When exporting products, the packaging they are sent must be of high quality. Without it, products may be damaged in transit. This can damage the goods and your organization’s reputation for suppliers and direct customers.
Because of this, having a process in place to allow packaging testing is essential to avoid costly errors during the shipment process. One of these tests is the Carton Drop Test.
This article aims to explain a carton drop test, its benefits, and the key points to conducting it successfully.
What is a carton drop test?
A Carton drop test is a type of packaging inspection conducted by third-party quality assurance inspectors to ensure the quality of packaging. It is one of the most common and usually resource-light to conduct.
In most common drop tests, an inspector drops the Carton from a set height ten times. This allows for checking the Carton’s consistency and strength. Lab testing may also be required.
Who needs a carton drop test?
Carton drop tests can benefit organizations concerned about product and Carton quality. Importers should implement this testing into their pre-shipment inspections to ensure that there is no errors post shipment, which can cause delays and also negative monetary consequences which could have been easily avoided.
What are the cartoon drop test standards?
Depending on which country your products are being imported to, there are different standards set out to allow for conformity and set a bar for quality in packaging. In terms of standards, there are two major ones:
International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) ISTA’s A1 procedure:
This standard is commonly used worldwide and focuses on Carton’s goods weighing 150lb/50kg or less. This standard clearly indicates which tests must be conducted and what their specifications are in order to pass inspection, much like the drop test.
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
This standard is only used in the United States and applies to Cartons and containers weighing 110lb/50k or less.
Much like the ISTA, as mentioned above, the document linked gives details on the specifications needed for containers and Cartons to pass inspections within the United States.
Carton drop test procedure
When a QC inspector conducts carton drop tests. There are five major parts to the procedure. If you inspect only one product or SKU, then only one master Carton will need to be tested as it will commonly be consistent with the rest of the Cartons. If the Cartons have more than one item/SKU, then one of each Carton must be tested.
In terms of the equipment needed to conduct a carton drop test, there is very little needed. A scale to weigh the Carton and a tape measure to accurately measure the appropriate drop height.
Once equipment and the Cartons are selected, the five-step process can begin. This includes:
1. Choosing the Carton
As stated above, a carton must be selected. This must be random, especially at the factory itself, because being randomized helps accurately depict the general quality of the cartons. Third-party QCs, like HQTS, have procedures to ensure that inspectors always ensure that factories cannot ensure a specific carton is chosen to skew results.
It is also vital that the carton chosen must be already packed to the correct specifications and that the products/packaging have already been inspected. This is part of the pre-shipment inspection and is commonplace in most supply chains and denies the possibility of damage occurring before the drop test.
2. Finding the suitable test surface
Once the cartons have been randomly selected, it is time to find a surface that will allow the test to be accurate. This includes finding a hard surface with nothing in the vicinity that could hit the carton as the test is being conducted, as this can potentially damage it and make the test null and void.
3. Drop the carton ten times
If the surface has been chosen, the test can be conducted. This involves finding the appropriate height and dropping the carton ten times from different angles. Below is a chart that clarifies which height to drop the cartons. This is dependent on its weight.
The carton must be dropped from all angles. This is done by turning the carton, so the face with the manufacturing joint is (the manufacturing joint is where the carton is joined together, generally with glue, tape, and staples and is considered the most easily broken). If not found, then use the smallest width side. From the table above, drop all sides of the carton until it has been done ten times.
4. Open and verify the condition of the product.
Once the drops have been completed, the carton must be opened, and the package inspected. The test will be considered a failure if any of the conditions are met:
- Damage/deformation or any marks to the product inside the package.
- Functionality issues to the product may cause safety hazards due to the drop test.
- Significant damage to the carton
- Significant damage to the retail box
Some damage to the cardboard of the carton is typical; however, if there is any movement or damage to the packaging or product within, that constitutes “major damage.”
Benefits of a carton drop test
It is a commonplace that some suppliers unfamiliar with drop testing may be uncomfortable or unwilling for a drop test to be conducted in fear of unnecessarily damaging products being damanged unnecessarily.
Although it is a fair concern, it is imperative to understand that without this test, there is a potential danger that products will be damaged in transit, causing customers and suppliers to receive faulty or damaged products. This not only can cause the monetary issue of the replacement of goods but damage the organizational reputation, which is extremely valuable.
This is why it is beneficial to implement carton drop tests into pre-shipment inspections to mitigate any potential issues to cartons during shipment. Therefore saving time and money in the long run.
HQTS has over 25 years of experience in industry-leading quality control for various industries, including carton drop testing. We provide rigorous testing, ensure organizations run safely and efficiently, are up-to-date with the latest regulations, and assist in pre-shipments. To learn more about this, contact us today.
