ASTM D5628 Falling Tup Impact Resistance Test of Rigid Plastics

Information on the most widely used ASTM standards within the materials testing industry

Descriptions of the most prominent lSO standards within the materials testing industry

Standards including EN, DIN, JlS, and more

Mechanical testing of polymer materials in the automotive industry is directly related to the safety of components and the reliability of the entire vehicle. UnitedTest can cover mechanical performance testing for automotive interior and exterior parts, as well as functional components, adapting to automaker standards and providing comprehensive testing solutions including tensile, impact, and fatigue tests.

Mechanical testing in the battery industry determines the tensile and puncture resistance of core components such as separators and electrodes, directly affecting battery safety and cycle life. UnitedTest can cover full-dimensional mechanical testing of battery materials, compatible with national and international standards, and provide customized testing solutions.

Mechanical testing in the consumer goods industry determines product durability and safety, such as impact resistance for toys and fatigue resistance for home appliances, making it core to compliance and quality. UnitedTest can cover mechanical tests for all categories of consumer goods, including tensile, impact, and hardness tests, compatible with national and international standards, and offers customized testing solutions.

In the field of medical and biomedical sciences, mechanical testing determines the safety and compatibility of implanted devices and biomaterials, making it a core part of regulatory approval. UnitedTest can cover a full range of tests including tensile, fatigue, and wear tests, compatible with national and international standards, and provides customized biomechanical testing solutions.

Material strength is a course that most engineering fields are required to study in university education. This interesting course is very practical and makes use of testing equipment in the materials laboratory.

Mechanical testing of industrial products and components is essential to ensure their load-bearing, fatigue resistance, and impact resistance, directly preventing production accidents and ensuring stable operation of equipment. UnitedTest can cover a full range of tests including tensile, hardness, and fatigue, complying with national and international standards, and provides customized industrial mechanical testing solutions.

Mechanical testing in the plastic pipe industry determines ring stiffness, impact resistance, and tensile performance, directly preventing pipe bursts and deformation risks. UnitedTest can cover full-dimensional mechanical testing of pipes, complies with ISO,ASTM,EN et.c, international standards, and provides customized testing solutions.

In the construction engineering and building materials industry, mechanical testing determines the compressive and tensile properties of materials such as concrete and steel, which is core to ensuring the safety and durability of buildings. UnitedTest can cover the full range of building material mechanical tests, complies with ISO, ASTM international standards, and provides customized testing solutions for compressive, tensile, and other properties.

Mechanical testing in the food and beverage industry involves the compressive and tensile performance of packaging and the safety of food texture, directly ensuring storage, transportation safety, and the eating experience. UnitedTest can cover all-dimensional mechanical testing for packaging and food texture, comply with national and international standards, and provide customized testing solutions.

Mechanical testing in the packaging industry determines the packaging's resistance to compression, impact, and tension, directly ensuring the safety of contents during storage and transportation. UnitedTest can cover comprehensive mechanical testing for packaging, complying with ISO, ASTM Standards, and provides customized testing solutions for compression, drop, tear, and more.

Mechanical testing in the transportation industry concerns the load-bearing and fatigue resistance performance of core components such as vehicles, tracks, and containers, directly ensuring transport safety and equipment durability. UnitedTest can cover mechanical testing for all types of transportation materials, complying with national and international standards, and provides customized testing solutions including tensile, fatigue, and impact tests.

Metallurgical testing examines the properties of metallic materials to determine if a particular metal is appropriate for its intended use.

Testing of polymer materials covers mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties, verifying strength, heat resistance, composition, and ensuring product quality and compliance.

UnitedTest offer world-class testing solution in testing for polymeric materials, including elastomers, thermoplastics, composites, coatings, and structural adhesives in a variety of industries.

Testing of rubber and elastomers is used to assess the various properties and performance of materials under different conditions. This is crucial for ensuring the safety, functionality, and quality of rubber and elastomer products used in industries such as automotive, construction, consumer goods, and aerospace.

Conduct adhesive testing using various testing methods to determine their performance and characteristics in applications across multiple industries such as aerospace, automotive, construction, packaging, industrial, medical, and energy, thereby supporting application development and quality assurance.

UnitedTest supply machine and testing solution for tension, compression, fracture toughness, direct shear, triaxial and ultrasonic velocity are common concrete and rock testing applications.

UnitedTest has helped a number of companies involved in the wood, paper, cardboard, and corrugated industry with their testing needs. Our materials testing systems are capable of testing raw materials, components, and finished products.

