T 543 om-05
PROVISIONAL METHOD – 1984
OFFICIAL METHOD – 1994
REVISED – 2000
REVISED – 2005
©2005 TAPPI
The information and data contained in this document were prepared
by a technical committee of the Association. The committee and the
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CAUTION:
This Test Method may include safety precautions which are believed to be appropriate at the time of publication of the method. The intent of these
is to alert the user of the method to safety issues related to such use. The user is responsible for determining that the safety precautions are complete
and are appropriate to their use of the method, and for ensuring that suitable safety practices have not changed since publication of the method. This
method may require the use, disposal, or both, of chemicals which may present serious health hazards to humans. Procedures for the handling of
such substances are set forth on Material Safety Data Sheets which must be developed by all manufacturers and importers of potentially hazardous
chemicals and maintained by all distributors of potentially hazardous chemicals. Prior to the use of this method, the user must determine whether
any of the chemicals to be used or disposed of are potentially hazardous and, if so, must follow strictly the procedures specified by both the
manufacturer, as well as local, state, and federal authorities for safe use and disposal of these chemicals.
Bending resistance of paper (Gurley-type tester)
1. Scope
1.1 This procedure determines the bending resistance of paper, paperboard, and other materials by measuring
the force required to bend a specimen under controlled conditions. The instrument described allows for a wide variation
in specimen length and width, and in applied force.
1.2 This procedure is not recommended for soft or limp materials such as tissue, toweling and newsprint, or
for materials with a pronounced degree of curl.
2. Significance
The bending resistance of paper affects many converting operations and most end-uses. The bending resistance of
paperboard is basic to most of the uses to which this material is put. It is necessary to have a convenient, reproducible
test method to measure this fundamental characteristic.
3. Definitions
3.1 Bending resistance: The ability to resist an applied bending force.
3.2 Machine direction bending resistance: The bending resistance of a test specimen, clamped with the
machine direction of the paper perpendicular to the specimen clamp.
3.3 Cross direction bending resistance: The bending resistance of a test specimen, clamped with the cross
direction of the paper perpendicular to the specimen clamp.
3.4 Gurley units, the units assigned to represent the force required to bend the specimen as calculated by
Equation 1 (see 9.1). Traditionally the results have been reported in terms of milligrams of force (mgf) which are
identical to the now preferred term of Gurley units. In terms of force units (millinewtons) the following applies:
1 “Gurley Unit” = 1 milligram force (mgf)
Force, (mN) = (mgf) x 0.009807
Approved by the Standard Specific Interest Group for this Test Method
TAPPI
T 543 om-05 Bending resistance of paper (Gurley-type tester) / 2
4. Apparatus
4.1 Bending resistance1
4.1.1 The instrument, shown in Fig. 1, consists of a balanced pendulum or pointer, pivoted at its center of
gravity, mounted in jewel bearings, and provided with holes for attaching weights at distances of 25.4 mm (1 in.) 50.8
mm (2 in.) and 101.6 mm (4 in.) below the center pivot. In non-digital instruments, the lower end of the pendulum is
pointed and moves parallel to a scale mounted on the base of the instrument. The scale is graduated, in both left and right
directions, from zero to 8 units (corresponding to 10 times the sine of the angle produced by the pendulum) and is
subdivided into five divisions, permitting reading to 0.1 unit. Newer versions employ optical encoders and
microprocessors to measure the pendulum angle and compute bending resistance automatically.
Fig. 1
1
Names of suppliers of testing equipment and materials for this method may be found on the Test Equipment Suppliers list in the set
of TAPPI Test Methods, or may be available from the TAPPI Quality and Standards Department.
3/ Bending resistance of paper (Gurley-type tester) T 543 om-05
4.1.2 The upper end of the pendulum terminates in a triangular vane, 50.8 mm (2 in.) wide at the upper edge.
The specimen presses against this vane and causes the pendulum to deflect when the test is conducted. The upper edge
of the vane is parallel to a specimen clamp, which is mounted upon an arm which rotates about the same geometrical
center as the pendulum. The specimen clamp is movable upon the arm and may be positioned so that a gap (test length)
of 12.7 mm (0.5 in.), 25.4 mm (1 in.), 50.8 mm (2 in.), 76.2 mm (3 in.), or 101.6 mm (4 in.) separates the clamp jaws
from the top edge of the pendulum vane. The arm carrying the clamp is rotated left and right through approximately 20°
by means of a reversing motor at 2 rpm and contains recesses which automatically position the specimen clamp to the
gaps referred to above.
4.1.3 Weights of 5 g, 25 g, 50 g, and 200 g are provided. The tolerance on weight is ± 0.1%. They are
attachable to the lower end of the pendulum at distances of 25.4 mm (1.0 in.), 50.8 mm (2.0 in.), and 101.6 mm (4.0 in.)
from the pivot.
4.1.4 The instrument is mounted upon a base which is provided with a spirit level, leveling screws and a
reversing switch for operating the motor.
4.1.5 The instrument provides for 150 different combinations of specimen size and loading, encompassing a
stiffness range of 1.39 to 56,888 Gurley units.
