Overview
ISO 6565:2015 - Tobacco and tobacco products - Draw resistance of cigarettes and pressure drop of filter rods - Standard conditions and measurement - specifies standard conditions and a measurement method for the draw resistance of cigarettes and the pressure drop of filter rods. It applies to cigarettes, filter rods and similar cylindrical tobacco products. Results are expressed in pascals (Pa) (also shown in mm water gauge (mmWG)) and are referenced to a volumetric flow of 17.5 ml/s (see ISO 3402).
Key topics and requirements
-
Test conditions
- Air flow in the standard direction (input → output).
- Position may be horizontal or vertical; products with loose-fill cavities must be vertical.
- Cigarettes: output end inserted and encapsulated to ~9 mm depth without occluding ventilation holes.
- Filter rods: completely encapsulated so no air passes through the outer wrapping.
-
Measurement parameters
- Volumetric flow reference: 17.5 ml/s (standard conditions defined in ISO 3402).
- Results reported in Pa (conversion: 1 mmWG ≈ 9.8067 Pa).
-
Instruments and procedure
- Both vacuum and pressure instruments are used. Allow settling time before reading (typical: 2–3 s for low Δp, 4–6 s for higher Δp).
- Record instrument type, configuration and settling time.
- Insert test piece manually or automatically and record steady reading.
-
Calibration and transfer standards
- Calibrate instruments using pressure drop transfer standards at least once per day and whenever ambient conditions change by >2 °C or >5% RH.
- Use reference and monitor standards; a dummy standard is recommended for leak checks.
- Annex A describes transfer-standard calibration details.
-
Expression of results and precision
- Individual readings rounded to nearest 10 Pa; sample mean and SD to nearest 1 Pa.
- Repeatability (cigarettes): r = 23 Pa; Reproducibility: R = 57 Pa.
- For filter rods, repeatability and reproducibility are proportional to mean Δp (r = 0.007 × mΔp, R = 0.023 × mΔp).
-
Reporting
- Test report must identify product, sampling date, method, instrument/configuration, and any non-standard conditions.
Applications and users
ISO 6565:2015 is used by:
- Tobacco manufacturers for product design, quality control and batch testing.
- Analytical and third‑party testing laboratories performing standardized draw/pressure measurements.
- Instrument manufacturers and calibration labs developing and validating measurement systems.
- Regulatory agencies and researchers needing comparable, traceable measurements of draw resistance and filter pressure drop.
Related standards
- ISO 3402 - Atmosphere for conditioning and testing (normative reference for standard test conditions).
- Annexes in ISO 6565 contain calibration guidance and interlaboratory precision data useful for laboratories and equipment suppliers.
Keywords: ISO 6565:2015, draw resistance, pressure drop, cigarettes, filter rods, tobacco products, measurement, transfer standards, calibration, ISO 3402, laboratory precision.
