NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or

withdrawn. Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.

Designation: D 3198 – 97
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS
100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, PA 19428
Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM

Standard Test Method for

Application and Removal Torque of Threaded or Lug-Style
Closures1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 3198; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope 4. Summary of Test Method

1.1 This test method covers the application with a given 4.1 Representative specimens of a threaded or lug-style
torque of a threaded or lug-style closure to a container, and container are held in a torque-measuring device and either the
measures the torque required to unscrew the closure from a predetermined amount of torque is applied to its closure, or the
container. amount of torque necessary to loosen the closure is determined,
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the or both.
standard. The inch-pound units given in parentheses are for
information only. 5. Significance and Use
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the 5.1 These torque measurements are of value in:
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the 5.1.1 Rating the performance of automatic capping ma-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- chines,
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 5.1.2 Measuring any tendency for threaded or lug-style
closures to loosen during storage or shipment of the package,
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bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
and
2. Referenced Documents 5.1.3 Measuring the force required to break hard plastic and
2.1 ASTM Standards:
(https://standards.iteh.ai)
D 3474 Practice for The Calibration and Use of Torque
overturn or “strip” soft plastic and metal closures.
5.2 The method may be used to establish performance

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Meters Used in Packaging Applications2 specifications.
E 105 Practice for Probability Sampling of Materials3
E 122 Practice for Choice of Sample Size to Estimate a 6. Apparatus
Measure of Quality for a Lot or Process3 6.1 Torque Meter 4,5 with a scale that will read with the
ASTM D3198-97
maximum point reading accuracy within the torque range
3. Terminology expected to be measured (use a 0 to 25 torque inch pounds-
/catalog/standards/astm/93f13e18-c022-4f48-8825-bc5ef9dc797f/astm-d3198-97
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard: force (T.I.P.) torque meter for readings under 25 T.I.P., not a 0
3.1.1 application torque—the moment of a force or system to 100 T.I.P. torque meter).
of forces tending to cause rotation of a closure over the neck
finish of an appropriate container, causing the closure to be 7. Sampling, Test Specimens, and Test Units
applied and secured to the container. 7.1 The number of samples will depend on the desired
3.1.2 removal torque—the moment of a force or system of purpose for which this test is being run. However, for a given
forces tending to cause rotation of an appropriate closure in a set of samples, sufficient measurements shall be taken in
direction opposite to that of application, causing the closure to accordance with established statistical sampling procedures in
be unsecured from its position on the neck finish of an order to obtain consistent results.6
appropriate container. 7.2 Select unused closures, complete with liners, if appro-
priate, and unused containers, with the correct corresponding

1 4
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-10 on Owens-Illinois Torque Meters, or their equivalent, have been found satisfactory
Packaging and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D10.31 on Child- for this test method. Available from Secure-Pak, Inc., 4009 Beachway Blvd., Toledo,
Resistant Packaging. OH 43614.
5
Current edition approved Sept. 10, 1997. Published February 1998. Originally A digital or automated torque instrument, if used, will have an appropriate
published as D 3198 – 73. Last previous edition D 3198 – 91. design and scale capacity for the container/closure system to be evaluated. Torque
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.09. results will be available in either electronic display or printout formats.
3 6
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02. Refer to Practices E 105 and E 122 for more specific information.