4.2 Paper cutter. See Note 1 in 6.1 below.
5. Sampling
5.1 Obtain a sample of the paper in accordance with TAPPI T 400 “Sampling and Accepting a Single Lot of
Paper, Paperboard, Containerboard, or Related Product.”
5.2 Select test units free from watermarks or unusual flaws or creases that might subsequently affect the test
results.
5.3 Avoid unnecessary handling of the test units prior to testing, and continue such care throughout the
testing process.
6. Test specimens
6.1 From each test unit cut specimens 50.8 ± 0.4 mm (2 ± 1/64 in.) wide by 63.5 ± 0.4 mm (2.5 ± 1/64 in.)
long. This is the nominal length of 50.8 mm (2.0 in.) plus an extra 12.7 mm (0.5 in.) to provide 6.4 mm (0.25 in.) for
clamping and 6.4 mm (0.25 in.) for the vane overlap. Ten specimens should be cut, five in the machine direction and five
in the cross direction.
NOTE 1: The length of the strip is very critical. An error of 1% in the length of the 63.5 mm strip can cause an error of 4% in the bending
resistance reading. Therefore, it is required that the strips be cut with a 63.5 mm (2.5 in.) double knife cutter such as that used for
the Elmendorf tearing resistance test. The specimens should be cut one at a time to avoid the burrs produced by cutting several
sheets at one time.
6.1.1 Although the length of 63.5 mm (2.5 in.) and width of 50.8 mm (2 in.) should be used wherever possible,
the test specimen length and width may be varied to provide a test reading between 2 and 6 on the scale. Specimen width
between 12.7 mm (0.5 in.) and 50.8 mm (2 in.) can be used. If a width other than the preferred width of 50.8 mm is used,
it should be reported with the test results. Select a specimen length from the table below:
Cut length Test length, Lt Length ratio, LR
25.4 mm (1.0 in.) 12.7 mm (0.5 in.) 0.167
38.1 mm (1.5 in.) 25.4 mm (1.0 in.) 0.333
63.5 mm (2.5 in.) 50.8 mm (2.0 in.) 0.667
88.9 mm (3.5 in.) 76.2 mm (3.0 in.) 1.000
114.2 mm (4.5 in.) 101.6 mm (4.0 in.) 1.333
The cut length refers to entries in the conversion factor table; the test length and length ratio are used in evaluating
Equation 1.
T 543 om-05 Bending resistance of paper (Gurley-type tester) / 4
NOTE 2: For all specimens, a suitable cutter should be used to insure accurate specimen preparation.
7. Conditioning
Condition and test the specimens in an atmosphere in accordance with TAPPI T 402 “Standard Conditioning and Testing
Atmospheres for Paper, Board, Pulp Handsheets, and Related Products.”
8. Procedure
8.1 Select an appropriate weight, mounting position and specimen size to give a deflection between 2 and 6
on the scale. Level the base of the instrument so that the pendulum pointer will indicate zero after attachment of the
required weight.
NOTE 3: The pointer is pivoted on jeweled bearings. If the pointer loses sensitivity, wipe it clean with a lint-free cloth. DO NOT OIL
THESE BEARINGS.
8.2 Fasten the specimen strip in the specimen clamp in such a manner that 6.4 ± 0.2 mm (0.25 ± 0.01 in.) will
be held in the jaws. Set the specimen clamp at a position so that the test strip will overlap the top of the pendulum by
exactly 6.4 ± 0.2 mm (0.25 ± 0.01 in.)
NOTE 4: The specimen should be brought up close to the pendulum vane before applying force, to avoid oscillation in the early stages of
deflection. Please note that there are references to “test length” and “cut length” throughout this method. The test length is 12.7
mm (1/2”) less than the cut length due to the above clamping and pendulum vane overlap dimensions.
8.3 Press the reversing switch to cause the clamp arm to bring the specimen in contact with the top of the
pendulum. Record the reading to the nearest 0.1 unit at the point where the specimen clears the pendulum.
8.4 Reverse the motor, and load the test specimen against the pendulum from the opposite side. Record the
scale reading in this direction. Average the results of the two readings.
8.5 Repeat the test until a total of five machine direction and five cross machine direction specimens are
tested.
8.6 There are now digital machines that work as described above. The left and right readings are
automatically captured and stored. The average is also calculated and displayed as well as the actual stiffness value.
9. Calculations and theory
9.1 Calculation of bending resistance. Bending resistance is calculated in any of three ways:
9.1.1 Direct lookup via the table of conversion factors provided with each instrument (Table 1).
9.1.2 Computation via the equation upon which the lookup table is based.
R D M L 2R
S = 1000 (1)
10 V W R
where
S = bending resistance, Gurley units
R = scale reading
D = distance from weight to pivot, mm
V = distance from tip of vane to pivot = 127.0 mm
M = weight, g
LR = length ratio = Ltest/Lstandard where: Ltest = Cut length minus ½”
Lstandard = 76.2 mm
WR = width ratio = Wtest/Wstandard
Wstandard = 25.4 mm
5/ Bending resistance of paper (Gurley-type tester) T 543 om-05
T 543 om-05 Bending resistance of paper (Gurley-type tester) / 6
NOTE 5: At the time of the instrument’s development, the data calculations were based on a specimen test length of 76.2 mm (3 in.) and a
width of 25.4 mm (1 in.). Equation 1 and Table 1 reference these dimensions as being “standard,” even though different “preferred
dimensions” are specified in 6.1.1. These formulas have traditionally been used to compensate for a wider range of specimen
dimensions.
