Paper and Board Strength Tests

Paper and board products are widely used in our daily lives. Sheet strength is critical to the performance of most grades, not only in their end uses, but also in converting and finishing operations. Because different paper and board grades are subjected to different stresses and strains, several different strength tests have been developed. The most common are tensile, burst, stiffness, tear, internal bond, and ring crush. This module will discuss common strength tests for paper and board grades, as well as sheet parameters that affect strength properties.

•Identify the organization whose standardized testing procedures are followed most often in the U.S. •Identify important factors to consider during sample collection and sample conditioning •Explain why paper and board sheet strength properties are important •Explain why it is important to keep track of the machine direction during sampling and testing •Describe tensile, TEA, stretch, burst, stiffness, tear, internal bond, ring crush, and SCT testing, including principles and units