ISO 6603-1 Rigid plastics falling dart puncture-impact test

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ISO 6603-1 Plastics — Determination of puncture impact behaviour of rigid plastics — Part 1: Non-instrumented impact testing

It specifies falling-dart methods to measure the puncture‑impact performance of rigid plastics using only the 50% impact‑failure energy (E₅₀) threshold, without recording force–time or force–deflection curves.

Test Principle

The core principle of the ISO 6603-1 test is to measure the impact strength of rigid plastic materials. A suitably sized test specimen is struck at its center, perpendicular to its surface, by a lubricated, weighted striker (hemispherical head) dropped vertically from a known height.

The impact energy can be adjusted using two variables:

Constant height, variable mass: Changing the weight of the striker while keeping the dropping height constant.

Constant mass, variable height: Changing the dropping height while keeping the striker's mass constant.

Specific Test Methods

A: Staircase Method

(Preferred)

Test specimens one by one with a fixed energy increment (ΔE).

Adjust energy up/down by ΔE after each specimen, based on pass/fail.

Requires ≥30 specimens (10 for pretesting to find the starting energy).

B – Group Method

Test groups of ≥10 specimens at graded energy levels.

Obtain at least five failure‑rate data points: 0%, 100%, and ≥3 values in between.

Plot results on linear‑probability paper to read E₅₀ at the 50% failure line.

Requires ≥40 specimens (10 pretest + 30 main test).

ISO 6603-1 Test Equipment Required:

Falling-Dart Tester	Holds and releases a weighted striker, guiding its fall with minimal friction.
Weights (Masses)	Added to the striker; the total mass must be known within 1% accuracy.
Striker	A polished hemispherical tip. Preferred:20 mm diameter (±0.2 mm). Alternative:10 mm diameter (±0.1 mm). Made of hardened tool steel (approx. 54 HRC) or harder/titanium equivalents. The tip must be lubricated before each test to reduce friction.
Specimen support	Rigid support ring (inner diameter 40±2 mm or 100±5 mm, height ≥12 mm); base mass ≥180 kg for rigidity.
Dart Catcher	Prevents multiple impacts on the specimen and protects the striker from damage.

Test Specimen Information

Standard Specimen

For general plastics:

Shape: Square (60 mm ± 2 mm side) or Disc (60 mm ± 2 mm diameter).

Thickness: 2.0 mm ± 0.1 mm.

Support ring used: 40 mm diameter.

Large Specimen

For brittle fiber-reinforced or low failure strain plastics:

Shape: Square (140 mm ± 2 mm side) or Disc (140 mm ± 2 mm diameter).

Thickness: 4.0 mm ± 0.2 mm (or machined down to 4 mm if the original sheet is thicker).

Support ring used: 100 mm diameter.

Quantity

Method A: ≥30 specimens

Method B: ≥40 specimens

Key Test Parameters:

E₅₀ (50% impact‑failure energy): core result (reported to 2 significant figures)

Fall height: preferred constant height = 1.0 m; variable height: 0.3–2.0 m

Lubricant viscosity: 10⁻² to 10 Pa·s

Clamping: default unclamped; clamped force ≥3 kN

Test atmosphere: standard conditions per ISO 291; transfer time ＜5 s for low‑temperature tests.

Test Stipulations:

Failure definition: any naked‑eye visible break (crack, full‑thickness break, penetration, shattering)

Each specimen is impacted only once

Thickness measured at 3 points on a 10‑mm‑radius circle around the center

Results comparable only under identical preparation, dimensions, and test conditions

Test data not for direct design calculations

Test report must include standard reference, method, apparatus dimensions, specimen data, E₅₀, standard deviation, and test conditions.

Test Procedures of ISO 6603-1 Fall dart impact test:

Conditioning & Environment: Condition specimens per ISO 291. The test should be conducted in the same controlled atmosphere to prevent moisture/temperature changes that alter the material's mechanical behavior. Transit time from the conditioning environment to the machine should be less than 5 seconds.

Thickness Measurement: Measure the thickness at three equidistant points on a circle (radius 10 mm) at the center of the specimen. Use the average value. Discard specimens with thickness variations > 5%.

Setup: Place the specimen on the support ring (clamp if required). Set the desired drop height and attach the necessary weights to the striker. Lubricate the striker tip.

