ISO 6383‑1 Plastic Film Tear Resistance Test | Trouser Tear Test Machine

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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ISO 6383-1 Plastic Film Trouser Tear Resistance Tester | UnitedTest

ISO 6383-1 specifies the trouser tear method to measure tear resistance of plastic film and sheeting under 1mm thickness with controlled temperature, humidity and test speed. UnitedTest provides ISO 6383-1 compliant plastic tear testing machines for precise material quality control.

ISO 6383-1 is the authoritative international standard for evaluating the tear resistance of thin plastic film and plastic sheeting materials with a thickness below 1 mm. This standard adopts the professional trouser tear method, utilizing custom trouser-shaped test specimens to deliver accurate, consistent tear resistance measurement under strictly standardized pre-treatment, temperature, humidity, and testing speed conditions.

Widely implemented in plastic material laboratories, flexible packaging manufacturing, and polymer quality inspection industries, the ISO 6383-1 trouser tear test effectively evaluates the fracture toughness and tear propagation performance of thin plastic substrates. Test results help manufacturers verify material formulation stability, control production batch consistency, and qualify plastic film products for industrial and commercial applications.

UnitedTest designs and manufactures high-precision ISO 6383-1 compliant trouser tear resistance testing machines. Our professional test equipment fully meets standard environmental and speed requirements, delivering repeatable tear resistance data for thin plastic film and sheeting quality testing, material research, and third-party certification.

Test Principle

A rectangular specimen is cut with a central longitudinal slit that divides half of the sample length into two separate “trouser legs”. The two legs are clamped into a non‑pendulum tensile tester and pulled apart at a constant speed. The average force needed to keep the tear propagating along the specimen is recorded. Tear resistance is calculated as the measured tearing force divided by specimen thickness.

Tearing force: average force to drive steady tear propagation at constant test speed (Unit: Newton, N).

Tear resistance: tearing force / specimen thickness (Unit: N/mm)

Specific Test Method

This is a single‑tear propagation method:

The tear is initiated from a pre‑cut slit and propagated continuously under a constant rate of grip separation.

It is fundamentally different from pendulum‑based impact tear methods (e.g., Elmendorf). The standard explicitly requires a non‑pendulum tensile testing machine .

The method is applicable to both flexible and rigid plastic films and sheets, provided:

ISO 6383-1 Trouser Tear Test of plastics film and sheeting

The material is not so rigid that brittle fracture occurs.

The material is not so deformable (irreversible) that the energy consumed in deforming the legs becomes significant relative to the tearing energy .

⚠️The method may not be suitable for cellular (foamed) sheet and film .

Test Specimen Info:

Shape: Rectangular with a central longitudinal slit, producing a "trouser" shape (see Figure 1 of the standard) .

Slit length: 75 mm ± 1 mm .

Edges: Must be smooth and free from notches; low‑power microscopic examination is recommended, paying particular attention to the slit tip .

Anisotropy consideration: Many films are anisotropic. When this is the case, two groups of specimens shall be prepared with their major axes respectively parallel and perpendicular to a characteristic direction (e.g., machine direction or transverse direction). If tear propagation direction (with vs. against process direction) affects results, additional specimen groups are required.

ISO 6383-1 Trouser Tear Test of plastics film and sheeting Test Equipment

CRE tensile testing machine

conforming to ISO 527‑3 requirements. It must maintain constant grip‑separation speed and include an autographic recording system to output load‑time curves.

Tear test Fixtures

Non‑swivel test grips/chucks: wider than specimen width, designed to hold the two trouser legs without slippage. Swivel‑mounted chucks are prohibited to keep grips parallel throughout testing.

Thickness measuring device

Mechanical scanning thickness gauge complying with **ISO 4593** for most films.

Gravimetric thickness measurement per **ISO 4591** for embossed or ultra‑thin film and sheeting.

Test Procedure Of ISO 6383-1 Trouser Tear Test of plastics film and sheeting

1. Measure specimen thickness by ISO 4593 or ISO 4591 and record average thickness value.

2. Condition specimens under specified ISO 291 atmosphere to reach moisture‑thermal equilibrium.

3. Adjust tensile tester: set initial grip separation to 75 mm and configure target test speed.

4. Mount the two trouser legs into grips carefully, aligning specimen central axis with the imaginary centre‑line connecting grip centres to avoid skewing. Ensure no slippage occurs during clamping.

