ISO 1268-2:2001

Overview

ISO 1268-2:2001 specifies standardized methods for producing fibre‑reinforced plastics test plates by contact moulding and spray‑up moulding. The part applies exclusively to glass reinforcements and is intended to be used with ISO 1268‑1 (general conditions). It defines recommended plate dimensions, reinforcement content targets, apparatus, processing and curing procedures, verification and reporting requirements for producing reproducible test laminates used in composite testing and development.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and materials
  • Applies to glass fibre reinforcements (woven fabrics, mats, rovings, multiaxial fabrics).
  • Thermosetting resins for room‑temperature cure; pre‑activated resins for spray‑up.
  • Use of release agents and appropriate catalysts per supplier instructions.
• Plate dimensions
  • Recommended plate size: 600 mm × 600 mm (sufficient for tensile and flexural specimens).
  • Contact moulding thickness: 2 mm to 10 mm.
  • Spray‑up thickness: typically 2 mm to 5 mm, limited by ability to remove entrapped air.
• Reinforcement content
  • Target glass content by mass: woven rovings ~50 ±3%, mats/chopped rovings ~32 ±4%.
  • Annex A provides calculation and product‑method guidance to estimate the number of reinforcement layers.
• Apparatus
  • Contact moulding: scissors, balance, brushes, mohair/steel rollers, rigid non‑porous plate, oven (if required).
  • Spray‑up: plus glass‑chopper/spray‑gun unit and timing device.
• Procedure
  • Contact moulding: cut and condition reinforcement, calculate resin mass to meet glass fraction, wet‑out layers and consolidate with roller, then cure.
  • Spray‑up: adjust chopper and spray settings to obtain desired resin:glass ratio, spray in multiple thin layers (~1 mm per spray layer), roll out air, then cure.
• Curing
  • Typical: leave on mould 48 h at room temperature, or demould after up to 4 h and post‑cure in oven at about 40 °C for 6 h (follow resin manufacturer for post‑curing).
• Verification & reporting
  • Visual inspection, fibre content per ISO 1172, optional void content measurement.
  • Test plate preparation report must document materials, process parameters, equipment, thickness, fibre content and any deviations.

Applications and users

• Who uses it: composite manufacturers, materials testing laboratories, R&D and process development teams, quality control engineers, standards/inspection bodies.
• Practical uses:
  • Produce reproducible laminates for tensile, flexural and other mechanical tests.
  • Validate processing parameters (resin:glass ratio, layer count, curing).
  • Support material datasheets, incoming inspection and comparative performance evaluation.

Related standards

• ISO 1268‑1: Fibre‑reinforced plastics - Methods of producing test plates - Part 1: General conditions
• ISO 1172: Determination of textile‑glass and mineral‑filler content (calcination)
• Other parts of ISO 1268 series (wet compression, prepregs, filament winding, pultrusion, RTM, SMC/BMC, GMT/STC)

Keywords: ISO 1268-2, fibre‑reinforced plastics, contact moulding, spray‑up moulding, glass reinforcement, test plates, laminate fabrication, composite testing.