MIBANT
MIBANT stands for Morgan Impact Bend Angle Nail Tester, the impact-bend test for pallet nails defined in ASTM F680. It reports a bend angle in degrees: the lower the angle, the stiffer the nail. Quality pallet nails typically test in the 20s and 30s.
Also called MIBANT angle, Morgan Impact Bend Angle Nail Tester, MIBANT test
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How the test works
A weight strikes a nail clamped at a set point, and the tester records how far the shank bends. The result is the MIBANT angle in degrees. Lower is better, because a stiffer nail resists the bending that loosens joints during handling.
What is a good MIBANT angle?
| MIBANT angle | Industry rating (trade press) |
|---|---|
| 8 to 24 degrees | excellent |
| 25 to 35 degrees | good |
| 37 to 46 degrees | acceptable |
Real PDS spec sheets show quality pallet nails at 21, 28 and 36 degrees. Soft clinching mat nails can read over 100. No more than 8% of the nails tested may show shank failure.
How MIBANT feeds the engineering
The Uniform Standard (Annex F) converts the MIBANT angle into bending yield strength for connection design, and sets a minimum bending yield of 100 ksi. A MIBANT value is one of the standard fields in a fastener specification, alongside wire diameter, thread and the fastener withdrawal characteristic.
Why it matters
Nail quality drives durability. Virginia Tech found a GMA pallet built with 11-1/2 gauge (0.112 in) nails lasted about twice as many trips as one built with 12-1/2 gauge (0.099 in) collated nails. See nail quality and ASTM F680.
Questions
- Is a higher or lower MIBANT better?
- Lower. A lower bend angle means a stiffer nail that holds joints tighter under handling.
- What standard defines MIBANT?
- ASTM F680, the standard test methods for nails, includes the MIBANT impact-bend test.
Related
- ASTM F680: nail testing and the MIBANT bend testASTM F680 covers nail test methods, including the MIBANT impact-bend test. A lower bend angle means a stiffer nail; 8-24 degrees is rated excellent.
- Pallet nail quality: MIBANT, FWC and thread press-outPallet nail quality is measured by MIBANT bend angle (lower is better, 8-24° excellent), withdrawal characteristic (FWC 1.9+ reusable) and thread press-out.
- Fastener withdrawal characteristicThe fastener withdrawal characteristic (FWC, Cw) rates how well a nail's threads resist pull-out. Plain nails score 1.0; reusable pallets need at least 1.9.
- Helical nailA helical nail has a spiral thread on its shank that turns as it is driven, resisting pull-out. It is the standard pallet nail for medium and dense hardwoods.
- Pallet nails: types, sizes and how manyPallet nails are usually 2 to 3 in helical or annular threaded nails, 11 to 12-1/2 gauge. A GMA 48 x 40 uses 84 nails: 2 or 3 per joint by board width.
- NotchA notch is a cutout in the bottom of a pallet stringer for fork tines. The Uniform Standard recommends about a 2 x 9 in opening with rounded corners.
Sources
- Virginia Tech CPULD: effect of fastener quality on pallet durability
- Pallet Enterprise: two characteristics hold key to nail quality
- Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets (NWPCA, now Woodpack Global), 2012 edition