University or corporate engineering libraries often have subscriptions. Summary of ASTM D618-21 Requirements Document Type: Standard Practice Current Version: D618-21 (2021) Scope: Plastics (all types) Core Goal: Stabilize moisture and temperature
This means the specimen was conditioned for 40 hours at 23°C and 50% relative humidity before testing. Example 2:
The material specification takes precedence over this practice if one exists. That means you should always check the specific material specification for your plastic before conditioning, as it may modify some procedures defined in ASTM D618-21. Table 1 in Classification D4000 lists the ASTM material specifications that currently exist.
D618-21 requires that testing occur in the same environment as conditioning, unless otherwise specified (e.g., high-temperature testing). astm d618-21 pdf
Proper application of is critical for any laboratory conducting accurate plastic characterization.
The core goal is to ensure that test results from one day (or one lab) are truly comparable to another. This standard defines specific procedures for conditioning plastic specimens before testing, including the exact conditions they’re exposed to. For example, the standard atmosphere it uses is . While this can bring the material close to equilibrium, it may not always achieve full equilibrium depending on the material’s thickness and history. It’s a practical approach that laboratories around the world rely on daily.
If you are looking for the , you likely need to understand the specific requirements for conditioning your test specimens. This post breaks down what the standard covers, why it matters, and how to access the official document. That means you should always check the specific
A combination of dry and humid environments, often used for accelerated aging simulations. 3. Equilibrium Time
Authorized resellers such as IHS Markit (S&P Global), Techstreet, or ANSI store also provide legal PDF downloads of the standard. Keeping Up with Revisions
Plastics are highly sensitive to their surrounding environment. Small fluctuations in room temperature or relative humidity can drastically alter a polymer's tensile strength, impact resistance, and electrical insulation properties. Proper application of is critical for any laboratory
Plastics are hygroscopic or hydrophobic to varying degrees. Nylon absorbs moisture from the air, becoming more flexible and impact-resistant. Polycarbonate, on the other hand, can become brittle if too dry. Without a standard like ASTM D618, one laboratory might test "dry-as-molded" nylon while another tests nylon conditioned at 50% RH. The results would disagree by 50% or more.
ISO 291 is more forgiving on humidity tolerance but requires longer conditioning. ASTM D618-21 is stricter on RH but shorter on time. Never assume compliance with one means compliance with the other.
To subject materials to extreme or specific environmental conditions to predict how they will perform in real-world applications. Why is Proper Conditioning Essential?