Dart Impact Tester – Ensuring Reliable Packaging Material Performance

A comprehensive testing solution for assessing the impact resistance of wrap films and packaging materials


    FDT-01 Dart Impact Tester

    The Dart Impact Tester (FDT-01) is a high-precision and friendly testing device designed to measure the impact strength of wrap film, plastic films, composite films, and other materials. With its automated results calculation, user-friendly interface, and adherence to international standards like ASTM D1709, ISO 7765-1 etc, it ensures packaging material durability for various applications.

    Overview of FDT-01 Dart Impact Tester

    The Dart Impact Tester is a highly accurate, automated device designed to measure the impact strength of various packaging materials, including stretch wrap films, food wrap films, plastic films, composite films, and paper. The tester simulates real-world conditions by dropping a dart onto a material, assessing its resistance to external forces that can lead to punctures or ruptures during transportation, handling, or storage.

    Impact strength is critical for packaging materials, especially in the food packaging and logistics sectors, where films must endure stress and impact without compromising product integrity. By adhering to international standards such as ASTM D1709, the FDT-01 provides manufacturers and quality control teams with reliable data to optimize material selection and ensure packaging durability.

    Applications of Dart Impact Tester

    The dart impact test for plastic films is widely used across various industries to ensure packaging materials can withstand external forces. The FDT-01 Dart Impact Tester is designed for testing materials such as:

    • Stretch Wrap Films: Used in pallet wrapping and unitizing products for transportation.
    • Food Wrap Films: Applied in packaging fresh and processed food products.
    • Plastic Films and Sheets: Common in consumer goods packaging.
    • Composite Films and Foils: Often used in multilayer food packaging to ensure product freshness.
    • Paper and Paperboard: Used in carton and box packaging.

    The dart impact test is crucial for materials that will face potential physical stress during shipping, handling, and storage. The test determines how well the material resists impact forces, providing insights into the quality and reliability of the packaging.

    Necessity of Dart Impact Testing in Packaging

    The importance of dart impact testing in the packaging industry cannot be overstated. Here are several reasons why it’s essential:

    • Ensures Packaging Durability: Packaging materials, especially stretch wrap films and food wrap films, need to resist punctures, tears, or ruptures during handling and transport. Dart impact testing simulates these stresses, ensuring that materials won’t fail during these critical stages.
    • Improves Product Safety: Packaging that fails to withstand impact can result in product spoilage, contamination, or damage. The dart impact tester helps prevent these risks by assessing material performance before use in real-world applications.
    • Cost Savings: By selecting materials that pass the dart impact test, manufacturers can reduce the likelihood of damage-related product returns, packaging waste, and customer dissatisfaction. This leads to cost savings and improved profitability.
    • Compliance with Standards: Meeting industry standards like ASTM D1709, ISO 7765-1, and JIS K7124-1 ensures that your packaging materials are of the highest quality and meet regulatory requirements for various markets.

    Working Principle of the Dart Impact Tester

    The Dart Impact Tester works by measuring the amount of energy required for a falling dart to puncture or damage a material sample. The process involves:

    1. Dart Release Mechanism: The dart is released from a controlled height, typically 660mm or 1500mm, depending on the method chosen.

    2. Impact on the Sample: The dart falls freely and impacts the sample. The energy of the impact causes the material to deform or rupture.

    3. Impact Energy Calculation: The energy imparted by the falling dart is calculated based on its weight and the height from which it falls. The result is displayed in grams (g) and joules (J), providing an accurate measure of the material’s resistance to impact forces.

    4. Automated Results: The system automatically calculates the impact strength and provides an immediate report, removing the need for manual calculations and minimizing errors.

    This method is recognized as a reliable test for assessing the durability and impact resistance of packaging materials, especially in stretch films and food wrap films.

    Advantages of the Dart Impact Tester

    The built-in software automates the results calculation, saving time and reducing human error.

    The tester offers high incremental precision with an accuracy of 0.5%, ensuring reliable impact resistance data.

    The HMI touch screen makes it easy to navigate through test settings and operations.

    With two test methods, the tester can handle a wide range of materials, from stretch wrap films to food packaging films.

    The device includes both a test button and a foot switch for safe operation.

    The dot matrix micro-printer provides a convenient way to print test results.

    Configurations and Accessories

    The FDT-01 Dart Impact Tester can be customized with several optional accessories to suit your testing needs:

    Standard: Includes the tester, foot switch 2PCS, powder cord, fuse, manual, Method A or Method B kit. 

    Optional Accessories:

    PC software, COM Line, sample plate, sample cutter, calibration weight, print paper, customized incremental weights.

    Support and Training

    At Cell Instruments, we provide comprehensive support and training for FDT-01 Dart Impact Tester. Our services include:

    • Installation Support: Assistance with setup and calibration.
    • Training Materials: In-depth training on how to operate the tester.
    • Technical Support: Ongoing customer service for any operational issues or inquiries.
    • Upgrades and Maintenance: Keep your equipment up to date with the latest program.

    To save cost for customers, we recommended our always free-of-charge online/remote way of above services. 

    FAQs about Dart Impact Tester

    What materials can I test with the Dart Impact Tester?

    The tester is suitable for testing stretch wrap films, food wrap films, plastic films, composite films, etc. with a thickness of less than 1mm.

    What are the differences between Method A and Method B in the free-falling dart method?

    Method A and Method B in dart impact tester have differences in dart size and material, their incremental weight, impact size.

    Which testing technique does FDT-01 Dart Impact Tester use?

    The tester uses the staircase method, which is also the standard technique for dart impact test. By this technique, a uniform missile weight increment is employed during the test, and the missile weight is decreased or increased by the uniform increment after testing each specimen, depending upon the result (fail or not fail) observed for the specimen. 

    Can FDT-01 be used as the alternative technique provided for testing specimens in successive groups of ten?

    Certainly, besides the staircase method, the dart impact tester can also test in groups of ten. One missile weight is employed for each group, and missile weight is varied in uniform increments from group to group. 

    Can the test result obtained by different test methods, impact area and velocity, etc be compared? 

    Test Methods A and B are designed to determine the dart weight at which 50% of the specimens fail under specified conditions. Results from one test method cannot be directly compared with those from the other method or with data from tests using different conditions, such as missile velocity, impinging surface diameter, specimen size, and material thickness. The values obtained are significantly influenced by the method of film fabrication.

    Is free-falling dart test the only method for impact test?

    No, actually there are several impact test methods are used for films,  such as ASTM D1709 (Method A), ASTM  D3420 (Procedures A and B), and ASTM D4272. It is sometimes desirable to understand the relationships among results obtained from different test methods. 

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