9.1.3 Automatic digital computation. Newer models of the Gurley tester incorporate optical encoders and
microprocessors. The left and right scale readings are automatically averaged and displayed. Conversion to Gurley
bending resistance units also is automatically displayed.
9.2 Additional information. In Equation 1, the term R/10 is exactly the sine of the pointer angle at which the
vane clears the sample, and the term 1000[(R/10) (D/V)]M is the corresponding force on the sample. The term L2R/WR
accounts for the fact that, for a given scale reading R, longer samples provide greater resistance by the square of their
length, and wider samples are less stiff, in proportion to their width.
9.3 Taber equivalency. As reported in Reference 3, Gurley units can be converted to Taber bending
resistance by the equation:
ST = 0.01419 SG - 0.935
The range of the correlation test studies between Taber and Gurley were from 20 to 150 g-cm units on the Taber, which
approximately corresponds to 2,000 to 10,000 mgf Gurley stiffness units.
10. Report
Report stiffness, scale reading, distance from weight to pivot, weight used, test length and test width as defined in
6.1.1 and 9.1.
11. Precision
11.1 The repeatability and reproducibility provided here are in accordance with the definitions of these terms
in TAPPI T 1200 “Interlaboratory Evaluation of Test Methods to Determine TAPPI Repeatability and Reproducibility.”
These values have been calculated for test results each of which is the average of 10 replicate determinations (2
determinations on each of 5 test specimens) and is based on data obtained from NBS-TAPPI Collaborative Reference
Program Number 25 through 51 (August 1973 through January 1978). The range of test results of Gurley bending
resistance covered is 76 Gurley units to 870 Gurley units.
11.1.1 Repeatability (within laboratory): The repeatability is 5.4% of the test result. The range of all of the
calculations of repeatability is 3.7% to 9.6%. The range of the central 90% of the calculations is 3.9% to 8.7%.
11.1.2 Reproducibility (between laboratories): The reproducibility is 19.2% of the test result. The range of all
of the calculations of reproducibility is 6.4% to 45.4%. The range of the central 90% of the calculations is 12.2% to
25.5%.
11.1.3 The data shown in Table 2 are taken from four reports of CTS Analysis 336 (Gurley bending resistance -
standard Gurley units). These figures are based on ten test determinations per sample and calculated as defined in TAPPI
T 1200 “Interlaboratory Evaluation of Test Methods to Determine TAPPI Repeatability and Reproducibility.” The reader
should be cautioned that this analysis is based on actual mill/laboratory stiffness with instruments or procedures that may
not conform to this method. This information is given as a guide as to the potential variation in Gurley stiffness
evaluation that may exist across the industry.
7/ Bending resistance of paper (Gurley-type tester) T 543 om-05
Table 2. Precision data
Sample SH19 Sample SH17 Sample SH11 Sample SH05
Statistic (Report 130S) (Report 129S) (Report 126S) (Report 123S)
Grand mean 130.0 205.7 278.1 374.9
Number of labs included 43 46 37 39
Between - lab standard deviation 21.2 35.8 19.8 29.4
Repeatability standard deviation 9.9 13.0 17.2 20.9
Reproducibility standard deviation 23.3 38.1 26.1 35.5
Repeatability limit 27.4 36.0 47.6 57.9
Reproducibility limit 64.6 105.6 72.3 98.3
Coefficient of variation, % 16.3 17.4 7.1 7.8
Sample SH19 = 50-lb Offset
Sample SH17 = 60-lb Offset
Sample SH11 = 24-lb Bond
Sample SH05 = 70-lb Offset
12. Keywords
Gurley testers, Bend strength, Paper, Paperboard, Bending resistance
13. Additional information
13.1 Effective date of issue: September 25, 2005.
13.2 Related methods: TAPPI T 451 “Flexural Properties of Paper (Clark Stiffness).” TAPPI T 489 “Stiffness
of Paper and Paperboard (Taber-Type Stiffness Tester)”; TAPPI T 535 “Stiffness of Paperboard (Resonance Length
Method).”
References
1. IPC Instrumentation Studies, XIV, “A Comparison of the Smith-Taber and the Gurley Stiffness Testers,” Paper
Trade Journal 104 (21):43 (May 27, 1937).
2. Verhoeff, J., and White, I.C., “Some aspects of the Gurley Stiffness Tester” Tappi 53 (7): 1316 (1970).
3. Verseput, H.W., “Precision of the Taber Stiffness Test,” Tappi 52 (6):1136 (1969).
Your comments and suggestions on this procedure are earnestly requested and should be sent to the TAPPI Director
of Quality and Standards. g
