PL-100 Digital Burst Strength Tester for Corrugated Fiberboard Boxes

Overview

The PL-100 Digital Burst Strength Tester is a precision-engineered instrument designed for the quantitative evaluation of bursting resistance in corrugated fiberboard, solid fiberboard, and multi-ply paper packaging materials. It operates on the fundamental principle of hydraulic pressure application: a standardized rubber diaphragm expands under controlled oil pressure until the specimen ruptures, and the peak pressure at failure—expressed in kg/cm², kPa, or N—is recorded as the burst strength value. This method conforms to internationally recognized standards including ASTM D774 (Standard Test Method for Bursting Strength of Paper and Paperboard), ISO 2759 (Paper and Board — Determination of Bursting Strength), and TAPPI T810 (Bursting Strength of Paper and Paperboard). The tester integrates a closed-loop hydraulic system with real-time pressure feedback, enabling consistent force application and high reproducibility across repeated measurements. Its design prioritizes mechanical stability, thermal drift mitigation, and long-term calibration retention—critical attributes for QC laboratories operating under GLP or ISO/IEC 17025-accredited environments.

Key Features

• One-touch automated test cycle: automatic clamping, pressurization, rupture detection, hydraulic return, data calculation, and result output—no manual intervention required.
• High-fidelity pressure transduction using a calibrated, imported piezoresistive pressure sensor with ±1 kPa accuracy and traceable NIST-equivalent calibration capability.
• Robust hydraulic architecture: brass alloy cylinder body, hardened stainless steel platen, precision-ground lead screw actuation, and anodized aluminum front panel—engineered for >100,000 test cycles without performance degradation.
• Dual-mode display interface: LED-based real-time readout of applied pressure, peak burst value, and unit-switchable output (kg/cm², N, lb/in²).
• Onboard calibration routine accessible via password-protected service menu—enabling third-party metrology labs to perform field verification per ISO 17025 Clause 6.5 and ANSI/NCSL Z540 requirements.
• Integrated thermal-compensated control circuitry ensures stable operation across ambient temperatures from 15°C to 30°C and relative humidity up to 70% RH non-condensing.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The PL-100 accommodates standard test specimens measuring 140 mm × 140 mm (per ASTM D774) or 100 mm × 100 mm (per ISO 2759), with clamping diameter of 31.5 mm ± 0.2 mm. It supports single- and double-wall corrugated board, chipboard, linerboard, and recycled fiber composites with grammage ranging from 120 g/m² to 600 g/m². All mechanical and electronic subsystems comply with IEC 61000-4 electromagnetic compatibility standards and meet CE marking requirements for industrial measurement equipment. Documentation includes Declaration of Conformity (DoC), factory calibration certificate (traceable to national standards), and test reports aligned with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 data integrity expectations for audit-ready recordkeeping.

Software & Data Management

While the PL-100 operates as a standalone instrument, its RS-232 serial interface enables direct connection to external PCs running compliant laboratory information management systems (LIMS) or statistical process control (SPC) platforms. Test records—including timestamp, operator ID, sample ID, burst value, unit, and pass/fail status—are exportable in CSV format. Internal memory retains up to 500 test results with date/time stamping. Optional firmware upgrade supports GLP-compliant audit trails: all parameter changes, calibration events, and user logins are time-stamped and non-erasable—meeting requirements for regulated industries subject to ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or pharmaceutical packaging validation protocols.

Applications

This instrument serves quality assurance teams in packaging manufacturing, logistics providers validating inbound material specifications, and R&D laboratories developing new board grades or adhesive formulations. Typical use cases include incoming raw material inspection against supplier COA, in-process monitoring during corrugator line operation, shelf-life stability assessment under accelerated aging conditions, and comparative analysis of recycled content impact on structural integrity. It is routinely deployed in certified testing labs supporting ISTA 3A/3E transport simulation protocols and UN-certified packaging qualification for hazardous goods (UN 4G/4GV).

FAQ

What international standards does the PL-100 support out-of-the-box?

It natively complies with ASTM D774, ISO 2759, TAPPI T810, and GB/T 6545—with default test parameters preconfigured for each standard.

Can the instrument be recalibrated by end users?

Yes—via the built-in calibration mode using certified reference pressure weights or external deadweight testers; full procedure documented in the technical manual.

Is the hydraulic oil system sealed and maintenance-free?

The system uses a closed-loop mineral oil circuit with integrated filtration; no scheduled oil replacement is required within the first 5 years or 50,000 tests.

Does the tester meet FDA or EU regulatory requirements for packaging validation?

Its data integrity features, audit trail capability, and traceable calibration path satisfy baseline requirements for packaging validation under 21 CFR Part 11 and EU Annex 11 when integrated into validated workflows.

What is the expected service life under continuous lab use?

Rated for ≥15 years of daily operation (up to 20 tests/day) with periodic preventive maintenance every 12 months performed by authorized service technicians.