ISO 294-1:2017

Overview

ISO 294-1:2017 - “Plastics - Injection moulding of test specimens of thermoplastic materials - Part 1” defines general principles and moulding practice for preparing reproducible thermoplastic test specimens. The standard specifies mould designs and reporting conventions for multipurpose (type A1) and bar (type B1) test specimens (as referenced in ISO 20753), and provides a basis for establishing consistent, comparable injection-moulding conditions for use in material characterization and reference-data acquisition.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Mould design and types: Details for ISO multi-cavity and single-cavity moulds intended to produce comparable specimens; recommendations for interchangeable cavity plates and standardised runner configurations (informative annexes provide examples).
• Specimen types: Guidance for producing type A1 and type B1 specimens used for mechanical testing and reference data collection.
• Process parameters and definitions: Standardized terminology and measurement practices for parameters such as:
  • mould temperature (°C) and melt temperature (°C)
  • melt pressure / cavity pressure (MPa) and hold pressure (MPa)
  • injection time, hold time, cooling time, cycle time, mould-open time
  • injection velocity, shot volume, moulding volume, mass of moulding
• Apparatus and machine requirements: Guidance on injection-moulding machine features (screw, clamping force, control systems, thermometry) and recommended mould components.
• Procedure and measurement: Conditioning of material, measurement of mould/melt temperature, post-moulding specimen treatment, and reporting requirements to ensure reproducibility.
• Reproducibility considerations: Emphasis that mould design significantly affects interlaboratory reproducibility (noted for ABS, SB and PMMA in interlaboratory tests).
• Informative annexes: Practical aids including mould examples, runner configurations, setting machine parameters (Annex D) and methods for determining hold pressure/time (Annex E).

Practical applications and target users

ISO 294-1:2017 is used to:

• Establish reproducible injection-moulding conditions for producing test specimens for mechanical, thermal and physical testing.
• Ensure consistent reporting of moulding conditions for test reports and material datasheets.
• Support interlaboratory testing, quality assurance, material development and regulatory compliance.

Typical users include:

• Materials testing laboratories and accreditation bodies
• Injection-moulding engineers and tool designers
• Polymer material suppliers and R&D groups
• Quality control and standards professionals

Related standards

• ISO 20753 - Plastics - Test specimens (specifies specimen geometries such as A1 and B1)
• ISO 294 series (Parts 2–4) - Small tensile bars, small plates, moulding shrinkage
• ISO 179-1 - Charpy impact test
• ISO 10350 / ISO 11403 series - Material data reporting and acquisition

Keywords: ISO 294-1:2017, injection moulding, thermoplastic test specimens, mould design, moulding conditions, ISO 20753, reproducible testing.