Standard Practice for Generic Marking of Plastic Products

SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers a system for uniform marking of products that have been fabricated from polymeric materials. Provision for the process or processes to be used for marking is outside the scope of this practice.
Note 1--Precise details of the marking, for example, the minimum size of the item to be marked, the size of the lettering, and the appropriate location of the marking, may be the subject to agreement between the manufacturer and the user.
1.2 The abbreviated terms used are to provide generic identification of the polymer(s).
1.3 This practice is especially pertinent for use with durable plastic components of products. This practice is not intended to supplant, replace, or in any way interfere with the requirements found in legislation for marking or labeling of packaging.
1.4 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 2--In many respects, this practice is similar to ISO 11469.

General Information

Status
Historical
Publication Date
31-Dec-2000
Technical Committee
Drafting Committee
Current Stage
Ref Project

Relations

Buy Standard

Standard
ASTM D1972-97(2001) - Standard Practice for Generic Marking of Plastic Products
English language
4 pages
sale 15% off
Preview
sale 15% off
Preview

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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.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:D1972–97 (Reapproved 2001)
Standard Practice for
Generic Marking of Plastic Products
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 1972; 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.
1. Scope * ISO/DIS 1043-1:1995, Plastics—Symbols and Abbreviated
Terms—Part 1: Basic Polymers and Their Special Char-
1.1 This practice covers a system for uniform marking of
acteristics
products that have been fabricated from polymeric materials.
ISO 1043-2:1991 Plastics—Symbols—Part 2: Fillers and
Provision for the process or processes to be used for marking
Reinforcing Materials
is outside the scope of this practice.
ISO 1043-3:1988 Plastics—Symbols—Part 3: Plasticizers
NOTE 1—Precisedetailsofthemarking,forexample,theminimumsize
ISO/DIS 1043-4: 1996 Plastics—Symbols—Part 4: Flame
of the item to be marked, the size of the lettering, and the appropriate
Retardants
location of the marking, may be the subject to agreement between the
ISO 1087:1990 Terminology—Vocabulary
manufacturer and the user.
ISO 8604:1988 Plastics—Prepregs—Definition of Terms
1.2 The abbreviated terms used are to provide generic
and Symbols for Designations
identification of the polymer(s).
ISO11469:1993 Plastics—GenericIdentificationandMark-
1.3 This practice is especially pertinent for use with durable
ing of Plastics Products
plastic components of products.This practice is not intended to
supplant,replace,orinanywayinterferewiththerequirements
3. Terminology
found in legislation for marking or labeling of packaging.
3.1 Definitions: Definitions are in accordance with Termi-
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
nology D 883 unless otherwise specified.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.2.1 abbreviated term—a term resulting from the omission
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
of any part of a term while designating the same concept. (See
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
ISO 1087.)
3.2.2 Discussion—88Abbreviated term” is a general term
NOTE 2—In many respects, this practice is similar to ISO 11469.
that includes abbreviations, initialisms, and acronyms (initial-
2. Referenced Documents
isms that can be pronounced as a word). International Standard
2.1 ASTM Standards: definitions for each of these terms is included in ISO 1087.
D 883 Terminology Relating to Plastics 3.2.3 bulk molding compound (BMC)—a product composed
D 1600 Terminology for Abbreviated Terms Relating to ofthoroughlymixedresinsandchoppedreinforcingfiberswith
Plastics or without particulate fillers, supplied in mass form, capable of
D 3935 Specification for Polycarbonate (PC) Unfilled and being molded under heat and pressure. (See ISO 8604.)
Reinforced Material 3.2.4 matrix polymer—the continuous phase in a polymeric
D 4000 Classification System for Specifying Plastic Mate- blend or alloy.
rials 3.2.5 plastic products—articles or stock shapes of plastic
2.2 ISO Standards: materials intended for useful purposes.
ISO 472:1988, Plastics—Vocabulary 3.3 Abbreviations—Abbreviated terms used in this practice
are from Terminology D 1600 and ISO 1043.
4. Significance and Use
This practice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D20 on Plastics and
4.1 This marking system is to provide assistance in identi-
is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.95 on Recycled Plastics.
fication of products for making subsequent decisions as to
Current edition approved April 10, 1997. Published April 1998. Originally
published as D 1972 – 91. Last previous edition D 1972 – 94.
handling, recycling, or disposal.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.01.
4.2 The system is based on standard abbreviated terms
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.02.
4 relating to plastics published in the ISO 1043 series of
Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13th
Floor, New York, NY 10036. standards and in ASTM D 1600.
*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.
D1972
4.3 A system for expanded generic marking is described in 5.4.1 Example 1—For a polyamide 66 containing a mixture
nonmandatory Appendix X1. of 15 mass percentage of mineral powder (MD) and 25 mass
percentage of glass fiber (GF) use the identification:
5. System for Marking Products
.PA66 2 ~GF25 1 MD15!,
5.1 Plastic products may be marked at some place on the
or:
surface with the abbreviated term(s) set between the punctua-
.PA66 2 ~GF 1 MD!40,
tion marks “>” and “<” (greater-than or less-than signs,
5.4.2 Example 2—For the composition of Example 1 that
sometimes referred to as reversed angled brackets). For ex-
also contains red phosphorus as a flame retardant use the
ample, for products made from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene
identificationshownasfollows.Thecodeforredphosphorusis
polymer use:
from ISO/DIS 1043-4.
.ABS,
.PA66 2 ~GF25 1 MD15! 2 FR~52!,
5.2 Products made from polymer blends or alloys may be
5.4.3 Example 3—For a BMC with 50 mass percentage of
markedwiththeappropriateabbreviatedtermsfortheconstitu-
filler (MD) and 25 mass percentage of glass fibers (GF) use the
ent polymers that are present in a concentration of more than
identification:
one percent with the main component of the matrix in first
place followed by the other components in descending order .UP ~MD50 1 GF25!,
according to their mass fractions, separated by one or more
5.5 Products that comprise two or more plastic components,
plus signs and set off as described in 5.1.
some of which are not readily visible, shall be marked so that
5.2.1 Example—For an alloy of polycarbonate and
the primary visible material is identified first, by the system
acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene in which the polycarbonate is
specified in 5.1, followed by identification of the other mate-
the matrix polymer with the acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene
rial(s) with the individual identification(s) separated by a
being dispersed therein use the identification:
comma. The main component by mass is identified by under-
.PC 1 ABS, lining.
5.5.1 Example—For a product made of three components,
5.3 Products made from compositions containing a single
the visible one is a thin coa
...

Questions, Comments and Discussion

Ask us and Technical Secretary will try to provide an answer. You can facilitate discussion about the standard in here.