Setting the Standard

The American Society for Testing and Materials
develops several standard specifications to measure shock absorbency of various materials. These test methods quantify impact in terms of G max and Head Injury Criterion (HIC) scores. G-max is the measure of the maximum acceleration or shock produced by the impact.  Shock-absorption effectiveness is measured by how much the material decreases the G-max, or Peak G’s.  The lower the Peak G’s, the better the shock-absorption The Head Injury Criterion (HIC) is an empirical measure of impact severity based on published research describing the relationship between the magnitude and duration of impact acceleration and the risk of head trauma.  The HIC is also a critical gauge of shock-absorption for injuries other than to the head, including the hip area. ASTM F-1292 Impact Test is the best test to measure shock-absorption for both helmets and hip protectors.  It is more sophisticated than ASTM D-3574, an Indentation Force Deflection test, or pendulum type tests which can measure some overall physical properties, not specifically shock-absorption or safety from falls.                      Plum Enterprises uses only the best materials to maximize your safety.