5. Start machine, record full load‑time curve during tear propagation.

6. Reject any specimen in which tear drifts sideways and touches specimen edge; test new replacement specimens.

7. Process recorded load‑time data, extract average tearing force from the valid 50 mm tear segment.

8. Compute tear resistance, mean value, and optional statistical parameters.

9. Compile complete test report as required by Clause 13 of ISO 6383‑1, including standard reference, material identification, thickness, specimen count, test speed, conditioning atmosphere, mean results for every tear direction, individual specimen data, standard deviation and any deviations from standard procedure.

Test Parameters & Stipulations:

Parameter	Specification
Specimen thickness	< 1 mm
Testing speed	200 mm/min ± 10% or 250 mm/min ± 10% (both currently allowed; future revisions may retain only 200 mm/min)
Initial grip separation	75 mm
Conditioning & testing atmosphere	Per ISO 291: 23 °C / 50% RH; if the material is known not to be humidity‑sensitive, 23 °C alone may be used
Number of specimens	Minimum 5 per required testing direction
Data evaluation window	Disregard first 20 mm and last 5 mm of tear; evaluate the middle 50 mm

Industrial Application Fields

ISO 6383‑1 is widely used across industries that manufacture or utilise plastic films and thin sheeting :

Packaging – quality control of food packaging films, flexible packaging, sacks and bags; ensures integrity during transportation and storage

Agriculture – agricultural films and greenhouse covers where durability against tearing is essential

Construction – protective coverings and building films

Medical & Healthcare – medical device packaging that must withstand handling without compromising integrity

Industrial – coatings, sheeting for engineering applications

The test provides important data for quality control, acceptance/rejection decisions, and research & development. It also serves as a recognised benchmark for contractual or regulatory compliance and facilitates international trade.

Related standard:

ISO 6383-1	Plastics. Film and sheeting. Determination of tear resistance-Trouser tear method
JIS K 7128-1	Plastics -- Film and sheeting -- Determination of tear resistance -- Part 1: Trouser tear method
GB/T 16578.1	Plastics - Film and sheeting - Determination of tear resistance - Part 1：Trouser tear method
BS 2782-3 METHOD 360B	Methods of testing plastics. Mechanical properties. Determination of tear resistance of plastics film and sheeting by the trouser tear method
NF T54-140-1	Plastics - Film and sheeting - Determination of tear resistance - Part 1 : trouser tear method.
ASTM D1938	Standard Test Method for Tear-Propagation Resistance (Trouser Tear) of Plastic Film and Thin Sheeting by a Single-Tear Method
DIN 53363	Testing of plastic films - Tear test using trapezoidal test specimen with incision
ISO 8067	Flexible cellular polymeric materials: Determination of tear strength
ASTM D1004	Standard Test Method for Tear Resistance (Graves Tear) of Plastic Film and Sheeting
ISO 11897	Packaging - Sacks made from thermoplastic flexible film - Tear propagation on edge folds

Keywords: ISO 6383-1 trouser tear method, plastic film tear resistance tester, thin plastic sheeting tear test machine, ISO 6383-1 plastic tear testing equipment, 1mm thickness plastic film tear resistance analyzer, controlled humidity temperature plastic trouser tear tester, flexible packaging film tear strength test rig, polymer film tear propagation performance tester, UnitedTest ISO 6383-1 compliant material testing machine, plastic film fracture toughness laboratory equipment

WDW Series Computer Control Electronic Universal Testing Machine made by UNITEDTEST range from 100N to 600KN load capacity with various models like single columns, table type, door frame type etc., is used to perform tension, compression, flexure/bending, shearing, peeling etc., test for metal and nonmetal specimens.

Tear fixture ISO 505, ASTM D1004, vise grip or self-tightening roller grips are the most popular for this application and the least expensive. They can be provided with a rubber faced surface to measure the tear resistance strength of flexible plastic film and sheeting.

T-Peel Resistance Test Fixture for Adhesives is based on ASTM D1876 standard, used to measure the adhesion strength of adhesive maeterial. ASTM D1876 peel strength test method is commonly used to measure the strength of adhesive bonds between two sealed materials.

Q1. What is ISO 6383‑1?

A: ISO 6383‑1:2015 is an International Standard published by ISO that specifies the trouser‑tear method for determining the tear resistance of plastic film or sheet less than 1 mm thick . It is the primary global reference for trouser‑tear testing of plastic films and sheeting and is widely adopted in packaging, agricultural films, and industrial liners.

Q2. Why is the ISO 6383‑1 tear test important?

A: Tear resistance is a critical performance attribute for plastic films, packaging materials, agricultural covers, geomembranes, medical device packaging, and flexible electronic substrates .

