ASTM D 4169

Designation:D4169–01e1StandardPracticeforPerformanceTestingofShippingContainersandSystems1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationD4169;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(e)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.ThisstandardhasbeenapprovedforusebyagenciesoftheDepartmentofDefense.e1NOTE—EditorialcorrectionsweremadetometricconversionsinMarch2002.1.Scope1.1Thispracticeprovidesauniformbasisofevaluating,inalaboratory,theabilityofshippingunitstowithstandthedistributionenvironment.Thisisaccomplishedbysubjectingthemtoatestplanconsistingofasequenceofanticipatedhazardelementsencounteredinvariousdistributioncycles.Thispracticeisnotintendedtosupplantmaterialspecificationsorexistingpreshipmenttestprocedures.1.2Thesuitabilityofthispracticeforusewithhazardousmaterialshasnotbeendetermined.1.3Thisstandarddoesnotpurporttoaddressallofthesafetyconcerns,ifany,associatedwithitsuse.Itistheresponsibilityoftheuserofthisstandardtoestablishappro-priatesafetyandhealthpracticesanddeterminetheapplica-bilityofregulatorylimitationspriortouse.Specificprecau-tionarystatementsaregivenin1.1.2.ReferencedDocuments2.1ASTMStandards:D642TestMethodforDeterminingCompressiveResis-tanceofShippingContainers,Components,andUnitLoads2D880TestMethodforImpactTestingforShippingCon-tainersandSystems2D951TestMethodforWaterResistanceofShippingCon-tainersbySprayMethod2D996TerminologyofPackagingandDistributionEnviron-ments2D999TestMethodsforVibrationTestingofShippingContainers2D4003MethodsofProgrammableHorizontalImpactTestforShippingContainers2D4332PracticeforConditioningContainers,Packages,orPackagingComponentsforTesting2D4728TestMethodforRandomVibrationTestingofShippingContainers2D5276TestMethodforDropTestofLoadedContainersbyFreeFall2D5277TestMethodforPerformingProgrammedHorizon-talImpactsUsinganInclinedTester2D5487TestMethodforSimulatedDropofLoadedCon-tainersbyShockMachines2D6055TestMethodsforMechanicalHandlingofUnitizedLoadsandLargeShippingCasesandCrates2D6179TestMethodsforRoughHandlingofUnitizedLoadsandLargeShippingCasesandCrates22.2MilitaryStandards:3MIL-STD-2073-1DODStandardPracticeforMilitaryPackaging3.Terminology3.1Definitions—GeneraldefinitionsforthepackaginganddistributionenvironmentsarefoundinTerminologyD996.3.2DefinitionsofTermsSpecifictoThisStandard:3.2.1acceptancecriteria—theacceptablequalitylevelthatmustbemetaftertheshippingunithasbeensubjectedtothetestplan.SeeSection7.3.2.2assurancelevel—theleveloftestintensitybasedonitsprobabilityofoccurringinatypicaldistributioncycle.3.2.2.1Discussion—LevelIisahighleveloftestintensityandhasalowprobabilityofoccurrence.LevelIIIisalowleveloftestintensity,buthasacorrespondinglyhighprobabilityofoccurrence.LevelIIisbetweentheseextremes.ForDistribu-tionCycle18,DC-18seeMIL–STD–2073–1fordefinitionsofmilitarylevelsofprotection.3.2.3coeffıcientofrestitution—theratioofthereboundvelocitytotheimpactvelocity.3.2.4distributioncycle(DC)—thesequentiallistingofthetestschedulesemployedtosimulatethehazardelementsexpectedtooccurforaspecificroutingofashippingunitfromproductiontoconsumption.SeeTable1.3.2.5hazardelement—aspecificeventthatoccursinadistributioncyclethatmayposeahazardtoashippingunit.1ThispracticeisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD10onPackagingandisthedirectresponsibilityofSubcommitteeD10.21onShippingContainersandSystems-ApplicationofPerformanceTestMethods.CurrenteditionapprovedOct.10,2001.PublishedDecember2001.OriginallypublishedasD4169-82.LastpreviouseditionD4169-99e1.2AnnualBookofASTMStandards,Vol15.09.3AvailablefromStandardizationDocumentsOrderDesk,Bldg.4SectionD,700RobbinsAve.,Philadelphia,PA19111-5094,Attn:NPODS.1Copyright©ASTMInternational,100BarrHarborDrive,POBoxC700,WestConshohocken,PA19428-2959,UnitedStates.TABLE1DistributionCyclesPerformanceTestScheduleSequence(seeSection9forTestScheduledefinition)DCDistributionCycleFirstSecondThirdFourthFifthSixth1GeneralCycle—undefineddistributionsystemScheduleAHandlingScheduleDStackedVibrationScheduleFLoose-LoadVibrationScheduleGRailSwitchingScheduleAHandling2Speciallycontrolledenvironment,userspecifiedselectfromSchedulesAthroughH3Singlepackageenvironment,upto100lb(45.4kg)ScheduleAHandlingScheduleCVehicleStackingScheduleFLoose-LoadVibrationScheduleEVehicleVibrationScheduleAHandling...4Motorfreight,singlepackageover100lb(45.4kg)ScheduleAHandlingScheduleCVehicleStackingScheduleFLoose-LoadVibrationScheduleEVehicleVibrationScheduleAHandling...5Motorfreight,TL,notunitizedScheduleAHandlingScheduleDStackedVibrationScheduleEVehicleVibrationScheduleAHandling......6Motorfreight,TL,orLTL—unitizedScheduleAHandlingScheduleDStackedVibrationScheduleAHandlingScheduleBWarehouseStacking......7Railonly,bulkloadedScheduleAHandlingScheduleDStackedVibrationScheduleGRailSwitchingScheduleAHandling......8Railonly,unitizedScheduleAHandlingScheduleDStackedVibrationScheduleGRailSwitchingScheduleAHandlingScheduleBWarehouseStacking...