ISO 3783:2006 specifies an accelerated speed method for determining the surface strength in terms of the pick velocity and pick resistance of coated and uncoated paper and board, and in terms of the delamination resistance of the liner on paperboard, by simulating the behaviour in the printing process. Because of the limited area tested and the general character of the test, it will not usually detect local imperfections such as surface debris.
This test is especially important for papers and boards which are to be printed in lithographic offset or letterpress, because the inks used in these techniques traditionally have a high viscosity and high tack values. Due to the increasing tendency for the tack and viscosity of modern flexographic inks to be high, this method is also useful in that field.