Struggling to see the whole picture when it comes to measurement quality? While in-house control materials are valuable for maintaining day-to-day consistency, they don't reveal everything about the reliability of those measurements. Participants in the CTS Plastics Program, including resin producers, automotive suppliers, molders, custom compounders and independent testing laboratories, are confident in the quality and reliability of their measurements.
CTS has created a testing program that fits your needs and presents results in a clear, concise format. Participants can select from a wide variety of tests covering mechanical, thermal, analytical/physical, and optical properties; for many properties, test can be conducted using either ASTM or ISO test methods. As an added benefit, each test is offered separately, allowing you to customize the program.
The scope of the Plastics Program help make the audit dependable. Variation can lead to doubt; the large number of participating laboratories and the proven methodology used by CTS reduce variability and increase your ability to make confident decisions. Suddenly, the picture is clear.
CTS offers a variety of plastics proficiency tests for ASTM test methods across four properties. Select any combination of tests (ASTM and/or ISO test methods) to build a custom interlaboratory program that meets your unique needs.
The nine proficiency tests for ISO plastics test methods have been divided into three properties. Laboratories may select any combination of tests (ISO and/or ASTM methods) to meet their needs.
In the late 1980's, resin producers, automotive suppliers, molders, and independent testing laboratories all faced a similar problem: how to prove measurement accuracy when conducting quality assurance tests on plastics and films. With traditional destructive testing there were few reference materials available to verify instrument performance. The use of in-house control materials, while a valuable quality assurance tool to maintain day-to-day consistency of measurements, did not evaluate a lab's ability to make measurements that agreed with other laboratories. Some companies attempted to determine the accuracy of their measurements through a round-robin program among three or four other facilities. This was often unsuccessful because the small number of participants made it difficult to determine a consensus value with a high degree of confidence.
Members of the industry who were aware of CTS' other interlaboratory programs contacted CTS in the spring of 1991, and all parties agreed to meet at the next American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) Assessors' Conclave. Events progressed very quickly. At the A2LA meeting CTS learned that there were many labs being accredited for plastics test methods with no proficiency testing available to them. A2LA auditors had already approached some ASTM D20 members, who had indicated they felt that CTS was the best and most likely organization to get a plastics testing program up and running. The chair of D20 appointed three committee members to serve as the CTS program's advisory committee, and three test methods were selected for the initial program tensile properties, DTUL, and flow rates. Thus, the CTS Plastics Program was initiated in 1992 at the request of industry, ASTM committee D20 and accrediting bodies. While initially the plastics tests were incorporated into CTS' existing Rubber Program, it quickly became clear that there was little in common between the two programs. In 1994, the CTS Plastics Program was established as its own separate entity.
The number and variety of tests offered quickly start growing. Strong interest in film testing led to tests being introduced in 1997. After more than a quarter of a century, subproperties are still refined as needed to meet the needs of a demanding and changing industry, and additional test offerings are under development.
Today, participation in the CTS Plastics Program assesses laboratory performance by comparing each participant's results to a consensus value based on the results from as many as 100 laboratories testing the same material. An additional benefit of the CTS program is the use of "blind" samples. As the participant does not know what the result should be, the CTS program is a true assessment of the testing process including sample labeling and preparation, instrument operation, and calculation of the test result.
Test No. | Test Name | Sample Type |
---|---|---|
704 | Tensile Properties | ASTM Type I tensile bars |
710 | DTUL @ 1.82 MPa | 5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars |
711 | DTUL @ .455 MPa | 5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars |
715 | Vicat Softening | 5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars |
718 | Specific Gravity | 5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars |
720 | Flexural Properties | 5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars |
790 | Notched Izod Impact | 5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars |
750 | Flow Rates | Plastic pellets |
755 | Moisture Content | Plastic pellets |
757 | Ash Content | Reinforced/filled plastic pellets |
758 | TGA | Plastic pellets |
765 | DSC (Research Test) | Plastic pellets |
770 | Tensile Properties | Thin plastic film |
780 | Static & Kinetic COF | Thin plastic film |
782 | Tear Resistance | Thin plastic film |
785 | Optical Properties | Thin plastic film |
Test No. | Test Name | Sample Type |
---|---|---|
712 | DTUL @ 1.8 MPa | ISO multipurpose bars |
730 | Tensile Properties | ISO multipurpose bars |
736 | Flexural Properties | ISO multipurpose bars |
791 | Notched Izod Impact | ISO multipurpose bars |
792 | Notched Charpy Impact | ISO multipurpose bars |
718 | Specific Gravity | 5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars |
750 | Flow Rates | Plastic pellets |
755 | Moisture Content | Plastic pellets |
758 | TGA | Plastic pellets |
760 | DSC | Plastic pellets |
The Plastics Program is an annual program and testing rounds are conducted on a quarterly basis. Subscribers participate in four, three or two quarters depending on the enrollment date.
