EN ISO 536:2020

Paper and board - Determination of grammage (ISO 536:2019)

This document specifies a method for determining the grammage of paper and board.

Papier und Pappe - Bestimmung der flächenbezogenen Masse (ISO 536:2019)

Dieses Dokument legt ein Verfahren zur Bestimmung der flächenbezogenen Masse von Papier und Pappe fest.

Papier et carton - Détermination du grammage (ISO 536:2019)

Le présent document spécifie une méthode de détermination du grammage du papier et du carton.

Papir, karton in lepenka - Ugotavljanje gramature (ISO 536:2019)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 04-Feb-2020
• Withdrawal Date: 30-Aug-2020
• ICS: 85.060 - Paper and board
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 172 - Pulp, paper and board
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 172 - Pulp, paper and board
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 05-Feb-2020
• Completion Date: 05-Feb-2020
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO 536:2020 - Paper and board - Determination of grammage (ISO 536:2019)

Relations

• Replaces: EN ISO 536:2012 - Paper and board - Determination of grammage (ISO 536:2012)
• Effective Date: 12-Feb-2020

Overview - EN ISO 536:2020 (ISO 536:2019)

EN ISO 536:2020 (identical to ISO 536:2019) specifies a standardized laboratory method for the determination of grammage (mass per unit area) of paper and board. It defines the principle, required apparatus, sampling and conditioning procedures, the test method, calculation of results and reporting requirements. The standard is used across the paper and board value chain to ensure consistent, reproducible measurement of sheet mass (expressed in g/m²).

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and principle
  • Grammage is determined by measuring the mass and area of test pieces and calculating mass per unit area.
• Apparatus
  • Cutting device capable of producing test pieces within ±1.0% of nominal area (if not achievable each piece’s dimensions must be measured).
  • Balance with accuracy to ±0.5% of the measured mass and sensitivity to detect a ±0.2% change.
  • Optional special sheet‑weighing balances that give direct grammage readings (with specified calibrated area limits).
• Sampling and conditioning
  • Sampling in accordance with ISO 186; specimens conditioned per ISO 187 for “conditioned” and “oven‑dry” grammage determinations.
  • “As‑taken” grammage procedures limit ambient moisture effects.
• Test piece size and quantity
  • Preferred test piece area: 50 000 mm² to 100 000 mm² (typical 200 mm × 250 mm); minimum permitted area 10 000 mm² if sample is limited (must be reported as deviation).
  • Recommended: at least five specimens and sufficient area for ≥20 test pieces (same number from each specimen).
• Calculation and reporting
  • Grammage calculated from measured mass and area (standard formulas are provided) and results expressed to three significant figures.
  • Report mean and standard deviation and include specified metadata (conditioning, test piece area, number of replicates, any deviations).
• Annexes
  • Procedures for oven‑dry and as‑taken grammage and precision data (informative).

Applications and who uses it

• Quality control labs in paper mills and converters for routine grammage verification.
• Incoming inspection for paper merchants and printing/packaging companies to confirm material specifications.
• R&D and material specification development where accurate mass/area data are required.
• Certification bodies and testing services performing standardized test reports used in contracts and compliance checks.

Related standards

• ISO 186 - Sampling to determine average quality
• ISO 187 - Standard atmosphere for conditioning and testing
• ISO 287 - Determination of moisture content (oven‑drying)

Keywords: EN ISO 536:2020, ISO 536:2019, grammage, paper and board, determination of grammage, paper testing, conditioning, sampling, sheet mass, g/m2.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-april-2020
Nadomešča:
SIST EN ISO 536:2012
Papir, karton in lepenka - Ugotavljanje gramature (ISO 536:2019)
Paper and board - Determination of grammage (ISO 536:2019)
Papier und Pappe - Bestimmung der flächenbezogenen Masse (ISO 536:2019)
Papier et carton - Détermination du grammage (ISO 536:2019)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 536:2020
ICS:
85.060 Papir, karton in lepenka Paper and board
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN ISO 536
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
February 2020
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 85.060 Supersedes EN ISO 536:2012
English Version
Paper and board - Determination of grammage (ISO
536:2019)
Papier et carton - Détermination du grammage (ISO Papier und Pappe - Bestimmung der flächenbezogenen
536:2019) Masse (ISO 536:2019)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 30 November 2019.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2020 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 536:2020 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3

European foreword
This document (EN ISO 536:2020) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 6 "Paper, board
and pulps" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 172 “Pulp, paper and board” the
secretariat of which is held by DIN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by August 2020, and conflicting national standards shall
be withdrawn at the latest by August 2020.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN ISO 536:2012.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the
United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 536:2019 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 536:2020 without any modification.

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 536
Fourth edition
2019-11
Paper and board — Determination of
grammage
Papier et carton — Détermination du grammage
Reference number
ISO 536:2019(E)
©
ISO 2019
ISO 536:2019(E)
© ISO 2019
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address
below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

ISO 536:2019(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 1
5 Apparatus . 1
6 Sampling . 2
7 Conditioning . 2
8 Procedure. 2
9 Calculation and expression of results . 3
10 Test report . 3
Annex A (normative) Determination of grammage on an “oven-dry” and “as-taken” basis .5
Annex B (informative) Precision . 6
Bibliography . 8
ISO 536:2019(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www .iso .org/
iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 6, Paper, board and pulps, Subcommittee
SC 2, Test methods and quality specifications for paper and board.
This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition (ISO 536:2012), which has been technically
revised. The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows:
— several inconsistencies and imprecisions have been addressed e.g. 5.1 permits the nominal area
of test pieces cut by the cutter to be used in calculating grammage rather than for the area of each
test piece to be determined, in certain circumstances, but this was not recognised in subsequent
clauses;
— sharper wording in Clause 8 when a reduced test area is used;
— additional information required in Clause 10;
— a more accurate description of the determinate of “as-taken” grammage near top of a reel in A.2.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/ members .html.
iv © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 536:2019(E)
Paper and board — Determination of grammage
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for determining the grammage of paper and board.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edit
...