ASTM D3420 Test Method for Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastic Film

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ASTM D3420 Plastic Film Pendulum Impact Tester | UnitedTest

UnitedTest manufactures high-precision ASTM D3420 compliant pendulum impact testers, engineered for evaluating impact puncture resistance of plastic film in packaging laboratories and production quality control.

ASTM D3420 Standard Test Method for Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastic Film establishes a standardized testing procedure to determine plastic film’s resistance to impact-puncture penetration with a pendulum impact tester. The method calculates mechanical work loss generated by the swinging pendulum’s kinetic energy. A pendulum fitted with a hemispherical probe pierces the central area of a firmly clamped plastic film specimen to complete the puncture impact test.

The standard is primarily applicable for plastic films with thickness equal to or less than 0.25 mm (10 mils). Although specimens up to 0.40 mm (15 mils) can be tested, 0.40 mm marks the upper design limit of the equipment clamping fixture. Test data helps manufacturers assess film toughness, flexible packaging durability and puncture resistance for plastic packaging material formulation screening and batch inspection.

Core Test Principle

A flat film specimen is tightly clamped between two perforated plates, leaving a circular exposed central test area. A weighted pendulum is raised and locked at a fixed starting position to store known kinetic energy. Upon release, the pendulum swings forward, and its hemispherical probe strikes the geometric center of the film specimen, stretching, puncturing, and fully rupturing the film.

The pendulum loses kinetic energy to break the film; the residual swing distance of the pendulum after penetration is recorded on the scale. The lost kinetic energy equals the total impact puncture resistance of the film (failure completion energy, including both crack initiation and full rupture energy).

Since the torn film fragment has negligible mass, no “toss factor” energy correction is required for calculation. The final result is converted from cm·kgf scale readings to Joules.

ASTM D3420 Test Method for Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastic Film

Two Specific Test Procedures

Feature	Procedure A	Procedure B ("Spencer")
Specimen clamp aperture	60 ± 0.3 mm dia.	89 ± 0.5 mm dia.
Impact head diameter	25.4 mm (1.0 in.)	19.0 mm (0.75 in.)
Impact head radius	12.7 mm (0.5 in.)	12.7 mm (0.5 in.)
Typical energy scales	0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 J (5/10/25/50 cm·kgf) via auxiliary weights	Modified Elmendorf type, 1600 gf (3200 gf with aux. weight); pendulums of 200/400/800 gf also available
Equivalent capacities	—	0.169 / 0.338 / 0.675 / 1.35 J

Test Specimen Specifications

Specimen Size & Shape: Square or circular specimens, minimum dimension matching the fixture aperture (typically 100 mm × 100 mm squares or 100 mm diameter circles)

Thickness Range: Applicable to thin plastic films and sheets, generally ≤1.0 mm thick; routine test materials include 0.025 mm–0.076 mm PE, PP, LLDPE films as listed in the standard precision table

Quality: Multiple replicate specimens (minimum 5 replicates per material group) for statistical averaging.

Test Equipment of ASTM D3420 Test Method for Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastic Film

Pendulum Impact Tester

- Swing pendulum fitted with smooth, rounded hemispherical impact probe matching Procedure A/B dimensions

- Max impact velocity: ~74 m/min; maximum deliverable energy: 5 J (50 cm·kgf)

- Interchangeable auxiliary counterweights (200 g / 400 g / 800 g / 1600 g / 3200 g) to adjust energy ranges from 0.169 J up to 2.70 J

- Analog/digital scale to read residual pendulum travel (cm·kgf unit) for energy calculation

Specimen Clamping Fixture

- Two rigid circular clamping plates with designated central apertures (60 mm / 89 mm)

- O-ring sealing structure (pneumatic clamping is arbitration-grade) to eliminate specimen slippage during impact.

Specimen Cutting Tool

To cut uniform, defect-free square/circular film samples

Mandatory Test Parameters & Stipulations:

Pendulum impact speed: ~74 m/min

Maximum available impact energy: 5 J

Thickness measurement precision: ±0.00025 mm

Energy conversion formula for Procedure A:

ASTM D3420 Test Method for Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastic Film

Where E = rupture energy in Joules (J)

Alternative formula: E=(R/100)×C (R = scale reading, C = calibration constant)

Precision repeatability reference:

Within-laboratory coefficient of variation (Vr%): 2.7%–12.2% for common PE/PP films

Between-laboratory variation: 5.4%–19.0%, highest variability for polypropylene films.

