Package Drop Tester - ISTA Packaging Testing Equipment

Package Drop Tester

Parent Product

ISTA Packaging Testing Equipment

Impact Drop Tester for Electronic Devices

Product Categories

Paper & Cardboard Testing Equipment

Application

ISTA Packaging Testing

Standards

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The QualiPDT™ 60 Package Drop Tester delivers accurate, repeatable package drop test results for laboratories, quality-control departments, and packaging development teams. This pneumatic free-fall drop tester simulates the impacts that packaged products experience during handling, warehousing, and transportation. It accommodates test specimens weighing up to 60 kg and supports face, edge, and corner drop orientations to replicate real-world distribution hazards.

Designed for fully packaged products, the QualiPDT™ 60A evaluates the protective performance of corrugated boxes, crates, bags, and other shipping containers. The pneumatic release mechanism lowers the test platform rapidly and steadily, allowing the sample to fall freely without flipping or shifting. A high-accuracy ball screw drives the platform to the target height with a positioning accuracy of ±2 mm, and a maximum movement speed of 2,000 mm/min keeps test cycles efficient.

The tester operates in both manual and automatic modes. In automatic mode, operators can store up to three preset drop heights for quick, one-touch selection. A 2.8-inch touchscreen guides setup, displays the current altitude in real time, and tracks cumulative drop counts for maintenance scheduling. The QualiPDT™ 60A is available in three frame sizes (Type A, B, and C) with maximum drop heights of 130 cm, 180 cm, and 200 cm, respectively.

Package Drop Tester Overviews

Package Drop Tester QualiPDT™ 60 is part of impact tester equipment which crafted to replicate the dropping of packaging materials during transportation. It facilitates free-fall impact tests on various parts of the packaging, including its surfaces, sides, and edges.

It is ideal for testing packed products and is made to evaluate the packaging material's ability to protect its contents after a fall. The results can help establish safety standards for packaging design and determine the product's resistance to impact.

Additionally, it can be used to perform repetitive free-fall tests on products, simulating real-life scenarios where products are dropped onto hard surfaces, allowing for the evaluation of product durability and safety considerations.

Package Drop Tester

Package Drop Tester Applications

Consumer Electronics Packaging: validates that corrugated inserts, foam cushions, and outer cartons protect smartphones, laptops, monitors, and peripherals during distribution.
E-Commerce and Fulfillment: tests shipping boxes, mailer bags, and padded envelopes used in direct-to-consumer delivery to reduce return rates caused by transit damage.
Food and Beverage Packaging: evaluates glass bottle carriers, corrugated trays, and shrink-wrapped bundles to confirm they withstand warehouse and truck handling.
Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Packaging: verifies that sterile barrier systems, blister packs, and corrugated shippers maintain product integrity through the supply chain.
Household Appliance Packaging: assesses foam-in-place cushioning and corrugated enclosures for small appliances such as blenders, coffee makers, and toasters.
Automotive Parts Packaging: tests the drop resistance of containers used for shipping replacement parts, sensors, and electronic modules to aftermarket distributors.
Cosmetics and Personal Care Packaging: confirms that cartons, tubes, and bottle packaging survive point-of-sale and last-mile delivery drops.
Packaging Research and Development: compares alternative cushioning materials, box styles, and closure methods during the packaging design phase.

Package Drop Tester

Standards

The QualiPDT™ 60 conforms to the requirements of internationally recognized test methods for free-fall drop testing of transport packages.

ASTM D5276 - Standard Test Method for Drop Test of Loaded Containers by Free Fall
ASTM D4169 - Standard Practice for Performance Testing of Shipping Containers and Systems
ISO 2248 - Packaging: Complete, Filled Transport Packages: Vertical Impact Test by Dropping
ISO 2206 - Packaging: Complete, Filled Transport Packages: Identification of Parts When Testing
ISTA 1A - Non-Simulation Integrity Performance Test for Packaged Products (150 lb / 68 kg or Less)
ISTA 2A - Partial Simulation Performance Test for Packaged Products (150 lb / 68 kg or Less)

Package Drop Tester Features

	2.8-Inch Touchscreen Controller: displays real-time altitude, guides the operator through the test sequence, and supports English, Chinese, and Japanese language settings for global teams.
High-Accuracy Ball Screw Drive: Positions the platform to the target drop height with ±2 mm accuracy, reducing setup variability and improving test-to-test repeatability.
	Safety Protection System: Includes an emergency stop button, upper and lower travel-limit switches, and audible and visual warning alerts to protect the operator and the equipment.
Universal Adjustable Fixture: An adjustable arm mechanism secures boxes of various sizes and orientations, enabling face, edge, and corner drops without additional tooling.
	Pneumatic Release Mechanism: Retracts the test platform quickly and steadily so the sample enters true free fall without rotation or lateral shift, producing consistent and repeatable impact conditions.
Reinforced Base Plate (Optional Sizes): A welded steel-frame base plate is available in six standard dimensions (85×150 cm to 240×150 cm) and custom sizes to match the specimen footprint.
	Built-In Measuring Scale: A printed height scale on the column provides a quick visual reference during manual operation, allowing the operator to confirm the drop height at a glance.
Cast Main Body: The cast frame increases rigidity, stability, and shock absorption, extending the service life of the machine under repeated high-impact loads.

