Abstract: A test apparatus includes an optical displacement transducer for sensing deformation of the cigarette filter responsive to a predetermined load applied transverse to the filter during simulated smoking of the cigarette, and a barcode laser scanner for sensing relative movement of a charline along a tobacco rod of the burning cigarette during simulated smoking. The optical displacement transducer thus produces a filter hot collapse signal, while the barcode laser scanner produces a tobacco consumption signal. A processor, such as a microprocessor operating under stored program control, samples the hot collapse signal and the tobacco consumption signal to generate a series of respective data points. A display is operatively connected to the processor for generating a graphical representation of at least one of the hot collapse signal and the tobacco consumption signal as a function of time, based upon the respective sampled data points.