ASTM D1922 Elmendorf Tear Test for plastic films and thin sheeting tear resistance

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ASTM D1922 Standard | Pendulum Propagation Tear Resistance Test Machine for Plastic Film & Thin Sheeting | UnitedTest

UnitedTest is a professional manufacturer that develops fully ASTM D1922-compliant Elmendorf pendulum tear testing machines tailored for flexible plastic packaging labs, polymer production QC departments and third-party material compliance inspection facilities worldwide.

ASTM D1922 Standard Test Method for Propagation Tear Resistance of Plastic Film and Thin Sheeting by Pendulum Method is the authoritative American lab standard for evaluating post-initiation tear performance of thin flexible plastics. This specification outlines standardized pendulum test procedures to calculate the average force required to propagate and extend a pre-made slit across plastic film or non-rigid thin sheet specimens after a tear has been manually started.

The test strictly relies on an Elmendorf-type pendulum tearing tester to capture consistent tear propagation force data. Its testing scope covers plastic films defined as thin sheeting ≤ 0.25 mm (0.010 in.) and other flexible non-rigid thin plastic sheets. Notably, ASTM D1922 delivers equivalent test results aligned with ISO 6383-2, enabling cross-standard global material comparison for export-oriented plastic manufacturers.

Our UnitedTest digital Elmendorf tear tester integrates calibrated interchangeable pendulum weights, precision specimen clamping fixtures and built-in ASTM D1922 automatic calculation software. It fully meets all pendulum calibration, specimen slitting, loading and data reporting rules specified in the standard, generating repeatable tear resistance values to support raw material screening, finished packaging quality control and international certification verification.

Core Test Principle

The test relies on gravity potential energy loss of a calibrated pendulum to measure tear propagation force:

A specimen with a standardized 20 mm pre-cut slit is clamped between a fixed stationary jaw and a movable jaw mounted on a pendulum sector.

The pendulum is locked at a raised starting position, then released to swing freely along an arc.

As the pendulum swings, it pulls one side of the specimen and propagates the tear across the remaining 43 mm intact film length.

Energy consumed to tear the specimen reduces the pendulum’s swing amplitude. A pointer or digital sensor records the residual swing scale reading, which is converted to average tear propagation force (mN/gf).

Tearing speed ranges from 7.6 m/min to 46 m/min (300–1800 in/min), simulating rapid tensile impact forces encountered in real packaging handling and transport.

ASTM D1922 Elmendorf Tear Test for plastic films and thin sheeting tear resistance

Test Specimen Specifications

1, Two Specimen Types (Constant-Radius = Referee Preferred)

Constant-Radius Specimen (Mandatory Arbitration Sample)

Designed to offset oblique diagonal tearing in anisotropic, stretchable elastomeric films; strict dimensional tolerance ±0.050 mm. A 20 mm central slit leaves exactly 43 mm standard tear length.

Rectangular Alternative Specimen

Minimum size: 76 mm width × 63 mm length; the 63 mm dimension is the tear propagation direction, with clear marking for machine/transverse orientation.

ASTM D1922 Elmendorf Tear Test for plastic films and thin sheeting tear resistance

2, Sampling Rules

Cut separate specimen sets parallel to the Machine Direction (MD) and Transverse Direction (TD) of the film roll to test material anisotropy.

Minimum 10 valid specimens per direction for statistical calculation of average tear strength.

Specimen dimensional deviation limit: ≤0.5% from nominal drawing sizes.

3, Pre-Slit Requirement

A 20 mm deep vertical slit is cut at the midpoint of the specimen’s top edge, leaving a fixed 43 mm tear path. The slit can be pre-cut during specimen blanking or made in-clamp via the tester’s spring-loaded sharp knife.

Required Test Equipment of ASTM D1922 Elmendorf Tear Test for plastic films and thin sheeting tear resistance

Elmendorf Pendulum Tear Tester

Stationary Clamp: Fixed jaw for holding one side of the specimen.

Movable Pendulum Clamp: Mounted on a frictionless ball-bearing pendulum sector; grips the other specimen edge.

Stop Catch Latch: Holds the pendulum at the initial raised position and enables instant controlled release.

Indicating System: Either analog 0–100% circumferential scale with pointer, or electronic digital readout that directly outputs mN/gf values. The jaw gap between clamps at rest must be exactly 2.54 mm (0.10 in.), with precise geometric alignment for specimen plane and pendulum swing axis.

Multi-Capacity Pendulum Options: Standard capacities: 1960, 3920, 7840, 15600, 31360, 62720 mN (200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400 gf).

Capacity can be adjusted via interchangeable pendulum sectors or auxiliary weights.

Auxiliary Tools

Cutting tools: Metal template, steel die, or shear cutter for standardized specimens; single-edged razor blades for slitting pre-cuts.

Thickness measuring device: Micrometer complying with ASTM D5947 / D6988; precision ≥0.0025 mm for films ≤0.25 mm, ≥0.025 mm for thicker thin sheets.

