BS ISO 4906-2024 PDF

Full title and description

BS ISO 4906:2024 — Tobacco and tobacco products. Determination of filling power for preparation of fine-cut smoking articles. Constant-weight pressurization. This British adoption of ISO 4906:2024 specifies a laboratory procedure to measure the filling power (volume per unit mass) of conditioned fine-cut tobacco used in hand‑rolled and fine‑cut smoking articles, using a constant-weight pressurization method.

Abstract

ISO 4906:2024 defines a reproducible test method to determine the filling power of fine‑cut tobacco by placing a defined mass of conditioned tobacco in a measuring cylinder and applying a constant load for a specified time, then measuring the compressed column height and calculating the filling power (cm³/g). The procedure includes apparatus dimensions and tolerances, sample size and conditioning, number of determinations, calculation and reporting requirements, and precision information from interlaboratory studies.

General information

• Status: Published (international standard; adopted as a British Standard).
• Publication date: ISO publication: 22 May 2024; BS adoption/publication: 24 May 2024.
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO); British Standards Institution (BSI) for the BS edition.
• ICS / categories: 65.160 — Tobacco, tobacco products and related equipment.
• Edition / version: Edition 1 — 2024 (first edition).
• Number of pages: ISO edition: 6 pages (core ISO text); BS publication typically includes additional national foreword/cover and is listed by some suppliers as 16 pages.

Scope

This standard specifies a laboratory method for determining the filling power of fine‑cut tobacco used for the preparation of fine‑cut smoking articles (e.g., hand‑rolled tobacco). It covers specimen sampling and conditioning (referencing applicable sampling and atmosphere standards), apparatus dimensions and performance, the test procedure (including number and mass of test portions), calculation of filling power (volume per unit mass), expression of results, and reporting requirements. It is intended for quality control, product specification, research and interlaboratory comparison of filling characteristics of fine‑cut tobacco.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of filling power and its significance for processing and product quality.
• Requirements for sampling and conditioning of test material (referencing relevant sampling and conditioning standards).
• Apparatus specifications (measuring cylinder diameter and tolerances, measuring/loading head dimensions, load magnitude and application speed, measuring instruments accuracy).
• Test procedure: defined mass per test portion, number of determinations (typically five), application of a constant weight for a specified dwell time, and measurement of compressed height.
• Calculation method: formula to convert compressed column volume and sample mass into filling power (reported in cm³/g) and rounding rules.
• Precision and repeatability/reproducibility information from collaborative studies, and recommended reporting of statistical descriptors (mean, min, max, standard deviation, coefficient of variation).
• Required information in the test report (sample identification, conditioning atmosphere, water content, apparatus details, individual results and mean, test date, laboratory identification).

Typical use and users

Primary users include tobacco product manufacturers, quality control and analytical laboratories, research and development groups studying tobacco physical properties, national and regional regulators overseeing product standards, and suppliers of testing equipment. Typical applications are production quality control, raw material specification, product development (blend evaluation), and comparative studies between tobacco batches or processing conditions.

Related standards

Standards referenced or commonly used alongside ISO 4906:2024 include ISO 15592‑1 (sampling of fine‑cut tobacco and preparation), ISO 15592‑2 (conditioning and test atmosphere for fine‑cut tobacco), and ISO 16632 (determination of water content by gas‑chromatographic method) — these provide sampling, conditioning and moisture‑determination procedures that are used together with the filling power test. ISO/TC 126 technical committee publications and other national adoptions (e.g., BS ISO 4906) are also relevant for national implementation.

Keywords

filling power; fine‑cut tobacco; constant‑weight pressurization; tobacco testing; physical properties; conditioning; sampling; test method; quality control.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: BS ISO 4906:2024 is the British adoption of ISO 4906:2024, an international standard that specifies a laboratory method to measure the filling power of fine‑cut tobacco using constant‑weight pressurization.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers apparatus requirements, sampling and conditioning references, detailed test procedure (mass, number of determinations, load, timing, measurement), calculation of filling power (volume per unit mass), reporting requirements and precision information from interlaboratory testing.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Tobacco manufacturers, quality/analytical laboratories, R&D teams, equipment suppliers and regulators use the standard for product specification, quality control, and comparative testing of fine‑cut tobacco.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: It is a current standard published in 2024 (ISO publication date 22 May 2024; BS adoption/publication date 24 May 2024). It represents the first edition of ISO 4906 issued in 2024.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is part of the family of standards developed by ISO/TC 126 (tobacco and tobacco products) that address sampling, conditioning and analytical methods for fine‑cut tobacco and related products; it is commonly used in conjunction with ISO 15592‑1 and ISO 15592‑2.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Filling power, fine‑cut tobacco, constant‑weight pressurization, tobacco testing, conditioning, sampling, quality control.