for fatty foods and for acidic foods. Choosing the wrong simulant invalidates the result; the choice depends on which food type the packaging will contact and at what temperature.
Barrier properties are a third axis. Oxygen and water vapour permeability directly determine the shelf life of the product; in pharmaceutical and food packaging these values are a design input. Barrier performance is sensitive to temperature and relative humidity, so the measurement conditions are part of the report.
Sterile medical device packaging is the most tightly regulated sub-body of this family. Here the packaging is a barrier maintaining sterility; seal strength, leak testing, distribution simulation and shelf-life studies run together as a validation package.
The packaging legislation side is becoming rapidly more demanding. Recyclability, recovered content ratio, packaging reduction and reuse targets must now be measurable and declarable; this turns packaging design from a material selection exercise into a conformity exercise.
Method groups in this field
Distribution simulation
Drop, random and fixed frequency vibration, compression, stacking, low pressure; as ISTA and ASTM D4169 sequences.
Mechanical strength
Edge crush (ECT) in corrugated board, bursting strength, box compression strength, tape peel adhesion.
Barrier measurements
Oxygen transmission rate (OTR), water vapour transmission rate (WVTR), permeability in film and sheet materials.
Migration
Overall and specific migration tests; simulant and temperature conditions are chosen according to the use scenario.
Seal and integrity
Seal peel strength, leak detection by dye penetration, bubble test, headspace analysis.
Shelf life
Real-time and accelerated ageing; part of the validation package in sterile packaging.
Commonly confused in this field
- A single drop test is not a distribution simulation; the tests are applied as the sequence defined in the specification.
- A migration test carried out with the wrong simulant or the wrong contact temperature is invalid.
- Accelerated ageing does not replace real-time ageing; a shelf life claim is supported by real-time data.
- Barrier values are valid together with the measurement temperature and relative humidity; an OTR/WVTR value given without conditions cannot be compared.
- A packaging change (film supplier, seal parameter, box design) may require the validation to be repeated.
- A food contact declaration of conformity is not a test report; it is a document that rests on reports but summarises a broader assessment.
Which decisions these results support
- Reducing shipping damage and verifying the packaging design
- Declaration of conformity for food contact packaging
- Supporting the shelf-life claim
- Validation of sterile device packaging
- Recyclability and content declarations under packaging legislation
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About Drop
According to which standard is Drop made?
Drop is executed in scope IEC 60068-2-31, ISO 2248, ASTM D5276, ISTA series and IEC 62133-2. The limit values and acceptance criteria to be applied are defined in the product standard; The version valid for your product is confirmed in writing at the offer stage.
Which products does Drop apply to?
Mainly applied to Battery cells, modules and packages, Packaged shipment products, Electronic devices and Hand tools and portable equipment. Whether your product is included in the scope is determined by examining its technical specifications and intended use.
Under what conditions is Drop done?
The determining parameters are: Drop height — Defined according to product mass and the specification, Surface — Rigid, flat concrete or steel floor and Orientations — Corner, edge and face drops; sequence defined in the standard. The full terms are in the "Test Conditions" section on the page and vary depending on the product standard.
What kind of sample is needed for Drop?
The specimen must be the actual product, or the product in its packaging, Function must be checked before the test and The specimen must be fully charged in battery tests. The number of samples is determined according to the product standard and the scope to be reported.
How long does Drop take?
It depends on the number of drops; a typical set is completed in half a working day to one full day. This duration belongs to the experiment itself; sample preparation, queuing and reporting are also evaluated. A realistic schedule for your product is given in the offer.
What is the Drop result called "appropriate"?
The acceptance criterion is defined in the specification: preservation of the safety function and continuity of function. In battery tests, the absence of leakage, fire and explosion is required.