1
 NOTICE:¬This¬standard¬has¬either¬been¬superseded¬and¬replaced¬by¬a¬new¬version¬or
discontinued.¬Contact¬ASTM¬International¬(www.astm.org)¬for¬the¬latest¬information.¬
D 3198
TABLE 1 Special Atmospheres of the cap is concentric with the center of the movable plate on
Environment Temperature, °C (°F)
Relative which the container rests.
Humidity, % 10.2.2 Grip the closure by hand, avoiding any contact with
Cryogenic −55 6 3 (−67 6 6) ... the container, and twist counterclockwise while closely watch-
Frozen food storage −18 6 2 (0 6 4) ...
Refrigerated storage 5 6 2 (41 6 4) 85 6 5
ing the gage.
Temperature high humidity 20 6 2 (68 6 4) 85 6 5
NOTE 2—On occasion, when large numbers of samples are to be tested,
Tropical 40 6 2 (104 6 6) 85 6 5
Desert 60 6 3 (140 6 6) 15 6 2 or when measuring the torque required to break hard plastic caps, it may
be necessary to exert a greater torque than can be achieved by gripping the
closure with the bare hand. A rubber pad, strap wrench, or a rubber-lined
“nut-cracker-type” device where the hole is slightly smaller in diameter
size finish, that are within specifications. than the closure may be used to gain a firm grip without scoring or
scratching the closure, or deforming it “out-of-round.” By whatever means
8. Calibration the closure is held, it is imperative that the force be uniformly distributed
8.1 Calibrate the torque meter in accordance with Practice around the periphery of the screw cap; otherwise, unequal pressure will
D 3474.7 force the closure “out-of-round” and lead to a false torque value. The use
of pliers or a pipe wrench is to be avoided.
9. Conditioning 10.2.3 The highest figure indicated by the needle on the
9.1 Control the relative humidity and temperature condi- gage before it “snaps back” is recorded as the removal or “take
tions such that the data may be reasonably comparable when off” torque of the closure.
repetitive testing of closure-container combinations for appli-
cation and removal torque or torque strength is intended. If 11. Report
special conditions will be required, refer to ISO 2233 for a list 11.1 The report shall include the following:
of possible special conditions. 11.1.1 Thread finish or other designation of the closure,
NOTE 1—Closure application and removal torque levels may be influ- 11.1.2 Materials of construction of the closure, including
any liner,
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enced by such variables as time, temperature, relative humidity, and
conditioning of the closures and containers prior to testing, and by 11.1.3 Material of construction and finish of the container,
temperature and relative humidity during storage, and at the time of 11.1.4 Number of replicates,

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testing. 11.1.5 Conditioning time, temperature, and humidity of the
9.2 Condition the components separately in a controlled test, if any,

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environment of temperature and relative humidity a minimum 11.1.6 Temperature and humidity of the test area,
of 48 h prior to their being combined into closure-container 11.1.7 Time between application and removal of closures.
systems to be evaluated. To assure an adequate circulation of 11.1.8 Device used, if any, for aiding the application and
air around the components, do not stack the components. removal of closures (see Note 2),
9.3 If special conditions are not required, store components ASTM D3198-97
11.1.9 All torques, expressed in pounds-force inches and
at 23 6 2°C (73.4 6 3.4°F) and 50 6 5 % relative humidity. newton metres (Note 3) in tabular form,
/catalog/standards/astm/93f13e18-c022-4f48-8825-bc5ef9dc797f/astm-d3198-97
9.4 The atmosphere conditions in Table 1 may be used when
NOTE 3—1 lbf·in. 3 0.113 5 1 N·m.
special conditioning is appropriate. Other atmosphere condi-
tions may be used as appropriate. 11.1.10 Average value, range, and standard deviation of the
torques,
10. Procedure 11.1.11 Evaluation of comparative results, if appropriate,
10.1 Application Torque Measurement: and
10.1.1 Firmly position the container between the four posts 11.1.12 Statement that this test was done in accordance with
on the torque tester in such a manner that the axis of rotation Test Method D 3198.
of the cap is concentric with the center of the movable plate on
which the container rests. 12. Precision and Bias
10.1.2 Grip the closure by hand, avoiding any contact with 12.1 Precision—The repeatability standard deviation is
the container, and twist clockwise while closely watching the about 0.78 inch pounds or 5.8 % of the average. This is based
gage. Apply torques smoothly and consistently, at a constant on limited data of three packages from a single laboratory.
rate consistent with accurate reading of the gage. Other packages may have different repeatability values. The
10.1.3 Apply torque continuously until the desired torque as reproducibility of this test method is being determined.
indicated by the needle on the gage is reached. 12.2 Bias—No justifiable statement can be made on the bias
10.2 Removal Torque Measurement: of this test method since a true value cannot be established by
10.2.1 Firmly position the container between the four posts an accepted referee method.
on the torque tester in such a manner that the axis of rotation
13. Keywords
7
Follow calibration procedure of manufacturer if a digital or automated torque 13.1 application torque; lug-style closure; removal torque;
instrument is to be used. threaded closure