Note that data due dates occur approximately 6 weeks after a shipment date and that results must be submitted on or before a data due date in order to be included in the report.
Participants can track shipments, submit data and access reports through the CTS Customer Portal.
*While CTS will make every effort to adhere to the published program schedules, all dates provided are tentative and are subject to change.
Includes Qtrs: | Samples Ship: | Data Due: | Report Issued: |
---|---|---|---|
1 | early January | mid February | early March |
2 | early April | mid May | early June |
3 | early July | mid August | early September |
4 | early October | mid November | early December |
Includes Qtrs: | Samples Ship: | Data Due: | Report Issued: |
---|---|---|---|
2 | early April | mid May | early June |
3 | early July | mid August | early September |
4 | early October | mid November | early December |
Includes Qtrs: | Samples Ship: | Data Due: | Report Issued: |
---|---|---|---|
3 | early July | mid August | early September |
4 | early October | mid November | early December |
3rd Quarter 2024
Plastics Summary Report No. 131
2nd Quarter 2024
Plastics Summary Report No. 130
1st Quarter 2024
Plastics Summary Report No. 129
4th Quarter 2023
Plastics Summary Report No. 128
3rd Quarter 2023
Plastics Summary Report No. 127
2nd Quarter 2023
Plastics Summary Report No. 126
1st Quarter 2023
Plastics Summary Report No. 125
4th Quarter 2022
Plastics Summary Report No. 124
3rd Quarter 2022
Plastics Summary Report No. 123
2nd Quarter 2022
Plastics Summary Report No. 122
1st Quarter 2022
Plastics Summary Report No. 121
4th Quarter 2021
Plastics Summary Report No. 120
3rd Quarter 2021
Plastics Summary Report No. 119
2nd Quarter 2021
Plastics Summary Report No. 118
1st Quarter 2021
Plastics Summary Report No. 117
4th Quarter 2020
Plastics Summary Report No. 116
3rd Quarter 2020
Plastics Summary Report No. 115
2nd Quarter 2020
Plastics Summary Report No. 114
1st Quarter 2020
Plastics Summary Report No. 113
4th Quarter 2019
Plastics Summary Report No. 112
3rd Quarter 2019
Plastics Summary Report No. 111
2nd Quarter 2019
Plastics Summary Report No. 110
1st Quarter 2019
Plastic Summary Report No. 109
4th Quarter 2018
Plastics Summary Report No. 108
3rd Quarter 2018
Plastics Summary Report No. 107
2nd Quarter 2018
Plastics Summary Report No. 106
1st Quarter 2018
Plastics Summary Report No. 105
4th Quarter 2017
Plastics Summary Report No. 104
3rd Quarter 2017
Plastics Summary Report No. 103
2nd Quarter 2017
Plastics Summary Report No. 102
1st Quarter 2017
Plastics Summary Report No. 101
4th Quarter 2016
Plastics Summary Report No. 100
3rd Quarter 2016
Plastics Summary Report No. 99
2nd Quarter 2016
Plastics Summary Report No. 98
1st Quarter 2016
Plastics Summary Report No. 97
4th Quarter 2015
Plastics Summary Report No. 96
3rd Quarter 2015
Plastics Summary Report No. 95
2nd Quarter 2015
Plastics Summary Report No. 94
1st Quarter 2015
Plastics Summary Report No. 93
4th Quarter 2014
Plastics Summary Report No. 92
3rd Quarter 2014
Plastics Summary Report No. 91
2nd Quarter 2014
Research Summary Report -DSC Testing
2nd Quarter 2014
Plastics Summary Report No. 90
1st Quarter 2014
Plastics Summary Report No. 89
Participants in CTS Plastics Program tests can access Test Instructions on the CTS Customer Portal.
A Guide to Interpreting Performance Analysis Reports, available as well on the CTS Customer Portal, assists participants in understanding and getting maximum benefit from the individual reports issued at the completion of each testing round.