ISO 2286-3:2016

Overview

ISO 2286-3:2016 specifies a standardized method for measuring the thickness of rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics at a defined pressure. The method applies regardless of substrate type and covers single-face, double-face, double-texture and coated materials with expanded layers. The standard ensures repeatable, comparable thickness results for coated fabrics used in industrial, commercial and technical applications.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope: Thickness determination at a specified pressure for rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics (all substrate types).
• Conditioning: Test pieces must be conditioned in accordance with ISO 2231 (standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing).
• Apparatus:
  • Dial gauge (deadweight type) with direct readout to 0.01 mm.
  • Circular presser foot (smooth, flat) with diameter ≥ 9 mm, capable of applying specified pressures: 2 kPa, 5 kPa, 10 kPa, 24 kPa (with stated tolerances).
  • Reference plate (anvil) with a flat surface and diameter typically ≥ 50 mm greater than the presser foot.
  • Means to move presser foot perpendicular to anvil to maintain parallelism.
• Measurement procedure:
  • Record ambient temperature and relative humidity.
  • Clean contact surfaces and zero the gauge with presser foot on anvil.
  • Place fabric smoothly (no tension or accidental creases), exclude 50 mm from each edge; make multiple thickness measurements evenly across the usable width.
  • Lower presser foot, allow reading to stabilize (record time if > 30 s), read to 0.01 mm.
  • The standard requires multiple readings and specifies reporting the arithmetic mean of the determinations.
• Test report must include reference to ISO 2286-3, test conditions, fabric description, mean/min/max thickness, pressure used, presser foot diameter, dwell time, deviations and date.

Applications and users

ISO 2286-3 is used by:

• Quality control and testing laboratories verifying coated fabric specifications.
• Manufacturers of coated textiles (tarpaulins, conveyor belts, protective fabrics) for process control.
• Product designers and R&D teams comparing material constructions.
• Procurement and compliance teams requiring documented thickness data for contracts and standards adherence.

Practical benefits include consistent benchmarking of compressible coated materials, reproducible thickness data for specification limits, and improved comparability between suppliers.

Related standards

• ISO 2286-1: Methods for length, width and net mass (related part of the series)
• ISO 2286-2: Methods for mass per unit area (coating and substrate)
• ISO 2231: Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing (normative reference for ISO 2286-3)

Keywords: ISO 2286-3:2016, thickness determination, rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics, dial gauge, presser foot, coated fabric testing, ISO 2231, quality control.