29 Standards and Specifications For Rubber and Rubber Products J O H N J.
ALLEN
1
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The Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio
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n the rubber industry, producers and consumers use the common language of specifications. A rubber specification usually includes the physical characteristics of the rubber compound, numerical limits for various measurable properties, test methods, and the performance and acceptance requirements of the product. M a n y specifications which are issued and accepted by producers and consumers serve merely as satisfactory descriptions of the product. However, they are not necessarily Standard specifications. A specification may become a Standard when it has been prepared and approved by a representative group qualified i n the particular field of application. In the rubber industry therefore, a number of technical organizations have been formed whose memberships include adequate representation of all phases of the industry. Approvals by these groups generally create Standard Specifications. The sources of Standards and Specifications for the rubber industry i n this country fall into four groups: (1) Technical Societies; (2) Technical C o m mittees of Industry Associations; (3) Federal and Military Technical Groups; and (4) Individual manufacturers and consumers. This is not necessarily their order of importance. The bibliography lists a number of these sources of rubber 1
Retired. Present address: 11628 Balboa Dr., Sun City, Ariz. 85351. 501 Smith; Literature of Chemical Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.
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LITERATURE
OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY
specifications, but not necessarily a l l . The type of work done and the type of specification issued by several of these w i l l be discussed briefly. Test
Methods
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There are three sources for standards and specifications covering Testing Procedures for rubber and rubber products: The American Society for Testing and Materials ( A S T M ) , The U S A Standards Institute, and the Federal Test M e t h o d Standard N o . 601. Specifications published by A S T M are issued as Standard or Tentative Methods, or Recommended Practices. Recommended Practices applies to processes and methods not ordinarily subject to contract between purchaser and manufacturer. The approved Standard and Tentative Methods and Specifications are published annually i n the "Book of A S T M Standards." Individual Standards and Specifications are also available i n pamphlet form. A very complete compilation of standard test methods for rubber has been issued by the Federal Supply Service, General Services Administration, as Federal Test M e t h o d Standard N o . 601. It incorporates many of the standard methods prepared by A S T M and methods prepared and used by many government services. As stated i n its scope, "It was prepared i n order to eliminate unnecessary or undesirable variations i n the general sampling and testing procedures. This Standard does not include special test methods, nor does it include a l l the test methods for natural and synthetic rubber materials used i n the industry."
Rubber Product
Specifications
Rubber Product Specifications are prepared and issued by a large number of rubber product consumers. However, the development of standard specifications for many rubber products eliminates the need for individual consumers' writing their own specifications. The Society of Automotive Engineers ( S A E ) and A S T M , through their joint Technical Committee on Automotive Rubber, publish a specification, "Rubber and Synthetic Rubber Compounds for Automotive U s e . " This specification is known as A S T M D 2000, S A E Standard J 200 "Classification System for Elastomeric Materials for Automotive Applications." This standard classifies the numerous rubber compounds according to their oil and heat resistance and provides a code for indicating many other properties desired. These specifications provide a method of describing a desired rubber compound by means of a grade number. This grade number is composed of a prefix letter indicating the type of polymer, a three-digit number indicating hardness and tensile strength, and suffix letters indicating other special properties and their values. Service requirements and the design to be employed w i l l govern the ultimate quality of the rubber compound, and the supplier of the samples tested w i l l be able to advise the exact classification that should be specified
Smith; Literature of Chemical Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.
29.
A L L E N
Standards and
Specifications
503
in cases where the engineer has relied on the producer to determine the rubber compound.
