This description is from ISTA document.

ISTA 3 Series tests are advanced tests and are designed to:
- Challenge the capability of the package and product to withstand transport hazards, but
- Utilize general simulation of actual transport hazards, and
- Do not necessarily comply with carrier packaging regulations.

When properly executed, ISTA procedures will provide tangible benefits of:
- Product to market time reduction
- Confidence in product launch
- Reduction in damages and product loss
- Balanced distribution costs
- Customer satisfaction contributing to increased market share

There are three sections to this Procedure: Overview, Testing and Reporting
- Overview provides general knowledge required before testing and
- Testing presents the specific instructions to do laboratory testing and
- Reporting indicates what data shall be recorded to submit a test report to |STA.

Two systems of weights and measures are presented in ISTA test procedures:  SI (Metric) or English system (Inch-Pound). Metric
units are shown first followed by the Inch-Pound units in parentheses; there are exceptions in some tables (when shown
separately).

- Either system may be used as the unit of measure (standard units) but
- The standard units chosen shall be used consistently throughout the procedure.
- Units are converted to two significant figures and
- Not exact equivalents.

This description is from ISTA document.

ISTA 2 Series tests are a combination of basic test elements from ISTA 1 Series (Non-Simulation Integrity Performance Testing)
and advanced test elements from ISTA 3 Series (General Simulation Performance Testing)

- They challenge the capability of the package and product to withstand transport hazards, but
- They only simulate some actual transport hazards, and
- They do not necessarily comply with carrier packaging regulations.

When properly applied, ISTA procedures will provide tangible benefits of:
- Shortened packaged development time and confidence in product launch
- Protection of products and profits with reduced damage and product loss
- Economically balanced distribution costs
- Customer satisfaction and continued business.

There are three sections: Overview, Testing and Report
- Overview provides the general knowledge required before going into the testing laboratory and
- Testing presents the specific instructions to do the testing in the laboratory and
- Report indicates what data shall be recorded to submit a test report to ISTA.

Two systems of weights and measures are presented in ISTA test procedures. They are the English system Cinch-Pound) and the
international system SI (Metric). Inch-Pound units are shown first with Metric units in brackets, except in some tables where they
are shown separately.

- Either system may be used as the unit of measure (standard units), but
- The standard units chosen shall be used consistently throughout the procedure.
- Units are converted to two significant figures and
- Not exact equivalents.

This description is from ISTA document.

ISTA 1 Series are the most basic category of performance tests.

- They challenge the capability of the package and product to withstand transport hazards, but
- They are not simulations of actual transport hazards, and
- Do not necessarily comply with carrier packaging regulations.

When properly applied, ISTA procedures will provide tangible benefits of:

- Shortened packaged development time and confidence in product launch
- Protection of products and profits with reduced damage and product loss
- Economically balanced distribution costs
- Customer satisfaction and continued business.

There are three sections: Overview, Testing and Report

- Overview provides the general knowledge required before going into the testing laboratory and
- Testing presents the specific instructions to do the testing in the laboratory and
- Report indicates what data shall be recorded to submit a test report to ISTA.

Two systems of weights and measures are presented in ISTA test procedures. They are the English system Cinch-Pound) and the
international system SI (Metric). Inch-Pound units are shown first with Metric units in brackets, except in some tables where they
are shown separately.

- Either system may be used as the unit of measure (standard units) but
- The standard units chosen shall be used consistently throughout the procedure.
- Units are converted to two significant figures and
- Not exact equivalents.