ASTM D4673-02

Standard Classification System for Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) Plastics and Alloys Molding and Extrusion Materials

ABSTRACT
This classification system covers only acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) materials and ABS alloys suitable for injection molding and extrusion. Some of these compositions may also be suitable for compression molding. Recycle ABS and alloys will be addressed in a separate standard. ABS materials, based on three or more monomers, are grouped rather than rigidly classified. These groups are then subdivided by class and then grades. Reinforced and lubricated versions of the ABS materials are classified. When the grade of the basic material is not known, or is not important, the use of "0" grade classification shall be used for reinforced materials in this system. The material composition shall be uniform and shall conform to the requirements specified. Test specimens and testing parameters for the materials shall conform to the requirements prescribed. The tensile strength at yield, modulus, Charpy impact, vicat softening point, heat deflection temperature, and glass content of glass-reinforced materials shall be tested to meet the requirements prescribed.
SCOPE
1.1 This classification system covers only ABS materials and ABS alloys suitable for injection molding and extrusion. Some of these compositions may also be suitable for compression molding. Recycle ABS and alloys will be addressed in a separate standard.
1.2 This classification system is not intended for the selection of materials, but only as a means of calling out materials to be used in the manufacture of parts. Materials are to be selected by personnel with expertise in the plastics field where the economics, the environment to be encountered, the inherent properties of the materials, the part design, the part performance required, and the manufacturing process to be employed all enter into the selection.
1.3 The properties included in this classification system are those required to identify the compositions covered. There may be other requirements necessary to identify particular characteristics important to specialized applications. These will be agreed upon between the user and the supplier by using the suffixes given in Section 5.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
1.5 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the test methods portion, Section 12, of this classification system: This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
Note 1—This classification system and ISO 2580 are technically equivalent for those tests contained in both standards.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Mar-2002
• ICS: 83.080.20 - Thermoplastic materials
• Technical Committee: D20 - Plastics
• Drafting Committee: D20.15 - Thermoplastic Materials

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D4673-98 - Standard Classification System for Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) Plastics and Alloys Molding and Extrusion Materials
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2002
• Replaced By: ASTM D4673-02(2008) - Standard Classification System for Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) Plastics and Alloys Molding and Extrusion Materials
• Effective Date: 15-Dec-2008
• Referred By: ASTM D4000-23 - Standard Classification System for Specifying Plastic Materials
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2002

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: D 4673 – 02
Standard Classification System for
Acrylonitrile–Butadiene–Styrene (ABS) Plastics and Alloys
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Molding and Extrusion Materials
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4673; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope* 2. Referenced Documents
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1.1 This classification system covers only ABS materials 2.1 ASTM Standards:
and ABS alloys suitable for injection molding and extrusion. D 256 Test Method for Determining the Pendulum Impact
Some of these compositions may also be suitable for compres- Resistance of Notched Specimens of Plastics
sion molding. Recycle ABS and alloys will be addressed in a D 618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
separate standard. D 638 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics
1.2 This classification system is not intended for the selec- D 648 Test Method for Deflection Temperature of Plastics
tion of materials, but only as a means of calling out materials Under Flexural Load
to be used in the manufacture of parts. Materials are to be D 790 TestMethodsforFlexuralPropertiesofUnreinforced
selected by personnel with expertise in the plastics field where and Reinforced Plastics and Electrical Insulating Materials
theeconomics,theenvironmenttobeencountered,theinherent D 883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
properties of the materials, the part design, the part perfor- D 1003 Test Method for Haze and Luminous Transmittance
mancerequired,andthemanufacturingprocesstobeemployed of Transparent Plastics
all enter into the selection. D 1525 Test Method for Vicat Softening Temperature of
1.3 The properties included in this classification system are Plastics
thoserequiredtoidentifythecompositionscovered.Theremay D 1999 Guide for the Selection of Specimens and Test
be other requirements necessary to identify particular charac- Parameters for International Commerce
teristics important to specialized applications. These will be D 3641 Practice for Injection Molding Test Specimens of
agreed upon between the user and the supplier by using the Thermoplastic Molding and Extrusion Materials
suffixes given in Section 5. D 3892 Practice for Packaging/Packing of Plastics
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the D 4000 Classification System for Specifying Plastic Mate-
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information rials
only. D 5630 Test Method for Ash Content in Plastics
1.5 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the E 105 Practice for Probability Sampling of Materials
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test methods portion, Section 12, of this classification system: 2.2 ISO Standards:
This standard does not purport to address all of the safety ISO/DIS 75 Plastics and Ebonite—Determination of Tem-
concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility peratures of Deflection under Load
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and ISO 179 Plastics—Determination of Charpy Impact
health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory Strength of Rigid Materials
limitations prior to use. ISO 291 Plastics—Standard Atmosphere for Conditioning
and Testing
NOTE 1—This classification system and ISO 2580 are technically
ISO/DIS 294 Plastics—Injection Moulding Test Specimen
equivalent for those tests contained in both standards.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
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ThisclassificationsystemisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD20on contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Plastics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.15 on Thermoplastic Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Materials. the ASTM website.
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Current edition approved March 10, 2002. Published May 2002. Originally Available fromAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
published as D 4673–96. Last previous edition D 4673–98. 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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D4673–02
of Thermoplastics Materials 4. Classification
ISO 306 Plastics—Determination of Vicat Softening Tem-
4.1 ABS materials, based on three or more monomers, are
perature
grouped rather than rigidly classified. These groups are then
ISO/DIS 527, Parts 1 and 2, Plastics—Determination of
subdivided by class and then grade
...