Drop Weight Impact Test and Drop Weight Testers
A drop weight test is a method used in materials testing to analyze the reaction of a material to a sudden shock or impact. A drop weight test is carried out to evaluate various mechanical properties for the material, including impact strength, fracture toughness and energy absorption.
The drop weight impact test makes it possible to evaluate the reaction of the material to sudden loads and is important in a number of industries where materials have to tested for their resistance to shocks, impacts or other dynamic loads. Standards organizations and industry standards often specify the exact conditions of drop weight tests to ensure compatibility and reproducibility of test results.
Drop weight test procedure
Preparation
- A sample of the material is selected and prepared according to the test standards. Typical materials for a drop weight test are film, thermoplastics, composites, metals and components. In the case of film, plastics and composites, drop weight testers up to 230 Joules are sufficient. Since for metals, the specimens have to correspond to the thickness of pipeline pipes, high-energy drop weight testers with impact energies of up to 100,000 joules are required.
- The drop height, the weight of the impactor and other parameters are determined according to the requirements of the specific test method.
- At low temperatures, impact strength is a critical characteristic value of the material used.
- For drop weight tests on cooled specimens, ZwickRoell offers a temperature conditioning box. Before the test, the specimens are first cooled in this temperature conditioning box. For the drop weight test, the specimens are placed directly from the cooling unit into the drop weight tester and tested within 5 seconds.
Running a test
- The specimen is positioned in the drop weight tester. The impactor with a specified weight is placed at a defined height above the specimen.
- When the test is started, the impactor drops onto the specimen. The collision generates a certain impact energy—caused by the weight and height of the impactor—which is absorbed by the material.
Evaluation of the drop weight impact test
- The effects on the material are measured and analyzed. This can include the breaking point, deformations or other changes to the material. One important characteristic value of the drop weight test is the impact strength.
Documentation of the results
- The results of the drop weight tests are documented in the form of graphs or reports.
Standards for drop weight tests
Multiaxial puncture test on plastic plates
- ISO 6603-2 - Determination of the puncture impact behavior of rigid plastics - Part 2: Instrumented impact test
- ASTM D3763 - Standard Test Method for High Speed Puncture Properties of Plastics Using Load and Displacement Sensors
Multiaxial puncture test on film
- ISO 7765-2 - Plastics film and sheeting - Determination of impact resistance by the free-falling dart method - Part 2: Instrumented puncture test
Compression after impact (CAI) on composites
- ISO 18352 - Carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics—Determination of compression-after-impact properties at a specified impact energy level
- ASTM D7136 - Standard Test Method for Measuring the Damage Resistance of a Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composite to a Drop-Weight Impact Event
- DIN 65561 - Aerospace; fiber reinforced plastics; testing of multidirectional laminates; determination of compressive strength after impact test
- AITM 1.0010 - Fiber Reinforced Plastics: Determination of Compression Strength After Impact
- Boeing BSS 7260 - Compression After Impact (CAI)-Test
Pellini drop weight test on metals
- SEP 1325 - Drop weight test to W.S. Pellini
Drop weight test on metals
- ASTM-E436 - Drop-Weight Tear Tests of Ferritic Steels
- DIN EN 10274 - Metallic materials - Drop weight tear test
- API 5L - Line Pipe
Charpy impact test1 on plastics
- ISO 179-2 - Plastics - Determination of Charpy impact properties - Part 2: Instrumented impact test
Izod impact test1 on plastics
- ISO 180 - Plastics - Determination of Izod impact strength
- ASTM D256 - Standard Test Methods for Determining the Izod Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastics
1Charpy impact tests can be performed with both a drop weight tester or a pendulum impact tester.
Drop weight testers
A drop weight tester is a testing machine that is used to test the resistance of a material to impacts or shocks. In the drop weight impact test, a weight is dropped from a defined height onto the material to be tested using a drop weight tester. This drop generates a certain impact energy that is transferred onto the material.
Drop weight testers are available in different configurations and sizes, depending on the specific requirements of the test and the properties of the materials to be tested. Such tests are important in various industries, including metallurgy, construction, plastics processing and others, where resistance to impact is of great significance.
| Drop weight tester | HIT230F | HIT600F | HIT1100F HIT2000F | Pellini drop weight tester P550 / P1650 | High-energy drop weight tester |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  | |
| HIT230F | HIT600F | HIT1100/2000F | Pellini drop weight tester | High-energy drop weight tester | |
| Max. energy | 230 joules | 600 joules | 2,000 joules | 1,650 joules | 100,000 joules |
| Multiaxial puncture test on plastic plates | ISO 6603-2 ASTM D3763 | ISO 6603-2 ASTM D3763 | ISO 6603-2 ASTM D3763 | ||
| Multiaxial puncture test on film | ISO 7765-2 | ISO 7765-2 | |||
| Composites compression after impact (CAI) | ISO 18352 ASTM D7136 AITM 1.0010 BSS 7260 DIN 65561 | ISO 18352 ASTM D7136 AITM 1.0010 BSS 7260 DIN 65561 | |||
| Pellini test | ASTM E208 SEP 1325 | ||||
| Drop weight test | ASTM E436 API RP 5 DIN EN 10274 | ||||
| Charpy impact test | ISO 179-2 | ISO 179-2 | |||
| Izod impact test | ISO 180 ASTM D256 | ISO 180 ASTM D256 |
