Carton Drop test - Working Instruction

1. Introduction:

The carton drop test is performed to check if the cartons are solid enough to protect the products, to
check if there is a risk the carton might open during the transportation.

To perform this test, you have to throw a required number of cartons (mentioned in your Inspection
Protocol) on the floor, from a specific height. This test has to be done inside the factory on carton randomly
selected from the production lot. Don’t accept any other carton to perform the test with than those that will be
shipped to the client!

2. ISTA Heights of fall:

According to the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA), drop test height varies with the weight of the
packaged products. You can see 2 standards within ISTA, 1A and 2A: the procedures are the same but the
heights change. In most cases, clients use ISTA 1A, procedure. The height of free fall varies with the
weight of the cartons as shown below:

Packaged Products Weight Drop Height Free Fall

Up to 10 kilos 760 mm
From 10 to 19 kilos 610 mm
From 19 to 28 kilos 460 mm
From 28 to 45 kilos 310 mm
From 45 to 68 kilos 200 mm

Some special clients may require the use of ISTA 2A, and then you need refer to the below table for the
Drop Height:

Packaged Products Weight Drop Height Free Fall

Up to 10 kilos 970 mm
From 10 to 19 kilos 810 mm
From 19 to 28 kilos 660 mm
From 28 to 45 kilos 510 mm
From 45 to 68 kilos 310 mm

Whether you use ISTA 1A or ISTA 2A, the test procedures are the same, only the drop height changes.
ISTA 1A or 2A will be chosen by customer or depending on the product. Very fragile items will not be
dropped from big heights.

3. Drop Test Procedure:

Once you have determined the weight of the carton and the height of fall from the tables, you are ready to
start the drop procedure. Usually this procedure is repeated on 3 cartons to have an idea of all the
packaging quality.
 A total of 10 Drops per carton must be conducted following
this procedure:

- Most fragile corner (if not known, any corner)

- Shortest Edge from dropped corner
- Medium Edge from dropped corner
- Longest Edge from dropped corner
- Flat on one of the smallest faces
- Flat on the opposite small face
- Flat on one of the medium faces
- Flat on the opposite medium Face
- Flat on one of the largest faces
- Flat on the opposite large face

Once all the drops are done, re-open the carton to check the products. Start looking for damaged goods
around the area of the first and most fragile corner. If one of the products in the carton is damaged, the test
is Failed.
You will have to take at least 2 pictures of failure details to insert in your report. If the carton opens during
the testing and goods fall out, the test is Failed as well.

Use your common sense when judging and performing this test: procedure for fragile products can
omit corners for example. Think about the global quality of the inner packaging, too. If it’s, for example, a
high-end MP3 player being shipped, damage to the gift box might be considered as problematic even if the
product is intact.

If you don’t find any damaged or spilled products, the test is Passed. You will have to take at least 1 picture
(during carton drop if you can have one clear but if you cannot, take one before drop to show it was
performed).