ASTM F548-03

Standard Test Method for Intensity of Scratches on Aerospace Transparent Plastics

SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the visual inspection of shallow or superficial scratches on the surface of aerospace transparent plastic materials.
1.2 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.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Apr-2003
• ICS: 49.045 - Structure and structure elements
• Technical Committee: F07 - Aerospace and Aircraft
• Drafting Committee: F07.08 - Transparent Enclosures and Materials

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM F548-01 - Standard Test Method for Intensity of Scratches on Aerospace Transparent Plastics
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2003
• Replaced By: ASTM F548-03a - Standard Test Method for Intensity of Scratches on Aerospace Transparent Plastics
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2003
• Referred By: ASTM F790-23 - Standard Guide for Testing Materials for Aerospace Plastic Transparent Enclosures
• Effective Date: 10-Apr-2003

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: F 548 – 03
Standard Test Method for
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Intensity of Scratches on Aerospace Transparent Plastics
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 548; 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 toward the observer. The light level shall be a minimum of 80
lux. Either natural or artificial light may be used. Place the
1.1 This test method covers the visual inspection of shallow
scratch in the visual comparison standard beside and parallel to
or superficial scratches on the surface of aerospace transparent
the scratch on the plastic material. Rotate the part or viewing
plastic materials.
angle to get the best definition of the scratch. Disregarding the
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the
length of the scratch on the plastic material and on the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
standard, select and record the highest standard scratch that
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
most clearly matches the appearance of the scratch on the
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
plastic material. Measure and record the length of the scratch to
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
the nearest 1 mm (0.04 in.).
2. Summary of Test Method
6. Interpretation
2.1 A visual comparison is made between a set of graded
6.1 Customer specifications for transparent plastic materials
scratch standards and the scratch on the plastic material to
and parts may detail allowable frequency, location, length, and
determine the relative intensity of the scratch.
standard number for scratches and they may assign maximum
3. Significance and Use scratch limits for critical and noncritical optical viewing areas.
3.1 Scratches exist on all transparent plastic surfaces. Usu-
7. Report
ally they are very fine scratches from cleaning operations that
7.1 For each scratch within the scope of the plastic scratch
are not visible when looking through the plastic. Deeper
standard, report its standard number, length, frequency, and
scratches may result from careless cleaning or handling. While
location.
these may not be deep enough to affect the structural integrity
of the part, their appearance in certain locations may be
8. Precision and Bias
distracting to the observer looking through the plastic. There-
8.1 Precision:
fore, a procedure to define these scratches is useful.
8.1.1 The repeatability of judging the intensity of a scratch
4. Reference Materials within one scratch value, for the same observer, is 92 % or
better.
NOTE 1—The committee is in the process of developing new visual
8.1.2 The reproducibility (between observers) of judging
comparison standards. Adjuncts are not currently available.
the intensity of a scratch within one scratch value is 90 % or
5. Procedure
better for scratch values 14 and above. The reproducibility of
judging the intensity of a scratch within two scratch values is
5.1 Place the part in a suitable inspection position. This may
92 % or better for scratch values below 14. The data reflect that
be horizontal on a padded table, vertical against a neutral
it is more difficult to judge finer scratches.
background, or at an angle. The scratched surface shall be
8.2 Bias—The procedure in this test method has no bias
because the scratch intensity is defined only in terms of the test
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This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F07 on
method.
Aerospace and Aircraft and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F07.08 on
Transparent Enclosures and Materials.
9. Keywords
Current edition approved Apr. 10, 2003. Published May 2003. Originally
9.1 comparison standard; scratches; transparent plastic
published in 1981. Last previous edition approved in 2001 as F 548 - 01.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
F548–03
APPENDIX
(Nonmandatory Information)
X1. COMPARISON OF GLASS AND PLASTIC SCRATCH RATINGS
X1.1 A study was performed to determine equivalent plastic adjuncts three times. The 96 trials for each observer
relationships between glass and plastic scratch adjuncts. This were randomized with the constraint that there be at least five
empirically defined relationship can be used if needed when: trials between replications of the same scratch and either glass
(1) only glass a
...