DIN 55415
In addition to the standard of the European Association for Safe Transport of Goods EUMOS 40509 → there is another standard that deals with the stability of loading units: DIN 55415. While the purpose pursued by both standards is the same, they differ significantly in their approach. In this article, you can find out exactly what a DIN 55415 test looks like, how the results are evaluated and what the transport stability classes mean.
The background - Why DIN 55415?
As already mentioned in our article on EUMOS 40509 → the twenty-second paragraph of the German Highway Code (StVO) stipulates that loads must be securely stowed in accordance with the recognized rules of technology ("anerkannte Regeln der Technik"). In the exact wording, the legislator requires that the load must be "stowed and secured in such a way that it cannot slip, fall over, roll back and forth, fall down or generate avoidable noise even in the event of emergency braking or sudden evasive action."
Of course, it is unrealistic to completely eliminate any movement and deformation of a load unit. Therefore, standards are needed that set realistic limit values on a physically sound basis and thus define the stability of load units. While EUMOS 40509 is usually consulted in other EU countries, DIN 55415 is the standard most commonly used in Germany.
Read more about EUMOS 40509 here.
How does DIN 55415 help?
Most companies do not have an exact idea of how stable their pallets are. Load unit securing is done to the best of the employees' knowledge and experience, and if transport damage occurs, it is usually countered with more packaging material. Standards such as DIN 55415 and EUMOS 40590 help by defining when a load unit is stable and by standardizing how the exact stability values can be determined. These standards can be used to objectively assess the transport safety of your pallets. If the result is not satisfactory, packaging experts and packaging experts and optimizers can make pin-pointed improvements.
If the test proves and certifies that the load unit is secured well enough to comply with the standard, this not only gives you the certainty that your packaging is safe, but can also help to prove in the event of damage that you as a company have complied with due diligence in regard to packaging.
Testing of loading units according to DIN 55415
There are several options for testing load units and pallets in accordance with DIN 55415: The dynamic laboratory test, the dynamic driving test and the static tilt test. All three test methods are equally valid in DIN 55415, and there is a free choice between them. The limit value of four centimeters of deformation is the same for all test methods.
In a dynamic laboratory test, which is also used in a similar form for the EUMOS 40509 test, the load unit or pallet is placed on a sled, which is accelerated and braked in a controlled manner on an acceleration bench in order to generate predefined g-forces. The deformation of the load unit at the end of acceleration and braking is then measured (-> permanent deformation). The dynamic deformation that occurs during acceleration and braking is not decisive for DIN 55415.
The specified requirements for a dynamic laboratory test according to DIN 55415 are different from those according to EUMOS 40509, which is why not all acceleration benches can also be used for testing according to DIN 55415.
In a dynamic driving test in accordance with DIN EN 12642:2017-03, the load unit is loaded onto a truck and subjected to predefined driving maneuvers. This simulates typical situations in everyday traffic. It is also defined which maneuvers are permitted for the tests of which targeted transport stability classes. Although the dynamic driving test is the most complex and expensive of all test types, it is the most accurate simulation of everyday traffic.
In a static tilt test the load unit stands firmly on level ground and is lifted on one side at a predefined speed. A trigonometric formula is then used to determine the g-force withstood using the tilt angle at which the limit value of 4 centimeters of deformation was still maintained.
The transport stability classes
Once the test in accordance with DIN 55415 has been completed, the results are recorded in a test report containing all the important test data. Based on the g-force, at which the deformation of the load unit remained below 4 centimetres, it is then assigned to one of the 5 transport stability classes.
If the load unit has already deformed by 4 centimeters at a g-force (or the corresponding tilt test angle) of less than 0.18, the test is deemed unsuccessful
| Transport stability class | g-force |
| TK 1 | more than 1.0 g |
| TK 2 | up to 1.0 g |
| TK 3 | up to 0.8 g |
| TK 4 | up to 0.5 g |
| TK 5 | up to 0.3 g |
| Test not successful | under 0.18 g |
Transport stability class = g-force
TK 1 = more than 1.0 g
TK 2 = up to 1.0 g
TK 3 = up to 0.8 g
TK 4 = up to 0.5 g
TK 5 = up to 0.3 g
Test not successful = less than 0.18 g
Once successfully completed, a certificate is issued which certifies that the tested load unit corresponds to the determined transport stability class. In addition, the exact properties of the tested load unit are specified so that it can be assumed that load units packed in the same way as the tested load unit also have the same stability.
Conclusion
DIN 55415 - a standard that at first glance promises the same as EUMOS 40509, but actually has some important differences. Whether through a tilt test, a dynamic driving test or on the acceleration bench - DIN 55415 offers all possibilities for testing load units with a standardized test report and certification, which can provide objective certainty about the condition of your load unit.