Calibration accessories: Manufacturer-supplied Elmendorf check weights (20%, 50%, 80% pendulum capacity) or calibration weights per ASTM D689.

Mandatory Test Parameters & Stipulations

1, Valid Test Range Rules

Tester optimal accuracy window: Scale reading 20–60 units. Thin films with readings below 10 can stack multiple identical plies to raise values; avoid multi-plies if opposite oblique tearing occurs between layers.

If single-specimen reading exceeds 60 scale units, use auxiliary weights or higher-capacity pendulum instead of stacking.

2, Oblique Tear Definition & Recording

A tear is classified as oblique (marked O) if:

Rectangular specimens: Tear line deviates >9.5 mm vertically from the intended straight tear axis;

Constant-radius specimens: Tear angle offsets over 60° vertical.

All oblique tear results are retained in average calculation, and the percentage of oblique specimens must be reported in the final test report.

Step-by-Step Standard Test Procedures

Specimen Conditioning: Place all cut specimens in controlled environmental chamber for ≥40 hours per ASTM D618.

Tester Pre-Adjustment: Level the instrument, calibrate pendulum friction, pointer zero, and verify scale accuracy with check weights.

Specimen Thickness Measurement: Record average thickness for each test piece.

Clamp Specimen: Lift pendulum to locked start position, mount specimen centered in two clamps, align pre-cut slit at the bottom between jaws perpendicular to the jaw top edge.

Make Standard Slit: If no pre-cut slit exists during blanking, activate the built-in spring knife to cut a clean 20 mm vertical slit on the clamped specimen.

Release Pendulum: Depress the stop latch to release the pendulum swing and propagate the tear across the 43 mm length. Catch the pendulum on its return swing without touching the pointer.

Record Reading: Log pointer/digital value rounded to nearest 0.5 scale unit; mark oblique tear if observed.

Repeat Testing: Complete minimum 10 replicates for MD and TD directions separately.

Statistical Calculation: Compute average tear force, standard deviation, max/min values, oblique tear percentage for each direction.

Industrial Application Fields

ASTM D1922 is the primary tear performance test for flexible plastic thin films and nonrigid sheets across these industries:

Flexible Packaging

Food packaging (LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PET film), medical sterile packaging, shrink wrap, stretch film, shopping bags, and composite laminated films. It predicts film resistance to accidental tearing during filling, sealing, transport, and consumer handling.

Plastic Manufacturing & R&D Material Ranking

Compare relative tear toughness of polymer resins, masterbatch modified films, and oriented/unoriented plastic sheets for material selection and formulation optimization.

Quality Control & Material Acceptance Inspection

Factory incoming raw film inspection, finished product batch release testing, and compliance verification against material specification standards.

Special Thin Film Industries

Electronic insulating thin plastic membranes, agricultural mulch films, geomembrane thin liners, disposable plastic nonrigid cover sheets.

Related Standard:

ISO 6383-2	Plastics; Film and sheeting; Determination of tear resistance; Part 2 : Elmendorf method
ASTM D1922	Standard Test Method for Propagation Tear Resistance of Plastic Film and Thin Sheeting by Pendulum Method
JIS K 7128-2	Plastics -- Film and sheeting -- Determination of tear resistance -- Part 2: Elmendorf tear method
GB/T 16578.2	Plastics - Film and sheeting - Determination of tear resistance - Part 2: Elmendorf method
BS 2782-3:METHOD 360A	Methods of testing plastics. Mechanical properties. Determination of tear resistance of plastics film and sheeting by the Elmendorf method
ISO 6383-1	Trouser tear: Slow constant-rate tensile test on trouser-shaped specimens, suitable for thicker flexible/rigid sheets, measures steady-state tear force under slow pulling.
ASTM D1004	Graves Tear Test: Alternative plastic film tear test with slow tensile strain rate (50 mm/min), static tension rather than pendulum impact; supplementary data source for low-speed tear behavior, different specimen geometry and loading speed from D1922.
ASTM D689	Elmendorf internal tear test for paper; original technical basis adapted to create ASTM D1922 for plastic films, used for tester scale calibration verification.
TAPPI T 414M-49	Paper Internal Tear Resistance: Original technical source adapted to develop the plastic-focused D1922 standard.

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Elmendorf Tearing Tester is designed for the tearing test of films, sheets, flexible PVC, PVDC, waterproof films, woven materials, polypropylene, polyester, paper, cardboard, textiles and nonwovens.

Q1: What is ASTM D1922 used to measure?

A1: It measures the average force to propagate an existing tear across a fixed 43 mm length of flexible plastic film and thin nonrigid sheeting via a gravity-driven Elmendorf pendulum tester. It focuses on tear propagation resistance (not tear initiation) at high impact-like tearing speeds (7.6–46 m/min)

Q2: What material scope does ASTM D1922 cover? What is defined as “film”?

