There is wide debate over what are the typical vibrational frequencies encountered during the various global modes of shipping and handling. Additionally, there has been significant research into dynamic inputs encountered during the global distribution of packaged products.

Organizations such as ISTA, International Safe Transit Association(www.ista.org), in conjunction with testing and monitoring equipment manufacturer Lansmont Corp. (www.lansmont.com), have conducted extensive environmental monitoring of the distribution environment.

Standards-setting organizations such as ISTA sell testing standards which will provide you with all the details for frequency, amplitude, and GRMS. It is much too comprehensive to provide you with a snapshot. I would suggest going to their Web site and purchasing ISTA Project 2a test standard for a wealth of detail on the dynamic inputs. This focuses on the single parcel environment, not palletized loads.

Additionally, the standards setting organization ASTM (www.astm.org) has several test standards and recommended practices for environmental distribution simulation with similar specifications.

I recommend reviewing ASTM D 4169-05 and -08, Standard Practice for Performance Testing and Shipping Containers and Systems. This standard references specific test standards for the performance of loose load vibration and vehicle vibration.

The low-cost mechanical vibration table would be marketable in industry; these rotary motion “shake” tables currently exist and the specifics regarding the execution of this test is outlined in ASTM D 999, so there is both a current test method and equipment to accomplish the repetitive shock of a packaged product.