UnitedTest testing system is trusted by leading medical device manufacturers, universities, and medical research laboratories worldwide. Whether testing tissues or bioresorbable materials, stents, or sutures, UnitedTest offers a variety of single-actuator and dual-actuator systems to meet your biomedical testing needs.

Mechanical testing in the textile fabric industry determines core properties such as fabric tensile strength, tear resistance, and wear resistance, directly affecting product durability and safety. UnitedTest can cover comprehensive mechanical tests for textiles, complying with national standards / ISO standards, and provides customized testing solutions including tensile, tear, and puncture tests.

The mechanical testing of industrial components directly determines the load-bearing, fatigue resistance, and wear resistance of the parts, helping to avoid equipment failure risks. UnitedTest can cover a full range of tests including tensile, hardness, and fatigue, is compatible with ISO/ASTM/GB standards, and provides customized mechanical testing solutions for industrial components.

Mechanical testing in the glass-ceramics industry determines core properties such as flexural strength, hardness, and fracture toughness, directly helping to avoid brittleness and failure risks. UnitedTest can cover comprehensive testing for flexural strength, hardness, and fracture toughness, compatible with national and ISO/ASTM standards, and provides customized testing solutions.

Tensile test evaluates material resistance to stretching, measuring strength/elongation critical for quality control. UnitedTest offers universal tensile testers (10-600KN) compliant with ASTM/ISO standards, providing tailored solutions for metals, polymers, medical & industrial materials.

Compression test assesses material resistance to compressive loads, measuring strength/deformation critical for quality validation. UnitedTest offers compression testing machines compliant with ASTM/ISO standards, providing tailored solutions for concrete, plastics, metals and industrial components.

Flexural & Bend tests evaluate material resistance to bending forces, measuring strength, stiffness and ductility for quality assurance. UnitedTest provides flexural testing machines (3-point/4-point bend) compliant with ASTM/ISO standards, offering tailored solutions for composites, plastics, metals and construction materials.

Torsion Test evaluates material resistance to rotational forces, measuring torsional strength/ductility critical for fasteners, insulators, shafts. UnitedTest offers torsion testers compliant with ASTM A938/ISO 16047, providing tailored solutions for automotive, aerospace, fastener industries.

Fatigue Test assesses material durability under cyclic loading, critical for predicting service life of industrial components. UnitedTest offers fatigue testing systems (axial/bending/torsion) compliant with ASTM E466/ISO 12106, providing tailored solutions for automotive, aerospace and manufacturing sectors.

Peel Test measures material adhesion strength by evaluating resistance to peeling forces, critical for adhesives, films, packaging. UnitedTest offers peel testers compliant with ASTM D903/ISO 8510, covering 90°/180° peel tests, and tailored solutions for packaging, automotive, textile industries.

Impact Test evaluates material resistance to sudden shock loads, critical for assessing toughness and fracture risk. UnitedTest offers impact testers (Charpy/Izod/fall weight) compliant with ASTM E23/ISO 148, providing tailored solutions for metals, plastics, glass and industrial components.

Tear & Shear Test evaluates material resistance to tearing and shearing forces, measuring critical strength parameters for quality control. Tear tests (Elmendorf/trouser/trapezoidal) assess resistance to crack propagation in films/fabrics, while shear tests measure resistance to parallel forces in joints/bolts. UnitedTest provides universal testing machines (10KN-600KN) with specialized fixtures for both tests, compliant with ASTM D624/D3164 and ISO standards, serving automotive, packaging and construction industries.

Hardness test measures material's resistance to permanent indentation, critical for quality control. UnitedTest offers universal hardness testers (Rockwell/Brinell/Vickers) compliant with ASTM/ISO standards, plus tailored hardness testing solutions for diverse industrial needs.

Biaxial/triaxial tests evaluate material performance under multi-axis loads, critical for biomaterials, metals and composites. UnitedTest provides compliant testing machines (ASTM/ISO) for planar biaxial, static/fatigue triaxial tests, with tailored solutions for industrial & biomedical needs.

Friction and wear tests assess material resistance to friction, abrasion and wear, critical for industrial material performance validation. UnitedTest offers tribometers compliant with ASTM G99/ISO standards, covering pin-on-disk, four-ball tests, and tailored friction & wear testing solutions for diverse industries.