Standard Test Procedure of ASTM D3420 Test Method for Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastic Film

1. Specimen Preparation & Conditioning

Cut uniform defect-free specimens, then condition them in the temperature/humidity chamber for ≥40 hours per ASTM D618. Measure and record the thickness of each specimen with the precision micrometer.

2. Tester Setup

Install the matching aperture fixture and pendulum probe for Procedure A or B; attach required auxiliary weights to the pendulum to match the expected energy range of the film sample. Zero the pendulum scale reading.

3. Specimen Mounting

Securely clamp one conditioned specimen between the two fixture plates, ensuring no wrinkles, slack, or edge slippage across the central circular test window.

4. Pendulum Loading & Impact

Lift and lock the pendulum to its fixed cocked starting position; confirm no obstructions in the swing path. Release the pendulum to strike the exact center of the film specimen.

5. Data Recording & Inspection

Record the residual scale reading after pendulum impact. Remove the ruptured film and inspect for clamping slippage—discard data and retest if slippage exists.

6. Replication & Calculation

Repeat the full test sequence for at least five replicate specimens. Convert each cm·kgf scale reading to Joules using the standard formula, then compute the average impact energy for the material.

7. Documentation

Record film material type, thickness, procedure number, conditioning parameters, individual energy results, average impact strength, and any specimen failure anomalies.

Industrial Application Fields

ASTM D3420 is primarily applied in flexible polymer film manufacturing and packaging industries, with core use cases below:

1. Flexible food, consumer, and industrial packaging (monolayer, co-extruded, laminated barrier films)

2. Protective wrapping, agricultural mulch films, medical disposable packaging films

3. Routine production quality control for film extrusion/coating lines

4. New material formulation development and raw resin comparison (PP, LDPE, HDPE, LLDPE, PET, PA films)

5. Packaging failure analysis to evaluate anti-impact durability during transportation, stacking, and handling

6. Regulatory and trade compliance testing aligned with WTO TBT standardization guidelines

This test simulates real-world sudden puncture loads (sharp contact, dropping, cargo collision) that static tensile testing cannot accurately replicate.

Related Test Standard:

ASTM D3420	Standard Test Method for Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastic Film
GB/T 8809	Pendulum impact resistance of plastic film
NF T54-116	Plastic. Sheets. Determination of resistance to perforation. Perforametre method.
ASTM D1709	Free‑Falling Dart impact resistance — measures failure initiation energy
ASTM D1922	Pendulum tear resistance (used for zero/scale verification)
ASTM D4272	Total energy impact of plastic film by dart drop — initiation + completion energy

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Q1: What is ASTM D3420 test mainly used to measure?

A: ASTM D3420 measures the total pendulum puncture impact resistance of plastic films and thin sheets. It calculates the kinetic energy (in Joules) required for a rounded pendulum probe to fully rupture the center of a clamped film specimen, evaluating dynamic puncture toughness under high strain rate impact.

Q2: Why is ASTM D3420 test critical for plastic film manufacturers and packaging labs?

A: 1. Slow tensile tests only reflect static mechanical performance, while ASTM D3420 simulates real sudden shocks, sharp punctures, drops and collisions during product transport and storage, matching actual service conditions of packaging films.

2. It provides standardized, comparable numerical impact energy data to compare different resins (PP, LLDPE, HDPE, LDPE), film thicknesses, multi-layer laminates and additive formulations.

3. It acts as core QC inspection to screen unstable batches with weak puncture resistance, avoiding packaging rupture, product leakage and customer complaints.

4. Test reports comply with WTO TBT trade standards, supporting import & export packaging compliance verification for global markets.

5. It helps R&D teams optimize film structure, thickness or impact modifiers to balance cost and anti-puncture performance.

Q3: What is the difference between ASTM D3420 Procedure A and Procedure B (Spencer method)?

A: 1. Clamping aperture: Procedure A = 60 mm diameter; Procedure B (Spencer) = 89 mm diameter.

2. Impact probe size: A uses Φ25.4 mm hemispherical probe; B uses Φ19 mm probe.

3. Application scenario: Procedure A for common thin packaging films; Procedure B for thicker, stiffer films.

4. Data correlation: Results from A and B cannot be converted or interchanged; test reports must clearly mark which procedure is adopted.

