ISO 13820:2021

Overview

ISO 13820:2021 is an international standard established by ISO that specifies the essential characteristics and calibration principles for fixed platen compression-testing equipment used for paper, board, and corrugated fibreboard. This third edition updates the 2014 version, emphasizing fixed platen machines that operate on a constant strain rate and ensuring measurement accuracy during testing. The standard supports reliable, reproducible compression test results in quality control and research environments for materials critical in packaging and paper industries.

Key Topics

• Fixed Platen Compression Testing Equipment
  The standard focuses exclusively on fixed platen testers, which compress samples at a constant deformation rate. It excludes beam-deflection testers due to variability and less defined calibration characteristics.
• Apparatus Requirements
  • Upper and lower platens must fully accommodate the test piece and resist deformation, with strict tolerances of ≤0.05 mm horizontal movement and parallelism across the platen surface.
  • Platen surfaces must be flat and may be covered with emery cloth (grade 00 or equivalent) to prevent slippage during testing, depending on the test method.
  • Controlled movement means: One platen must move toward the other at a constant speed within ±0.25 mm/min of the nominal speed.
• Calibration and Verification Procedures
  • Load cells must be zeroed before testing and calibrated with traceable weights, load cells, or proving rings with an accuracy within 0.1%.
  • Calibration requires five or more evenly spaced load points across the machine’s working range, with multiple test repetitions and reporting the mean and maximum deviation.
  • Calibration must occur after conditioning the device for at least 4 hours at the standard atmosphere as per ISO 187.
• Calibration Reporting
  Reports must reference ISO 13820:2021, document test speed, calibration deviations, conditioning atmosphere, and traceability to calibration standards for full quality assurance transparency.

Applications

• Quality Control in Packaging and Paper Production
  ISO 13820:2021 ensures compressive strength and durability tests are consistent, allowing manufacturers of paperboard and corrugated fibreboard to meet performance standards.
• Material Research and Development
  Researchers use this standard when testing new paper-based materials to understand compression properties and optimize product design.
• Compliance with Related Testing Methods
  The standard supports testing requirements for multiple associated ISO methods, including:
  • ISO 3035 (flat crush resistance of corrugated fibreboard)
  • ISO 3037 (edgewise crush resistance)
  • ISO 7263 (flat crush resistance after fluting)
  • ISO 12192 (ring crush method)
  • ISO 13821 and ISO 16945 (edge crush resistance variants)

Compliance with ISO 13820 calibration guidelines ensures that compression test results align with these international test standards, enhancing comparability and reliability.

Related Standards

• ISO 187 – Conditioning and testing atmosphere for papers and boards, crucial for test consistency.
• ISO 3035, 3037, 7263 – Various corrugated fibreboard test methods supported by ISO 13820 equipment calibration.
• ISO 12192 – Paper and board compression strength testing method using ring crush.
• ISO 13821 and ISO 16945 – Further corrugated fibreboard compression tests, reliant on properly calibrated equipment.

For professionals involved in packaging material testing, adherence to ISO 13820:2021 is vital for ensuring the precision and reproducibility of compression test data. Proper equipment description, calibration, and verification provide confidence in assessing the compressive strength and quality of paper-based materials in laboratories and manufacturing settings.

Keywords: ISO 13820, compression testing equipment, fixed platen, paper compression test, board testing calibration, corrugated fibreboard compression, paper strength testing, calibration procedures, compression tester ISO standard, packaging material testing.