The testing apparatus consists of a solid base stand with a guide tube support. The guide tube has a slot to direct a cylindrical weight that slides inside the guide tube. A collar fits over the tube and slides up or down to enable the user to easily return the weight to the same dropping position. Graduations are marked along the slot to facilitate reading. A clamping sleeve mechanism holds the test panel in position.

The base of the instrument includes a die support. The weights have steel balls built into their striking surfaces to provide different geometrical type configurations. It is important that the ball diameter fit that of the die so as to prevent shearing of the test samples at the inner rim of the die. The falling weight is variable by means of adding or removing additional weights. In order to limit the indentation depth of the falling weight, distance rings of different thickness can be fitted.

For testing, place the coated side of the panel facing up or down depending upon the application, i.e. intrusion or extrusion. The test can be performed as a pass/fail test by using a defined impact energy (=falling weight x height) or by increasing the impact energy until failure occurs. For this purpose, raise the weight to a height where no failure is known to occur. Keep repeating this procedure while raising the weight each time to a point greater than last until failure is noticed. The test shall be carried out in at least 4 different places on the test panel not less than 4 cm from each other.

Height of fall multiplied by dropping weight
is impact energy in cm/kg or inch/pound.