ISO 30012:2016

Overview

ISO 30012:2016 - "Carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics - Determination of the size and aspect ratio of crushed objects" - defines standardized test methods to measure the size and aspect ratio of crushed CFRP (carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics), primarily for recycling and material-characterization purposes. The standard covers fragments from both thermosetting and thermoplastic matrices and applies to average fragment dimensions with long-side lengths of 5 mm to 50 mm and short-side widths of 1 mm to 10 mm. Small fines are intended to be removed by a 1 mm sieve before measurement.

Key topics and requirements

• Measurement principle: Each fragment is approximated as a rectangle (chosen to minimize width) and characterized by its length (L) and width (W); the aspect ratio R = L/W is calculated.
• Measurement methods: Three methods are specified:
  • Method A: Manual measurement using a stereomicroscope (up to 10×, scales readable to 0.1 mm).
  • Method B: Projection microscope with PC-assisted measurement (scales readable to 0.1 mm).
  • Method C: Automatic image analysis / shape-and-size measurement apparatus (semi-automatic).
• Sampling and sample size:
  • Crushed CFRP sampled from a 20–50 L bag.
  • Take three inner-location subsamples (avoiding outer ~20%), mix, and measure at least 100 fragments.
  • Fragments ≤ 2 mm may be omitted but their proportion should be recorded.
• Calibration & accuracy: Calibrate microscopes or projection systems with a calibrated ruler; individual measurements recorded to 0.1 mm.
• Reporting: Test report must reference ISO 30012 and include method used, material identification, average L and W, standard deviations σ(L) and σ(W), and average aspect ratio R.
• Safety: Use protective gloves when handling CFRP fragments to avoid slivers.

Applications and users

ISO 30012:2016 is practical for:

• Recycling operators verifying particle size distributions for downstream processing and material separation.
• Quality control laboratories in composite manufacturing and recycling facilities.
• Materials research groups studying comminution effects, filler sizing, or feedstock characterization for remanufacturing.
• Waste management and environmental compliance for tracking recovered CFRP particle characteristics.
• Equipment vendors (image analyzers, sieves) developing measurement solutions aligned with international standards.

Keywords: ISO 30012:2016, CFRP, carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics, crushed CFRP, aspect ratio, particle size measurement, recycling, image analysis, stereomicroscope, projection microscope.

Related standards

• ISO 472 - Plastics - Vocabulary (referenced normative vocabulary used in ISO 30012).