A2: Applicable to plastic thin flexible sheets. Per Note 1, a plastic film is defined as material with nominal thickness ≤0.25 mm (0.010 in.). Thinner flexible nonrigid sheets thicker than 0.25 mm are also covered. Rigid plastics, thick boards, and non-plastic substrates (paper, textile) are excluded from this standard.

Q3: What is the equivalent international standard of ASTM D1922?

A3: ISO 6383-2 Plastics—Film and Sheeting—Determination of Tear Resistance—Part 2: Elmendorf Method. The two standards are technically fully harmonized for global cross-border material compliance and trade documentation.

Q4: Why is ASTM D1922 test important for plastic film manufacturers?

A4: It simulates rapid, sudden tearing forces during packaging handling, transport, and consumer use (static tensile tests cannot replicate this high-speed impact load).

It quantifies material anisotropy (machine direction / transverse direction tear difference) caused by film extrusion and stretching, which directly predicts uneven splitting failures in finished bags, wraps, and laminates.

Provides standardized, repeatable data for raw material ranking, production QC batch screening, and customer specification acceptance.

Evaluates how easily small punctures/snags expand into full splits, a critical durability metric for food, medical, and agricultural packaging.

Q5: How is the tear force calculated from pendulum swing?

A5: The pendulum loses gravitational potential energy to tear the specimen. The residual swing arc recorded by pointer/digital scale correlates to energy consumed for tearing. The scale reading is converted to average tear force in primary SI unit millinewtons (mN); gram-force (gf) is only a supplementary reference unit.

Q6: What is the core difference between ASTM D1922 and ASTM D1004 (Graves Tear)?

A6: ASTM D1922: Pendulum impact, high tearing speed (7.6–46 m/min), measures tear propagation force after a pre-cut slit.

ASTM D1004: Slow static tensile test (50 mm/min strain rate), measures tear initiation force without pre-slit.

Their specimen geometry and loading mechanics differ; results cannot be directly cross-compared, only used as complementary reference data.

Q7: What pendulum capacities are available, and how to select the right pendulum?

A7: Standard capacities: 1960, 3920, 7840, 15600, 31360, 62720 mN (200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400 gf).

Optimal accurate scale range = 20–60 scale units.

Reading below 20: Use multi-ply stacking (avoid if opposite oblique tearing occurs between layers) or lower-capacity pendulum.

Reading above 60: Use auxiliary weights or higher-capacity pendulum; do not stack multiple thick specimens.

Q8: Why must we test specimens in both Machine Direction (MD) and Transverse Direction (TD)?

A8: Plastic films develop strong molecular orientation during extrusion and stretching, creating severe tear anisotropy. MD and TD tear strength values often differ drastically. Testing both directions reveals uneven tear weakness that leads to directional splitting in real packaging products (e.g., shopping bags splitting along TD).

Q9: How many specimens do I need to test per direction for valid results?

A9: A minimum of 10 valid specimens for each principal direction (MD and TD). This ensures statistically reliable average tear strength and standard deviation calculations for QC and compliance reports.

Q10: What is the fixed tear length, and why a 20 mm pre-cut slit?

A10: Pre-cut slit depth = 20 mm, leaving exactly 43 mm intact length for standardized tear propagation. The slit simulates a pre-existing snag or puncture found in real-use films, eliminating variable tear initiation energy and isolating pure propagation resistance as the measured variable.

Q11: What are the main limitations of ASTM D1922 test?

A11: Poor reproducibility for highly extensible stretch films (LLDPE, elastomeric films) due to heavy elongation and oblique tearing; not ideal for precise online QC of ultra-stretchable materials.

Cannot fully correlate tear propagation force to puncture, impact, or tensile toughness; complementary tests (ASTM D1709) are required for full material performance evaluation.

Results cannot be normalized across different film thicknesses for direct comparison.

High material anisotropy can shift actual tear axis up to 30° from nominal MD/TD, leading to biased data without polarized light pre-inspection.

Q12: Why do my test results show high standard deviation / poor repeatability?

A12: Common root causes:

Oblique tearing in stretchable or highly oriented films.

Inconsistent specimen cutting, uneven slit depth, or dimension deviation over 0.5%.

Insufficient pre-conditioning time or unstable lab temperature/humidity.

Uncalibrated pendulum (excessive bearing friction, pointer zero drift).

Testing single specimens with scale readings below 10 units (signal noise).

Film roll thickness variation exceeding ±10% across sampling areas.

Q13: Can I stack multiple thin film plies to raise low scale readings? Any risks?

A13: Yes, allowed for thin films with readings below 10 scale units. However, if stacked layers tear obliquely in opposite directions, results will be falsely high and unreliable. In such cases, test single thin specimens even with low scale readings instead of multi-ply stacking.

Q14: Is ASTM D1922 only used for packaging film industry?

A14: No. Primary field = flexible packaging (food, medical, agricultural mulch, stretch wrap). Secondary applications: electronic insulating thin plastic membranes, disposable plastic nonrigid sheets, geomembrane thin liners, R&D polymer formulation screening, and third-party interlaboratory material compliance testing.

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