Execution: Release the dart to strike the center of the specimen. Catch the dart immediately after impact to prevent secondary hits.

Evaluation: Examine the specimen visually to determine if it "failed" (any break visible to the naked eye). Classify the failure as a crack(surface fissure), break(through-thickness fissure), penetration(striker goes through), or shattering(breaks into pieces).

Test Applications & Industry Fields

Applicable Materials

Rigid thermoplastics (filled, unfilled, reinforced)

Rigid thermosets (compounds, sheets, laminates)

Fiber‑reinforced plastic (FRP) composites (mats, fabrics, prepregs, etc.)

Industries

Automotive, electronics, packaging, construction, consumer goods, and composite components — used for material screening, quality control, and performance validation of plastic sheets, moldings, and finished products.

Automotive: Testing dashboards, interior trims, and exterior components for passenger safety and part durability during crashes or parking lot impacts.

Packaging: Evaluating the ability of rigid plastic containers, caps, and lids to withstand drops during shipping and handling.

Consumer Goods & Electronics: Assessing the drop-resistance of appliance housings, toys, and protective casings.

Construction: Determining the impact resistance of plastic panels, pipes, and fittings used in building infrastructure.

Aerospace: Qualifying lightweight, high-strength composite materials and interior plastic 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
ASTM D5628	Standard Test Method for Impact Resistance of Flat, Rigid Plastic Specimens by Means of a Falling Dart (Tup or Falling Mass)
JIS K 7211	Plastics -- Determination of puncture impact behaviour of rigid plastics -- Part 1: Non-instrumented impact testing

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.

Q1: What exactly is ISO 6603-1?

A: ISO 6603-1 is an international standard that specifies a non-instrumented falling-dart (puncture) impact test for rigid plastics. It measures the energy required to cause a visible failure (like cracking or shattering) in a flat plastic specimen when struck by a hemispherical striker dropped from a known height.

Q2: Why is this test important for plastic materials?

A: This test is crucial for evaluating a plastic’s toughness and real-world durability. It helps manufacturers and engineers understand how a material will behave under sudden, localized impact—such as a dropped tool, a collision, or flying debris. While the results cannot be used directly for structural design calculations, they provide essential quality control data and allow comparison between different material formulations, processing conditions, and suppliers.

Q3: What’s the difference between ISO 6603-1 and ISO 6603-2?

A:ISO 6603-1 is non-instrumented: It only records whether the specimen passed or failed (binary outcome) and calculates a statistical 50% failure energy (E₅₀).

ISO 6603-2 is instrumented: It uses sensors to record force, deflection, and energy throughout the impact event, providing detailed diagrams (force-time, force-deflection) for deeper analysis of fracture behavior.

Q4: What types of plastics can be tested with this method?

A: The standard is applicable to a wide range of rigid plastics, including:

Rigid thermoplastics (e.g., PP, ABS, PC, PA) – molded, extruded, or sheet form.

Rigid thermosets (e.g., epoxy, phenolic, BMC) – filled or reinforced.

Fiber-reinforced composites (e.g., GFRP, CFRP) – mats, woven fabrics, prepregs.

Finished products (specimens can be machined from parts).

Thickness range: Typically 1 mm to 4 mm. (For <1 mm, use ISO 7765; >4 mm is outside scope but possible with suitable equipment.)

Q5: What counts as “failure” in this test?

A: Failure is defined as any break in the specimen surface visible to the naked eye. The standard recognizes four types:

Crack: Surface fissure not through the full thickness.

Break: Fissure penetrating the full thickness.

Penetration: Striker passes completely through the specimen.

Shattering: Specimen breaks into two or more pieces.

Q6: How does this relate to other impact tests like Charpy or Izod?

A: Charpy/Izod tests measure flexural impact on notched or unnotched bars, while ISO 6603-1 measures puncture impact on flat plaques. Puncture testing better simulates real-world impacts (e.g., a dropped object hitting a flat surface) and is less sensitive to notch effects. They complement each other for a complete impact profile.

Q7: Can ISO 6603-1 test data be directly used for product design calculations?

A: No. The test data reflects material impact performance under specific lab conditions and cannot be directly used for structural design calculations, but can guide material selection and performance evaluation.

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