Pressure test evaluates material/component resistance to static/dynamic pressure, critical for sealing, strength and safety validation. UnitedTest offers pressure testing machines compliant with ASTM/ISO standards, covering burst, hold-pressure tests, and tailored solutions for industrial, automotive & medical sectors.

Fire test assesses material flammability, heat resistance and fire-retardant performance, critical for safety compliance across industries. UnitedTest offers fire testing equipment compliant with ASTM/ISO/UL standards, providing tailored fire test solutions for building materials, plastics and industrial components.

Non-destructive Test (NDT) evaluates material/component integrity without damage, critical for safety & quality across industries. UnitedTest offers ultrasonic/X-ray/magnetic particle NDT equipment compliant with ASTM/ISO standards, plus tailored NDT solutions for aerospace, automotive & manufacturing sectors.

ASTM D5628 Standard Test Method for Impact Resistance of Flat, Rigid Plastic Specimens by Means of a Falling Dart (Tup or Falling Mass)

ASTMD5628 specifies a falling‑dart/tup method to measure the threshold impact‑failure energy for flat rigid plastics. It uses the Bruceton Staircase (Up‑and‑Down) Method to determine the energy causing 50% of specimens to fail (mean‑failure energy, MFE).

Test Principle

The core principle of the ASTM D5628 test is to determine the threshold value of impact-failure energy required to crack or break a flat, rigid plastic specimen. A free-falling dart (tup) with a hemispherical or conical nose is dropped onto a supported specimen. By testing a series of specimens and adjusting the impact energy (via mass or height), the test statistically identifies the energy level that causes exactly 50% of the specimens to fail.

Specific Test Methods

The standard primarily employs the Bruceton Staircase Method (also known as the Up-and-Down Method) to efficiently converge on the 50% failure threshold

Constant Height - Variable Mass	The drop height is fixed, and the mass of the dart is varied between trials.
Constant Mass - Variable Height	The mass of the dart is fixed, and the drop height is varied.

Test Equipment Required For ASTM D5628:

Falling-Dart Tester	A machine with a guide tube or cage to ensure a straight, friction-minimized vertical fall, equipped with a reliable release mechanism.
Weights (Masses)	Calibrated weights with ±1% accuracy, attached to the tup shaft.
Striker (tup)	Interchangeable heads made of hardened tool steel (≥54 HRC). Five standard geometries are defined (FA, FB, FC, FD, FE) differing in diameter and shape (e.g., spherical, conical).
Specimen Clamp/Fixture	A two-piece annular clamp designed to hold the specimen firmly without inducing slip or excessive stress. The inside diameter of the clamp varies based on the tup geometry (ranging from 38 mm to 127 mm).
Measurement Devices	A micrometer (accurate to ±0.01 mm) for measuring specimen thickness, and calibrated weights accurate to ±1% of the total dart mass.

Test Specimen Information

Shape and Size: Specimens must be flat and rigid. They can be circular or square. The minimum required size depends on the chosen geometry (e.g., 89 mm for Geometry FA, 51 mm for Geometry FB) .

Thickness: The standard accommodates various thicknesses. However, within a single sample set, individual specimen thicknesses must not differ by more than 5% . For correlation with ISO 6603-1 (using Geometry FE), the specimen is typically 60 mm in diameter/square and 2 mm thick.

Quantity: ≥20 specimens for routine testing; ≥30 specimens for ISO 6603-1 equivalence.

Key Test Parameters:

Default drop height: 0.660±0.008m.

Failure definition: Any naked‑eye visible crack/split (penetrating dye may be used for confirmation).

Energy increment: ~0.5–2× the estimated standard deviation (or ~10% of expected mean‑failure mass/height).

Clamping: Recommended for better precision; unclamped is allowed for rigid samples.

Core result: Mean‑failure energy (MFE), reported in joules.

Test Stipulations:

Each specimen is impacted only once.

Permanent deformation alone is not failure.

Thickness variation >5% invalidates data for referee purposes.

Test results are not for direct structural design calculations.

The standard is not a referee method (no full precision/bias data from round‑robin studies).

Report must include geometry, clamping, specimen dimensions, MFE, failure type, and test conditions.

Test Procedures of ASTM D5628 Fall dart impact test:

Conditioning: Condition specimens in a controlled environment (e.g., 23°C and 50% RH) according to ASTM D618 or material-specific specs.

Measurement: Measure the thickness of each specimen accurately in the area where the impact will occur.

Setup: Secure the specimen in the annular clamp. Set the initial drop height (commonly 0.66 m if not specified) and select an initial dart mass expected to cause around 50% failure.

