ASTM_D_5639_-_D_5639M_-_20.pdf

Designation:D5639/D5639M20Standard Practice forSelection of Corrugated Fiberboard Materials and BoxConstruction Based on Performance Requirements1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5639/D5639M;the number immediately following the designation indicates theyear of original adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of lastreapproval.A superscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This practice provides information on corrugated fiber-board for the prospective user who wants guidance in selectingattributes of materials and box construction based on perfor-mance requirements.These attributes should be part of speci-fications which establish levels of the qualities a shippingcontainer shall have achieved in order to be acceptable to thepurchaser or user.The attributes and qualities should betestable,using standard methods that are recognized by boththe buyer and seller.This practice will assist users in develop-ing specifications for corrugated containers through an analysisof performance requirements and subsequent relationships tofiberboard materials and box construction attributes.Thispractice is meant to complement the box buyerbox manufac-turer relationship by having the buyer(user)better understand,discuss,and negotiate needed elements of box design andspecification.The full box design process is complex,and it isbeyond the scope of this standard.1.2 The attributes and their levels should be based on theintended use of the box,including the handling and environ-ment it will encounter.Many packaging rules include detaileddescriptions of the materials that may be used and style,closure,or other construction details of allowed shippingcontainers.These rules are presented as minimum require-ments;they may be exceeded for functional reasons,but thereis no regulatory reason to do so.Rail and motor freightclassifications applicable for surface common carrier transpor-tation have established minimum requirements for certainattributes of corrugated packaging.These may or may not beappropriate for application in the complete distribution system,as they encompass only containerboard or combined corru-gated board not finished boxes and are not intended toprovide for the distribution and storage system beyond thetransportation segment.1.2.1 The attribute levels contained herein are based on U.S.practice and specifications.Some attributes such as flutedimensions and basis weights may be defined differently inother countries.1.3 There are four common methods used for specifyingboxes.1.3.1 A common approach is to examine boxes currently inuse for the specific application and to make a similar ormodified version of that box,given that it has a provenperformance record.This method,while quite efficient,andfast,does not lead to box optimization based on characteriza-tion by end use.This method can lead to overdesign.1.3.2 A second common approach is to estimate the com-pression strength necessary for a box at the bottom of a stackof boxes to totally support the anticipated load.A safety factor,F,is calculated from the expected environmental hazards thatare anticipated in storage and shipping.A minimum initial boxcompression,as measured by Test Method D642 is determinedusing the weight on the bottom box and the F factor,see 8.3.Then engineering principles are used to select material com-binations based on material characteristics such as caliper,edgecrush value,and flat crush to meet that requirement.1.3.3 The third approach may be used when the boxapplication has product support sufficient to meet anticipatedcompression requirements,therefore the board structural re-quirements are focused on protection and containment.Mullenburst values can be one of these measures for this category ofbox if the user has determined that a minimum burst value isthe main metric required in their distribution system.In thiscase,total weight per box allowable per carrier rules may behigher than would be expected based on expected predictedcompression strength,safety factor,and board combinationused.See 7.2 7.2.2.2 and 8.2.1.1.3.4 The fourth approach may be used when the box isintended for single parcel shipment of high value or hazardousmaterials,where there can be a compression requirement butmost often the performance attributes required are toughness asmeasured by drop and impact resistance,see 8.2.A means ofgaining confidence that a box in this category will functionproperly in its intended distribution environment is to test the1This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D10 on Packagingand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D10.27 on Fiberboard ShippingContainers,Containerboard and Related Structures and Materials.Current edition approved Oct.1,2020.Published December 2020.Originallyapproved in 1994.Last previous edition approved in 2015 as D5639/D5639M 11(2015).DOI:10.1520/D5639_D56