ASTM standards for materials testing are applied worldwide to ensure that the measurement of the physical properties of materials are representative and comparable to each other.  Plastics have highly diverse properties; for industries that use or manufacture plastics, ASTM standards play a vital role in ensuring the reliability of information used to make decisions regarding materials.

Formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM International is responsible for defining over 12,500 technical standards designed to improve product quality and safety globally1.  ASTM standards are defined with the help of over 140 technical standards-writing committees, with members hailing from over 140 different countries.  These standards are of global influence: More than half of ASTM standards have been adopted as the basis for national standards in the United States, or are referenced in regulations in countries outside the United States.

Hydraulic Presses play a crucial role in the definition of these standards: as the means by which a controlled force can be applied to different materials and components, presses are the true workhorses of the physical testing world.  In addition, presses are routinely used in ASTM standards as how plastic test samples are produced.  The use of high-performance and high-precision presses means that manufacturers and testing organizations are able to ensure quality and reliability by adhering to ASTM standards.

The mechanical properties of recycled plastics are highly variable, and the exploitation of these spectra of properties lies at the core of much of modern technology.  Mechanical testing of recycled plastics to the relevant standards is a crucial component of product development.  By adhering to ASTM standards, manufacturers can ensure that their measurements of the mechanical properties of materials are accurate and comparable, which allows them to make optimal materials decisions when developing products. This makes ASTM standards useful for virtually all quality control, material comparison and research and development applications.

Below are the three ASTM standards applicable to Recycled Plastic Lumber:

• ASTM “Standard Test Methods for Flexural Properties of Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastic Lumber” American Society of Testing Materials D 6109-97, Philadelphia: ASTM 1997.
• ASTM “Standard Test Method for Compression Properties of Plastic Lumber and Shapes” American Society of Testing Materials D 6108-97, Philadelphia: ASTM 1997.
• ASTM “Standard Test Methods for Compressive and Flexural Creep and Creep-Rupture of Plastic Lumber and Shapes” American Society of Testing Materials D 6112-97, Philadelphia: ASTM 1997.