Execution: Release the dart. Catch the rebounding dart immediately to prevent secondary impacts.

Inspection: Remove the specimen and inspect it under normal lighting. Permanent deformation is notconsidered failure; only visible cracks or splits qualify as failure. (Note: For tricky materials like glass-reinforced polyester, a penetrating dye can be used to confirm micro-cracks).

Staircasing:

If the specimen failed, decreasethe dart mass (or height) by one increment for the next specimen.

If the specimen did not fail, increasethe dart mass (or height) by one increment for the next specimen.

Repetition: Continue this up-and-down process for at least 20 to 30 specimens to gather sufficient statistical data.

Test Applications & Industry Fields

The ASTM D5628 test is widely utilized across industries where rigid plastic components are subjected to sudden impact loads. Key industries include:

Automotive: For dashboards, interior trims, and protective casing evaluation.

Packaging: To assess the durability of rigid plastic containers, lids, and industrial pails against drops.

Consumer Goods & Electronics: For appliance housings, safety helmets, and protective casings.

Construction: Evaluating wall panels, piping, and safety glazing.

Aerospace: Testing interior composite panels and components.

Related Standards

ISO 6603‑2	Instrumented puncture impact testing (for force–deflection curves)
ISO 7765‑1 ISO 7765-2	Falling‑dart impact for plastic films and thin sheets.
ASTM D1709	Plastic film falling hammer impact test
ISO 6603-1	Plastics - Determination of the punching properties of rigid plastics - Part 1: Non-instrumented impact test
JIS K 7211	Plastics -- Determination of puncture impact behaviour of rigid plastics -- Part 1: Non-instrumented impact testing
ASTM D3763	Standard Test Method for High Speed Puncture Properties of Plastics Using Load and Displacement Sensors
ASTM D1709	Standard Test Methods for Impact Resistance of Plastic Film by the Free-Falling Dart Method
ASTM D7136	Standard Test Method for Measuring the Damage Resistance of a Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composite to a Drop-Weight Impact Event

Importance of the Test for Materials:

Understanding a material's performance under impact is critical for product safety and durability. ASTM D5628 is important because :

Quality Control & Material Comparison: It provides a standardized, statistically significant metric (the 50% failure threshold energy) to compare different plastic formulations, batches, or suppliers.

Predicting Real-World Behavior: It simulates real-life accidental drops or collisions, helping engineers understand how a plastic part will behave under sudden, localized stress (cracking vs. shattering).

Geometry-Specific Insights: By offering five different tup and support ring geometries (FA through FE), the test allows engineers to simulate varying levels of stress concentration. For instance, Geometry FB is specifically designed to induce punch-shear failure in thick or tough plastics, while Geometry FE aligns with international standards (ISO 6603-1) for global material specifications.

XJB-30E Heavy duty frame falling dart impact testing machine mainly used to test plastic, film, or sheet thickness below 1mm, impact by falling dart, check the energy when 50% of test specimen broken. Conform with standard: ISO 7765-1, ASTM D1709

XJB-30A Falling dart impact tester mainly used to test plastic, film, or sheet thickness below 1mm, impact by falling dart, check the energy when 50% of test specimen broken. Conform with standard: ISO 7765-1, ASTM D1709, GB 9639.

Item	ASTM D5628-24	ISO 6603-1:2000
Full Name	Impact Resistance of Flat Rigid Plastics (Falling Dart/Tup)	Puncture Impact Behaviour of Rigid Plastics (Non-instrumented)
Core Principle	Falling-dart puncture impact (constant height/variable mass or reverse)	Same falling-dart puncture impact principle
Statistical Methods	Only Bruceton Staircase (one method)	Method A (Staircase, preferred) + Method B (Group, optional)
Equivalent Setup	Geometry FE (20 mm tup + 40 mm support)	Default (20 mm tup + 40 mm support)
Tup/Support Choices	5 geometries (FA/FB/FC/FD/FE)	2 combinations (20 mm+40 mm; 10 mm+100 mm)
Specimen Thickness	1–4 mm	1–4 mm
Specimen Count	≥20 (routine); ≥30 (for ISO match)	≥30 (Method A); ≥40 (Method B)
Clamping	Recommended for better precision	Default unclamped; clamp optional
Core Result	Mean-Failure Energy (MFE)	50% Impact-Failure Energy (E₅₀)

We offer customization to meet your specific needs. Our expert team will collaborate with you to develop the perfect product for you