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These specifications therefore, enable both producers and consumers to condense a long list of requirements into a simple code. This means of specifying the type of rubber compound required for a product has been very well accepted by the automotive segment and is making headway i n other branches of the rubber industry. It is intended to apply primarily to molded and extruded goods, and is not intended for tires, inner tubes, sponge rubber, hard rubber, belts, hose, mats, and insulated wire and cable. A S T M has also developed and published specifications for individual products including sheet packing, fire hose, electrical protective equipment, insulated wire and cable, gaskets, cellular rubbers, latex foam, and sponge rubber. These may be found i n the publications already referred to and are available from A S T M . A number of A S T M specifications and test methods have been approved as U S A Standards by the U S A Standards Institute. S A E has developed and published a number of specifications and recommended practices covering such products as automotive hose of various types and applications, mats, gaskets, O-rings, latex foam, and sponge rubber. In addition, the aeronautical group i n S A E has developed numerous Aeronautical Material Standards ( A M S ) for rubber compounds having application i n the aeronautical industry. These and the S A E specifications are available from S A E . Probably the source of the largest number of rubber product specifications is the U . S. Government. O w i n g to the large number of rubber items purchased by the various branches of the Government, it has been necessary to develop standard specifications. F o r many years each branch of the military issued its own specifications. N o w the government specifications have been classified into two main groups: federal and military. Federal Specifications and Standards are divided into three types: Federal — a p p r o v e d for mandatory use by all federal agencies; Interim F e d e r a l — developed and issued by an individual government agency; and E m e r g e n c y — designed for immediate use i n an emergency to conserve critical materials. The General Services Administration has primary responsibility for Federal Specifications. Assistance is given the General Services Administration i n preparing specifications by other federal agencies through the assigned agency system. In this system, the General Services Administration assigns to other federal agencies, w i t h the agency's consent, the responsibility for preparing and coordinating a specification for a material or product. W h e n the specification has been completed, it is sent to the General Services Administration w i t h the recommendation that it be promulgated as a Federal Specification. A n Index of Federal Specifications w i t h monthly supplements may be purchased from the Government Printing Office. Individual Federal Specifications may be obtained from the General Services Administration i n Washington or from regional offices of the General Services Administration. M i l i t a r y Specifications are divided into two main groups: Co-ordinated, for general use, and L i m i t e d Co-ordination, for use by one or more Services.
Smith; Literature of Chemical Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.
504
LITERATURE
OF C H E M I C A L TECHNOLOGY
This latter group carry a suffix name to indicate the issuing agency. Some of these, as shown i n the Bibliography are: C M L C — C h e m i c a l Corps; O R D — Ordnance; N a v y — D e p a r t m e n t of the N a v y ; S h i p s — B u r e a u of Ships; U S A F — Department of the A i r Force.
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A custodian for each of the military departments ( A r m y , N a v y , and A i r Force) is designated for each specification. This custodianship is based on the technical responsibility for the items covered by the specification. The Military Index is divided into three volumes which may be purchased from the Govern ment Printing Office. Individual specifications used by the A r m y and A i r Force may be obtained from the custodian Service as indicated i n the Index. N a v y specifications may be obtained from the N a v y Supply Depot. The Bureau of Ships has recently prepared a series of "Visual Inspection Guides" w h i c h , by means of photographs, illustrate acceptable and nonacceptable major and minor defects. They are extremely useful i n judging the acceptance of a product. A t present they include rubber " V " belts, sheet mate rial, extruded goods, molded items, cellular rubber items, hard rubber, O-rings, hose, and rubber gloves (except surgical). These may be obtained from the Bureau of Ships, Code 244, N a v y Department, Washington, D . C . The Rubber Manufacturers Association ( R M A ) through its Technical Committees, prepares and issues some specifications for rubber and rubber products. These include a classification system for natural rubber, specifications for foam latex, V-belts, belting, hose, and packing. They also assist other industrial technical groups i n preparing adequate specifications on these items. Information pertaining to these products may be obtained from R M A . The Association of American Railroads ( A A R ) issues specifications on rubber products used i n interchange service by the railroads, including air-brake and train air signal hose, fuel hose, gaskets, and other items. These may be obtained from A A R . In the bibliography are a number of other industrial associations reviewing existing specifications on products common to their industries. T h e writer wishes to thank the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. for permission to publish this paper. The sources of information given are from the publications of various agencies mentioned.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(1) American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 Book of A S T M Standards, Part 28. Annual. Separate Standards in pamphlet form. Index to A S T M Standards including Tentatives. Annual. (2) USA Standards Institute, 10 East 40th St., New York, Ν. Y. 10016 USA Standards. (3) General Services Administration, Business Service Center, Region 3, Seventh and D Streets, S. W., Washington, D. C. 20407 Federal Test Method Standard No. 601. Rubber: Sampling and Testing.
Smith; Literature of Chemical Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.
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29.
