ASTM D1238-04c

Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer

SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers measurement of the rate of extrusion of molten resins through a die of a specified length and diameter under prescribed conditions of temperature, load, and piston position in the barrel as the timed measurement is being made.
1.2 Procedure A is a manual cutoff operation based on time used for materials having flow rates that fall generally between 0.15 and 50 g/10 min. Procedure B is an automatically timed flow rate measurement used for materials having flows from 0.50 to 900 g/10 min. By both procedures, the piston travel is generally the same during the timed measurement; the piston foot is about 46 and 20.6 mm above the die. Comparable flow rates have been obtained by these procedures in interlaboratory round-robin measurements of several materials described in . Provision is made for calculation of melt volume-flow rate as well as melt mass-flow rate.Note 1
Round-robin testing indicates this test method may be suitable at flow rates up to 1500 g/10 min if the timing clock resolves the elapsed time to the nearest 0.01 s.Note 2
This test method and ISO 1133-1991 are technically equivalent.
This standard does not purport to address 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. Specific precautionary statements are given in 5.7, 10.2.12, and 15.1.2.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Nov-2004
• ICS: 83.080.20 - Thermoplastic materials
• Technical Committee: D20 - Plastics
• Drafting Committee: D20.30 - Thermal Properties

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D1238-04a - Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM F997-18 - Standard Specification for Polycarbonate Resin for Medical Applications
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D8501-23 - Standard Classification System for and Basis for Specification for Unfilled Poly(Ether Ketone Ketone) (PEKK) Materials for Molding, Extrusion, Composites, Powder Coating and Additive Manufacturing
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D6339-11(2019) - Standard Classification System for and Basis for Specifications for Syndiotactic Polystyrene Molding and Extrusion (SPS)
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D4203-17 - Standard Specification for and Basis for Specifications for Styrene-Acrylonitrile (SAN) Injection and Extrusion Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM F2435-22 - Standard Specification for Steel Reinforced Polyethylene (PE) Corrugated Pipe
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D4976-12a(2020) - Standard Specification for Polyethylene Plastics Molding and Extrusion Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM F714-22 - Standard Specification for Polyethylene (PE) Plastic Pipe (DR-PR) Based on Outside Diameter
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D6213-17 - Standard Practice for Tests to Evaluate the Chemical Resistance of Geogrids to Liquids
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D3159-22 - Standard Specification for Modified ETFE Fluoropolymer Molding and Extrusion Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D4565-20 - Standard Test Methods for Physical and Environmental Performance Properties of <brk/>Insulations and Jackets for Telecommunications Wire and Cable
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D7471-19 - Standard Specification for CPT-Fluoropolymer Molding and Extrusion Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D6265-23 - Standard Practice for Separation of Contaminants in Polymers Using an Extruder Filter Test
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM F3508-21a - Standard Guide for In-Situ Pipeline Renovation As Dual-Wall Composite Pipeline by Push/Pull Installation of Compressed-Fit Shape-Memory-Polymer Tubular (SMPT)
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D5138-23 - Standard Classification System and Basis for Specification for Liquid Crystal Polymers Molding and Extrusion Materials (LCP)
• Effective Date: 01-Dec-2004

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: D1238 – 04c
Standard Test Method for
Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion
1
Plastometer
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D1238; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) 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* D883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
D3364 Test Method for Flow Rates for Poly(Vinyl Chlo-
1.1 This test method covers measurement of the rate of
ride) with Molecular Structural Implications
extrusion of molten resins through a die of a specified length
E691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
anddiameterunderprescribedconditionsoftemperature,load,
Determine the Precision of a Test Method
and piston position in the barrel as the timed measurement is
2.2 ANSI Standard:
being made.
3
B46.1 on Surface Texture
1.2 ProcedureAis a manual cutoff operation based on time
2.3 ISO Standard:
usedformaterialshavingflowratesthatfallgenerallybetween
ISO1133-1991 DeterminationoftheMelt-MassFlowRate
0.15 and 50 g/10 min. Procedure B is an automatically timed
(MFR) and the Melt Volume-Flow Rate (MVR) of Ther-
flow rate measurement used for materials having flows from
3
moplastics
0.50 to 900 g/10 min. By both procedures, the piston travel is
generally the same during the timed measurement; the piston
3. Terminology
foot is about 46 and 20.6 mm above the die. Comparable flow
3.1 General:
rateshavebeenobtainedbytheseproceduresininterlaboratory
3.1.1 For definition of some of the technical terms used in
round-robin measurements of several materials described in
this test method refer to Terminology D883.
14.1. Provision is made for calculation of melt volume-flow
rate as well as melt mass-flow rate.
4. Significance and Use
NOTE 1—Round-robin testing indicates this test method may be suit-
4.1 Thistestmethodisparticularlyusefulforqualitycontrol
able at flow rates up to 1500 g/10 min if the timing clock resolves the
tests on thermoplastics.
elapsed time to the nearest 0.01 s.
NOTE 2—This test method and ISO1133-1991 are technically equiva- NOTE 3—Polymers having flow rates less than 0.15 or greater than 900
lent. g/10 min may be tested by the procedures in this test method; however,
precision data have not been developed.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address the safety
4.2 Thistestmethodservestoindicatetheuniformityofthe
concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
flowrateofthepolymerasmadebyanindividualprocessand,
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and
in this case, may be indicative of uniformity of other proper-
health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
ties.However,uniformityofflowrateamongvariouspolymers
limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary statements are
as made by various processes does not, in the absence of other
given in 5.7, 10.2.12, and 15.1.2.
tests, indicate uniformity of other properties.
2. Referenced Documents
4.3 The flow rate obtained with the extrusion plastometer is
2
2.1 ASTM Standards: not a fundamental polymer property. It is an empirically
defined parameter critically influenced by the physical proper-
D618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
ties and molecular structure of the polymer and the conditions
of measurement. The rheological characteristics of polymer
1
ThistestmethodisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD20onPlastics
melts depend on a number of variables. Since the values of
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.30 on Thermal Properties
these variables occurring in this test may differ substantially
(Section D20.30.08).
from those in large-scale processes, test results may not
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2004. Published December 2004. Originally
approved in 1965. Last previous edition approved in 2004 as D1238-04b. DOI: correlate directly with processing behavior.
10.1520/D1238-04C.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
3
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available fromAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
the ASTM website. 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
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D1238 – 04c
4.4 The flow rate of a material may be measured under any
oftheconditionslistedfori
...