ISO 2248-1985 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 2248:1985 — Packaging — Complete, filled transport packages — Vertical impact test by dropping. The standard specifies a free-fall vertical impact (drop) test for complete, filled transport packages to assess their behaviour when subjected to a vertical impact on a rigid plane surface.

Abstract

Principle: raise the filled transport package above a rigid plane impact surface and release it so it strikes the surface after free fall. The standard defines atmospheric conditions, drop heights and the predetermined attitude (orientation) of the package; an annex gives the specified attitudes for testing.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard, confirmed on review).
• Publication date: December 1985 (Edition 2, 1985-12).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 55.180.40 (Packaging).
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (1985).
• Number of pages: 3 pages.

These bibliographic and lifecycle details are taken from the ISO catalogue entry for ISO 2248:1985. The ISO entry also shows the earlier ISO 2248-1:1972 was withdrawn and that ISO 2248:1985 was last confirmed in a systematic review process.

Scope

ISO 2248:1985 applies to complete, filled transport packages and gives a test method to determine their behaviour under a vertical impact produced by free fall onto a rigid, flat impact surface. The scope includes specification of drop heights (and tolerances), required atmospheric test conditions, orientation/attitude for face, edge and corner drops, and inspection criteria after impact. The standard is intended to simulate typical vertical-impact hazards encountered during handling and transport.

Key topics and requirements

• Free-fall vertical drop of complete, filled transport packages onto a rigid, horizontal impact surface.
• Predetermined drop heights and tolerances; velocity at impact must match free-fall conditions within specified limits.
• Specified package attitudes (face, edge, corner) and tolerances for positioning at release; an annex defines the standard attitudes.
• Requirements for the impact surface (rigidity, mass relative to package, flatness) and for the drop/lifting and release apparatus.
• Post-impact inspection of the package and contents to assess protection performance and determine damage or failure modes.
• Test equipment and commercial drop testers are commonly available to perform ISO 2248 tests in accredited laboratories or manufacturing quality control.

Primary technical requirements and principles are from the ISO 2248 text; typical equipment and laboratory practice are described by test-equipment suppliers and independent test labs that perform ISO 2248 tests.

Typical use and users

Used by packaging engineers, design and testing laboratories, quality and compliance teams, manufacturers and shippers to: validate protective packaging, compare packaging designs, establish handling limits, and support transport qualification. Third‑party test laboratories and in-house packaging labs perform ISO 2248 drop tests as part of package qualification and failure‑mode analysis.

Related standards

ISO 2248 is part of a suite of packaging test methods and is associated with other international and regional methods for package drop and impact testing (for example national adoptions / translations such as DIN EN 22248 which implements ISO 2248:1985). Related standards include other ISO packaging tests (vibration, shock, compression) and alternative/drop-test standards (for example ASTM D5276 and various national adaptations).

Keywords

packaging; transport package; drop test; vertical impact; free-fall; impact surface; package attitude; package qualification; ISO 2248.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 2248:1985 is an international test method that specifies a vertical impact (free-fall drop) test for complete, filled transport packages to evaluate their behaviour and protective performance when dropped onto a rigid surface.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the test principle, required atmospheric conditions, predetermined drop heights and tolerances, package attitudes for face/edge/corner drops, impact-surface requirements, and post-impact inspection procedures. An annex specifies the standard package attitudes.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Packaging designers, manufacturers, logistics and quality teams, and testing laboratories use ISO 2248 to verify packaging protection, to reproduce transport impacts during qualification, and to inform packaging design improvements. Accredited test houses and suppliers of drop-test equipment commonly perform these tests.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 2248:1985 (Edition 2) is listed as published and was confirmed in the ISO review process; the ISO catalogue entry shows the 1985 edition is the current published version and that the earlier ISO 2248-1:1972 was withdrawn and replaced by the 1985 edition. Users should check the ISO catalogue or national standards body for any more recent revisions or national adoptions before relying on the standard for compliance.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: ISO 2248 replaces an earlier part (ISO 2248-1:1972 was withdrawn). The number is used within the broader family of packaging test standards (ISO technical committee work on packaging tests), and other related ISO methods cover vibration, shock and compression tests for transport packages. National or regional standards may adopt ISO 2248 text under other designations (for example EN/DIN adoptions).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Key keywords are: packaging, transport package, vertical impact, drop test, free fall, impact surface, package attitude, inspection.