Testing Capabilities

Compadre understands that your product and its packaging will be tested each time it goes through your distribution system to a customer.

To prevent any unexpected customer-facing issues, the shipping industry, ISTA, ASTM and Compadre recommend that you first test your package design in a controlled environment. This is called pre-shipment performance testing.  In addition to packaging testing, our facilities can provide you with aging, accelerated aging and product-specific testing services.

Compadre’s team of engineers and technicians will help you to determine testing (pass/fail) criteria, complete the testing and deliver comprehensive test reporting and documentation.

Standard ISTA and ASTM Testing:

ISTA Procedure 1A, 1G
•    Packaged products weighing 150 lb (68 kg) or less
•    Basic Requirements:

• Fixed (1A) or random displacement (1G) vibration
• Shock testing

ISTA Procedure 2A
•    Packaged products weighing 150 lb (68 kg) or less
•    Basic Requirements:

• Atmospheric conditioning
• Compression Testing
• Fixed or random displacement vibration
• Shock Testing

ISTA Procedure 3A
•    Packaged products for parcel delivery system shipments weighing 150 lb (68 kg) or less
•    Basic Requirements:

• Atmospheric conditioning
• Shock Testing
• Random displacement vibration
• Shock Testing (rotational edge, full rotational flat, and hazard impact)

ASTM D-4169
•    Standard practice for performance testing of shipping containers and systems
•    Basic Requirements:

• Shock Testing
• Compression Testing
• Fixed or random displacement vibration
• Shock Testing

Medical Packaging Testing
•    The ISO 11607-01 standard is a guidance document for validating packaging for terminally sterilized medical devices.

• Shelf Life Real-time Aging Test
• ASTM D774 Mullen Burst Test

Testing capabilities coming soon:

• ASTM 2096 - Gross Leak Test
• ASTM F88 - Peel Test
• ASTM F1929 - Dye Penetration Test
• ASTM F1980 - Accelerated Aging Test
• Shelf Life - Real Time Aging Test

ISTA Procedure 3H
•    Unitized loads of same product
•    Basic Requirements:

• Atmospheric conditioning
• Shock Testing (horizontal impact)
• Shock testing (rotational flat, rotational edge)
• Random displacement vibration
• Shock Testing (horizontal impact)
• Shock testing (rotational flat, rotational edge)

ASTM F2057-09
•    Packaged products specifications for items over 30 in. in height
•    Basic Requirements:

• Standard Safety Specification for Chests, Door Chests and Dressers
• Tipover testing intended to reduce injuries and deaths of children from hazards associated with tip over of clothing storage units

Other Testing:

Mullen Burst Test

•    Uses a rubber diaphragm that is pressurized until it fully ruptures a clamped piece of corrugated or solid fibreboard
•    The resulting value is documented in pounds per square inch (psi)
•    Basic Requirements:

• Minimum 5 corrugated carton samples
• Reference TAPPI T810 Bursting Strength of Corrugated and Solid Fiberboard