Overview
ISO 19956:2004 - Footwear - Test methods for heels - Fatigue resistance defines a repeatable laboratory test to determine the fatigue resistance of ladies’ shoe heels under repeated small impacts that simulate normal walking. Intended primarily for plastic heels (especially injection‑moulded plastic heels with steel dowel reinforcement), the method is also usable for testing steel heel dowels on their own. The standard was prepared in collaboration with CEN (published as EN ISO 19956:2004).
Key topics and technical requirements
- Test principle: A motor‑driven pendulum delivers blows of specified energy to the heel at a rate of one blow per second until failure, obvious fatigue resistance, or a defined test limit.
- Apparatus: Heel fatigue‑testing machine with a pendulum (moment ≈ 0.68 N·m), circular bob and a striker head with a rounded striking edge. The apparatus must be firmly mounted to avoid loss of impact energy.
- Striker and impact energy: Each blow has an energy of 0.68 J; striker geometry and pendulum dimensions are specified to ensure consistent impact conditions.
- Specimen preparation: Heels are set into metal mounting trays using a molten low‑melting‑point alloy (100 °C–150 °C range) to provide rigid fixation. Three specimens are tested.
- Test procedure: Position the heel so the striker contacts approximately 6 mm below the tip; run the machine, inspect at 60‑minute intervals, and record the counter. Tests stop at complete failure or at 20 000 blows (≈5 h 30 min).
- Result reporting: Record number of blows when damage first detected, number of blows at complete failure, or report that no failure occurred within 20 000 blows. Note and explain any chisel‑type fractures at the striker contact point (considered invalid for the fatigue assessment).
- Documentation: Test report must include test results, description of damage, sample identification (style codes, materials, colours), test date, reference to ISO 19956:2004, and any deviations.
Applications and who uses it
- Footwear manufacturers and design engineers use ISO 19956:2004 for validating heel designs, especially injection‑moulded plastic heels with steel dowels.
- Quality control and independent testing laboratories use the method for supplier verification, production sampling, and compliance testing.
- Product development and materials engineers apply the test during prototyping to compare heel geometries, materials, and reinforcements.
- Procurement and compliance teams use results to support performance claims, warranty evaluations, and market entry documentation.
Related standards
- ISO 19956:2004 was developed by ISO/TC 216 (Footwear) in collaboration with CEN; users often apply it alongside other footwear test methods from ISO/TC 216 and regional EN ISO footwear standards for comprehensive durability and performance assessment.
Keywords: ISO 19956:2004, heel fatigue resistance, footwear testing, plastic heels, injection‑moulded heels, steel dowel, pendulum impact test, heel durability.
