ISO 179-2:2020 is an instrumented Charpy pendulum impact test method for plastics. It determines Charpy impact properties by capturing a force–deflection (or force–time) trace during impact, rather than reporting only a single absorbed-energy value.
ISO 179-2 is commonly used when labs need deeper insight into impact behavior, improved test supervision (e.g., detecting setup issues), or automated determination of break behavior. If you need help matching instrumentation, pendulum capacity, or fixturing to the edition cited in your customer or internal spec, talk with our team.
ISO 179-2:2020 — Plastics — Determination of Charpy impact properties — Part 2: Instrumented impact test
ISO 179-2 covers an instrumented Charpy impact method for plastics using a pendulum impact system that records the impact event as a curve (force–deflection or force–time). This instrumented approach is used to characterize impact behavior in more detail than a non-instrumented Charpy impact result alone.
Specimen types, test configurations, and many parameter selections are defined in ISO 179-1 (Part 1). ISO 179-2 focuses on the instrumented measurement and interpretation of the recorded impact trace, including discussion of dynamic effects that can influence the curve.
Quick Definition
Document type: Test method (instrumented Charpy pendulum impact test for plastics).
What it measures: Charpy impact properties derived from instrumented force–deflection or force–time data collected during a pendulum impact event.
Typical outcome: A detailed impact trace used to calculate/derive impact behavior metrics and to support consistent, supervised testing.
What This Standard Covers
ISO 179-2 specifies how to perform an instrumented Charpy impact test on plastics and how to capture the impact event as a measured signal. The standard addresses factors that can appear in instrumented data (including dynamic effects), helping labs understand and control measurement artifacts during high-speed impact.
ISO 179-2 is intended for detailed characterization of impact behavior and can also support automated test operation and automated identification of break behavior, depending on the instrument and software configuration.
Why This Standard Matters in Testing
Instrumented impact testing is often selected when a single absorbed-energy number is not enough to distinguish materials, process conditions, or formulation changes. The recorded curve can help teams compare how materials initiate cracking and how they continue to resist fracture during the impact event.
ISO 179-2 is also used to improve operational control of the Charpy test, because instrumentation can reveal issues that may not be obvious from energy-only results (for example, poor specimen seating on the supports).
Common Materials, Product Types, or Applications Covered
ISO 179-2 is used for plastics evaluated in a Charpy configuration, typically as part of material qualification, supplier comparison, or internal R&D screening. Because Part 1 defines the applicable specimen types and test configurations, the exact specimen geometry and notch selection depend on the ISO 179-1 setup cited for the material and application.
Common use cases: Comparing resin grades, monitoring process changes, evaluating notch sensitivity, and studying temperature-dependent impact behavior (when tests are run at multiple temperatures).
Common Test or Verification Workflow
A typical ISO 179-2 workflow starts with selecting the specimen type and Charpy configuration defined under ISO 179-1, then running the impact test using an instrumented pendulum system that records the impact trace. Labs commonly run replicate specimens and may run multiple conditions (such as different temperatures, notch radii, and/or thicknesses) when a broader impact profile is needed.
Important comparability note: Results are only comparable when specimen preparation and test conditions are aligned. Impact results from test specimens should not be used as a direct predictor of finished-product impact behavior without additional engineering evaluation.
Equipment Commonly Used for This Standard
ISO 179-2 typically points to an instrumented pendulum impact tester configured for Charpy testing of plastics. The key difference versus non-instrumented impact testing is the measurement chain required to capture a high-quality force signal and synchronize it with time/deflection during impact.
Common equipment: Instrumented Charpy pendulum impact tester, striker/hammer appropriate to the Charpy configuration, specimen supports/anvils, data acquisition and analysis software capable of producing force–time and/or force–deflection outputs, and verification tools used by the lab to maintain consistent instrument performance.
Common accessories: Notching equipment (when notched specimens are required under the ISO 179-1 configuration), and temperature conditioning capability when tests are run at controlled temperatures.
If you are selecting an instrumented pendulum system or upgrading an existing impact tester with instrumentation and software, you can request pricing for a configured system matched to your specimen style and reporting needs.
How to Read This Designation or Revision
ISO 179-2 indicates the instrumented Charpy impact method (Part 2) within the ISO 179 series for determining Charpy impact properties of plastics.
:2020 indicates the published edition year for ISO 179-2 (Edition 2, published 2020-05). When a customer specification calls out “ISO 179-2” without a year, the required edition should be clarified because instrumentation requirements, calculations, and reporting expectations can be edition-sensitive.
Related Standards, Methods, or Frameworks
ISO 179-2 is used alongside ISO 179-1, which defines specimen types, configurations, and test parameters used with Charpy impact testing of plastics. ISO 179-2 also references ISO 13802 in the context of matching apparatus potential energy for non-instrumented testing versus the instrumented approach used here.
- ISO 179-1 (Charpy impact properties — Part 1: Non-instrumented impact test; specimen/configuration definitions referenced by ISO 179-2)
- ISO 13802 (referenced for energy matching considerations in non-instrumented impact testing)
Get help configuring ISO 179-2 impact testing
If you need an instrumented Charpy impact setup aligned to ISO 179-2 (including the right instrumentation package, data outputs, and fixtures for your ISO 179-1 specimen configuration), request a detailed quote and we’ll scope a configuration for your lab workflow.