ALLEN
Standards
and
505
Specifications
(4) Society of Automotive Engineers, 485 Lexington Ave., New York, Ν. Y. 10017 Automotive Rubber Product Specifications. These Specifications are published yearly in the SAE Handbook and are also available in separate pamphlet form. Aeronautical Material Specifications. These Specifications apply to Rubber and Synthetic Rubber Compounds for aeronautical use. (5) The United States Government Federal Specifications and Standards Federal—Approved for use by all interested government departments Interim Federal—Developed and issued by an individual government agency Emergency—Designed in emergency for conservation of critical materials. Index of Federal Specifications and Standards and monthly supplements may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U . S. Government Print ing Office, Washington, D. C. 20401 Copies of Federal Specifications are available from the General Services A d ministration, Business Service Center Region 3, Seventh and D Streets, S. W., Washington, D . C. 20407 or from Regional Offices. Military Specifications—Army, Navy, Air Force (Formerly Joint Army-NavyJAN). Co-ordinated: For general use Limited Co-ordination: Carry a suffix name indicating issuing agency. Army CMLC CE Med Ord Navy Navy Aer MC BuMed NOrd Air Force USAF ASG
Chemical Corps Corps of Engineers Army Medical Service Ordnance Corps
AMC Sig C TC
Quartermaster Corps Signal Corps Transportation Corps
Department of the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics Marine Corps Bureau of Medicine & Surgery Bureau of Ordnance
Pers Ships S&A
Bureau of Personnel Bureau of Ships Bureau of Supplies & Accounts Bureau of Yards & Docks
Docks
Department of the Air Force Aeronautical Standards Group
Index of Specifications and Standards, Department of Defense. Part I. Alphabetical Listing Part II. Numerical Listing Part III. Federal Supply Clarification Listing. Index may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D . C. 20401. Copies of individual specifications used by the Army and the Air Force ob tained as indicated in the applicable volume of the Index. Copies of the Specifications used by the Navy may be obtained from the Commanding Officer, Naval Supply Depot, Scotia, Ν. Y., except for aeronauti cal items bearing numbers 5000 to 9999. These latter specifications are issued by the Technical Records Div. United States Naval Air Station, Johnsville, Pa. (6) Rubber Manufacturers Association, 444 Madison Ave., New York, Ν. Y. 10022 Classification System for Natural Rubber R M A Buyers Specification—Latex Foam Belting, V-Belts, Hose, Packing Technical information referring to these products may be obtained from R M A . (7) Association of American Railroads, 59 East Van Buren St., Chicago, Ill. 60605 Specifications on hose and other rubber parts used in railroad service. (8) Underwriters Laboratories, 207 East Ohio St., Chicago, Ill. 60611 Cotton Rubber Lined Fire Hose Standard for Chemical Engine Hose
Smith; Literature of Chemical Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.
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LITERATURE OF CHEMICAL
TECHNOLOGY
Standard for Hose for Conducting Liquefied Petroleum Gas Other Rubber products (9) Other Industry Associations National Electrical Manufacturers Association ( N E M A ) , 155 East 44th St., New York, Ν. Y. 10017 National Fire Protection Association ( N F P A ) , 60 Batterymarch St., Boston, Mass. National Coal Association, Southern Building, 1425 H St., N . W., Washington, D. C. 20005 Aircraft Industries Association of America, 806 Fifteenth St., N . W., Washington, D . C. 20005 American Society of Agricultural Engineers, Box 229, St. Joseph, Michigan Agricultural Ammonia Institute, Hotel Claridge, Room 304, Memphis, Tenn. Flight Safety Foundation, Inc., 2 East 64th St., New York, Ν. Y. Federal Civil Defense Administration, National Headquarters, Battle Creek, Michigan Public Administration Clearing House ( P A C H ) , National Association of State Purchasing Officials, 1313 East 60th St., Chicago, Ill. 60637 RECEIVED December 14, 1964. Presented on the symposium, "Literature of Rubber," sponsored by the Division of Chemical Literature and the Division of Rubber Chem istry at the 130th Meeting of the American Chemical Society at Atlantic City, Sept. 18-19, 1956. Published in limited edition by the Division of Rubber Chemistry and reprinted by permission of the Division. Updated 1968.
Smith; Literature of Chemical Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.
