Altitude
Definition
Altitude testing simulates the reduced air pressure experienced at elevation. Sealed flexible systems have the potential the fail if exposed to altitude. In fact, altitude exposure by truck transport can exceed the levels experienced in commercial air transportation.Meaning of Test
An altitude test is either pass or fail. Shippers may burst at the seams if the internal pressure of the flexible packaging cannot equalize. Additional packaging costs may be incurred to pull a partial or full vacuum on the packaging in order to avoid the effects of altitude. Altitude can also affect products if an instrument needs to take measurements in a high altitude environment.
Typical Range
The typical range for package systems is 14, 000 to 16, 000 ft. (4.3 to 4.9 km) based on ASTM D6653. However, some IEC standards specify altitudes up to 40,000 ft. (12.2 km). Effects are often immediate, but dwell times can range from 1 to 24 hours depending on whether the test is at the package or product level.
Associated Standards
ASTM D6653 is the standard commonly used for package testing. UN certification CFR 49 and ASTM F1140 for medical package testing use reduced pressure tests to simulate altitude.
What We Provide
Westpak can provide altitude testing for a variety of product and package designs up to space conditions. Altitude can also be combined with temperature and vibration to simulate complex conditions which may show damage not found by any single test..
Typical Test Procedures
- ASTM D6653