Q4: What’s the maximum impact energy specified in ASTM D3420?

A: The standard defines a maximum pendulum energy of 5 J (50 cm·kgf). Interchangeable counterweights (200 g, 400 g, 800 g, 1600 g, 3200 g) cover an adjustable test energy range from 0.169 J to 2.70 J.

Q5: What defects make a film specimen invalid for ASTM D3420 test?

A: Specimens with wrinkles, pinholes, surface scratches, uneven thickness, edge cracks or contamination must be discarded. Any flaw will cause premature rupture and generate inaccurate low impact energy values.

Q6: Why does ASTM D3420 skip the “toss factor” energy correction during calculation?

A: The torn film fragment separated after puncture has extremely tiny mass, so the kinetic energy transferred to the fragment is negligible and does not affect final energy results. No toss factor correction is required for data calculation.

Q7: What common film materials can be tested with ASTM D3420 method?

A: LDPE, HDPE, LLDPE, PP monolayer films, co-extruded films, laminated composite films, shrink wrap, barrier packaging films and thin plastic coating sheets.

Q8: How many specimens are required?

A: A minimum of 5 valid specimens per sample. Specimens must be:

100 mm diameter circular OR 100 × 100 mm square (or larger if the clamp requires);

Of uniform thickness, flat, free of defects, and representative of the material;

Measured for thickness to ±0.00025 mm (0.01 mil) per ASTM D6988.

Q9: What if specimen slippage happens after pendulum impact?

A: ASTM D3420 clearly states slipping invalidates the test data. You must discard the ruptured sample and perform a retest with a brand-new intact specimen. UnitedTest’s pneumatic clamping fixture effectively eliminates slippage risks.

Q10: What’s the difference between ASTM D3420 pendulum test and ASTM D1709 dart drop impact test?

A: 1. Test medium: D3420 uses swinging pendulum probe; D1709 uses free-falling weighted dart.

2. Test output: D3420 records total full rupture energy; D1709 only measures the minimum weight to trigger initial crack initiation.

3. Application: D3420 focuses on complete puncture failure toughness; D1709 is widely used for anti-drop crack screening of thin packaging films.

Q11: How is ASTM D3420 different from ASTM D1922 pendulum tear test?

A: ASTM D1922 pendulum equipment tests tear propagation resistance on pre-notched films, while ASTM D3420 evaluates central puncture impact without pre-cut notches. The two standards test totally different mechanical properties.

Q12: Does UnitedTest’s pendulum impact tester fully comply with ASTM D3420 latest version?

A: Yes. Our machine is equipped with dual A/B interchangeable fixtures, standard matched probes, full set of counterweights, built-in ASTM official energy calculation formula and pneumatic anti-slip clamping system, fully meeting all hardware and calculation rules of D3420-21.

Q13: Can the UnitedTest machine automatically convert scale readings to Joules as per ASTM formula?

A: Absolutely. The touch screen control system pre-installs the standard conversion formula E = scale reading (cm·kgf) / 10.2. After each impact, the system directly outputs results in Joules (SI standard unit) without manual computation.

Q14: What safety protection design does UnitedTest adopt to meet ASTM D3420 hazard regulations?

A: ASTM D3420 requires operators to keep hands away from the pendulum swing path when the pendulum is cocked. Our tester is fitted with a full safety barrier cover, automatic pendulum locking reminder and safety warning prompts to prevent accidental impact injuries.

Q15: What data output functions does the UnitedTest D3420 tester support for lab reports?

A: It supports on-site thermal printing of complete ASTM-standard test reports, USB data export to Excel, RS232 PC connection, and storage of over 10,000 groups of test records including single impact energy, average strength, specimen thickness and test procedure information.

Q16: Is calibration service available for UnitedTest’s pendulum impact tester?

A: Yes. Every machine undergoes third-party calibration before factory delivery to match the inter-laboratory precision data listed in ASTM D3420 Table 1. We also provide regular annual calibration service and calibration certificates for global labs.

Q17: What is the biggest source of test error, and how is it controlled?

A: Specimen slippage in the clamp is the most recognized cause of testing error. ASTM D3420 mandates:

Use of an air-operated O-ring clamp (the referee-type per §6.1.2) to minimize slippage;

Marking each specimen with a wax pencil near the clamp before testing; if the mark shifts after impact, the test is invalid and must be repeated with a fresh specimen.

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