Key reasons to perform this test:

Predicts real‑world behaviour – Once a slit or nick appears, the trouser‑tear test measures the force needed to keep the tear propagating, which closely mimics how a package fails in practice .

Quality control & batch comparison – Provides a steady‑state tear‑force value that can be compared across batches and suppliers .

Regulatory compliance & market access – Adhering to ISO (and equivalent ASTM) standards ensures confidence in product performance and helps manufacturers meet contractual or regulatory requirements .

R&D and material optimisation – Enables formulators to balance durability, flexibility, and cost efficiency .

⚠️ A film can have excellent tensile strength yet still fail in service if its tear‑propagation resistance is poor. That is why tear testing is specified alongside tensile and puncture tests .

Q3: What specimen dimensions does ISO 6383‑1 require?

A: Specimen overall size: 150 mm × 50 mm. Central slit length = **75 mm ± 1 mm. Edges and slit tip must be smooth with no nicks; low‑power microscope inspection is recommended. Minimum 5 valid specimens per test direction. If tear drifts sideways to hit specimen edge, discard that sample and retest.

Q4. Which materials can be tested?

A: The method applies to both flexible and rigid plastic films and sheets < 1 mm thick, provided the material is not so rigid that it fractures brittly, nor so irreversibly deformable that leg‑deformation energy dominates the tearing energy . It is not suitable for cellular (foamed) sheet and film .

Typical applications include:

Food, pharmaceutical, and consumer‑goods flexible packaging

Agricultural films and greenhouse covers

Industrial liners and geomembranes

Protective clothing and medical sterile‑barrier films

Bio‑based films, nanocomposites, and high‑performance laminates

Q5. ISO 6383‑1 vs. ASTM D1938 – what’s the difference?

A: Both standards use the same trouser‑tear principle, but they differ in specimen dimensions and clamping details . Manufacturers supplying multiple markets should account for these variations to avoid retesting. UnitedTest machines can be configured for both standards, ensuring seamless compliance across global markets.

Q6: Why are my test results highly scattered / variable?

A: Common root causes:

- Poor specimen cutting: tiny nicks at slit tip or jagged edges.

- Mis‑aligned specimen in grips; non‑parallel grips; specimen slipping during test. *Swivel joints for grips are forbidden by ISO 6383‑1*.

- Incorrect conditioning (temperature / humidity not following ISO 291: 23 °C / 50 % RH).

- Tear path deviates off‑centre (invalid specimen not discarded).

- Thickness variation across samples. Thickness difference > ±10 % makes cross‑sample comparison unreliable.

Q7: Why choose UnitedTest for ISO 6383‑1 testing?

A: UnitedTest designs and manufactures ISO 6383‑1‑compliant trouser‑tear testers for plastic film and sheet tear‑resistance measurement. Meet ASTM D1938, ISO 6383‑2, and global QC requirements. Request a quote today.

Precision ISO 6383‑1 Trouser Tear Test Machines for Plastic Film & Sheeting

UnitedTest is a leading manufacturer of ISO 6383‑1 trouser‑tear testing machines, delivering accurate, repeatable, and fully standards‑compliant tear‑propagation data for plastic films, flexible packaging, agricultural sheeting, medical barrier films, and industrial laminates.

UnitedTest ISO 6383‑1 Tester – Key Features

Constant‑rate‑of‑extension (CRE) tensile frame with servo‑driven crosshead, speed range 1–1000 mm/min, covering the 200 mm/min and 250 mm/min requirements of ISO 6383‑1 .

High‑precision load cell with resolution down to 0.001 N and accuracy better than ±1 % of full scale, ideal for low‑force tear measurements on thin films.

Parallel, non‑swivelling pneumatic grips wider than the specimen to guarantee slip‑free clamping of the trouser legs.

Automatic data‑processing software that identifies the stable plateau region (disregarding the first 20 mm and last 5 mm), draws the median line, and calculates tear resistance (N/mm) automatically.

Integrated thickness‑measurement module compliant with ISO 4593 (optional gravimetric module per ISO 4591 for embossed films).

Die‑cutter accessory for rapid preparation of trouser‑shaped specimens with a 75 mm ± 1 mm slit.

Conditioning chamber compatibility – maintains ISO 291 atmosphere (23 °C / 50 % RH) for pre‑conditioning and testing.

Multi‑standard compliance – one machine performs ISO 6383‑1, ASTM D1938, ISO 6383‑2 (Elmendorf), ASTM D1922, ASTM D1004, ISO 34‑1, ISO 4674‑1, and DIN 53363, saving laboratory footprint and budget.

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