Hydraulic Buffer Device: absorbs rebound energy at the base of the travel stroke, protecting the ball screw and drive components from impact-induced wear.
Dual Operating Modes: manual mode allows on-the-fly height adjustment with hardware buttons, while automatic mode stores three user-defined preset heights for one-touch positioning.
Cumulative Drop Counter: tracks the total number of drops performed over the life of the machine, providing a maintenance reminder so operators can schedule service intervals proactively.
Metric and Imperial Unit Selection: the touchscreen allows the operator to switch between millimeters and inches to match the unit convention of the applicable test standard.
Independent Control Console: a standalone console (25 × 25 × 120 cm, 15.8 kg) keeps the operator at a safe distance from the drop zone, with an optional wired control box for added flexibility.

Theory and Method

Package Drop Tester - QualiPDT™ 60A

Free-fall drop testing subjects a complete, filled package to a controlled vertical impact that replicates the shock forces encountered during manual handling, loading, and accidental drops. The operator raises the loaded test platform to a predetermined height, positions the specimen in the required orientation (face, edge, or corner), and activates the pneumatic release. The platform retracts from beneath the sample, and the package falls under gravity onto a flat, rigid base plate.

The impact energy transferred to the package depends on its mass and the drop height. A heavier package dropped from a greater height absorbs more kinetic energy at the moment of contact, producing higher peak deceleration forces on the product inside. Standards such as ASTM D5276 prescribe drop heights based on package weight and the expected severity of the distribution environment. The "one corner, three sides, six faces" protocol requires ten individual drops to expose the weakest orientations of the package geometry.

After each drop, the operator inspects the package and its contents for structural damage, cushion displacement, closure failure, or product malfunction. The test results indicate whether the packaging design provides adequate protection or requires modification. Repeated drop sequences on the same specimen reveal cumulative fatigue effects that a single drop cannot capture, giving engineers a complete picture of real-world performance.

Package Drop Tester Technical Specifications

Parameter	QualiPDT™ 60A	QualiPDT™ 60B	QualiPDT™ 60CC
Maximum Load on Test Platform	60 kg	60 kg	60 kg
Maximum Test Height	130 cm	180 cm	200 cm
Minimum Test Height	30 cm	30 cm	30 cm
Sample Loading Area (X × Y)	27 × 47 cm	27 × 47 cm	27 × 47 cm
Maximum Sample Size	80 × 80 × Unlimited cm	80 × 80 × Unlimited cm	80 × 80 × Unlimited cm
Positioning Accuracy	±2 mm	±2 mm	±2 mm
Movement Speed	Max. 2,000 mm/min	Max. 2,000 mm/min	Max. 2,000 mm/min
Test Mode	Manual / Automatic (3 preset heights)	Manual / Automatic (3 preset heights)	Manual / Automatic (3 preset heights)
Control Method	Independent Control Console (optional wired control box)	Independent Control Console (optional wired control box)	Independent Control Console (optional wired control box)
Buffer Device	Hydraulic	Hydraulic	Hydraulic
Air Pressure	0.5 MPa	0.5 MPa	0.5 MPa
Power Supply	Single Phase 220 V, 3 A	Single Phase 220 V, 3 A	Single Phase 220 V, 3 A
Display	2.8-inch Touchscreen	2.8-inch Touchscreen	2.8-inch Touchscreen
Languages	Chinese, English, Japanese	Chinese, English, Japanese	Chinese, English, Japanese
Machine Height (H1)	205 cm	266 cm	288 cm
Machine Weight (excl. base plate)	225 kg	250 kg	275 kg
Control Console Dimensions (W × D × H)	25 × 25 × 120 cm	25 × 25 × 120 cm	25 × 25 × 120 cm
Control Console Weight	15.8 kg	15.8 kg	15.8 kg

Package Drop Tester dimension

During drop testing, in addition to the main equipment, it's essential to release the samples onto a flat and rigid surface (base plates). Our instrument offers a selection of commonly used base plates that can be adjusted to fit your sample dimensions. If your samples have unique sizes, we can design custom base plates to meet your specific requirements.

Base Plate Dimensions (Optional)
85x150 cm	120x150 cm	120x180 cm	150x180 cm	180x180 cm	240x150 cm

What does the term "one corner, three sides, six faces" signify?

According to standards, this involves conducting a drop test on 10 specific parameters. These parameters include the weakest corner, the three adjacent sides to that corner, and six designated faces. If the packaging or the product inside it sustains damage, deformation, functional irregularities, or any other issues during the test, it is classified as a test failure.

Package Drop Tester

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Impact Drop Tester for Electronic Devices

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