EN ISO 8067:2018 PDF

Overview

EN ISO 8067:2018 (ISO 8067:2018) specifies laboratory methods for determining the tear strength of flexible cellular polymeric materials (soft foam plastics and rubbers). Adopted by CEN as a European Standard in 2018, it replaces the 2008 edition and defines two test geometries and full test conditions to ensure repeatable, comparable tear-strength results.

Key Topics and Requirements

• Two prescribed methods
  • Method A - Trouser test piece: rectangular test piece with a 45–55 mm cut and a marked 25 mm tear length; tear direction and foam-rise orientation are specified.
  • Method B - Angle test piece (no nick): cut from sheet thickness 10–15 mm using a die as specified in the standard.
• Apparatus
  • Use a tensile-testing machine capable of indicating rupture force; automatic recording preferred.
  • Machine accuracy: class 2 or better per ISO 7500-1.
• Test speeds
  • General: 50 mm/min to 500 mm/min.
  • Referee tests: (50 ± 5) mm/min.
• Number of test pieces
  • Minimum three specimens; additional specimens where result spread or tear progression requires.
• Conditioning
  • Test not less than 72 h after manufacture unless 16 h or 48 h results match within ±10 %.
  • Standard atmospheres: (23 ± 2) °C, (50 ± 5) % RH or (27 ± 2) °C, (65 ± 5) % RH. Shorter conditioning allowed for quality control (min. 12 h after manufacture; min. 6 h conditioning).
• Specimen preparation and orientation
  • Test pieces may be with or without skin; orientation relative to the predominant foam‑rise direction must be recorded.
• Measurement
  • Thickness measurement per ISO 1923; expression of tear strength as maximum force per unit thickness; test reporting requirements included.

Applications and Who Uses It

• Quality control in foam and flexible polymer manufacturing - verify tear performance batch-to-batch.
• R&D and product development - compare formulations, cell structure, or skin vs. core behavior.
• Third‑party testing laboratories and certification bodies - provide standardized, comparable data for specs and compliance.
• Material selection for footwear, automotive interiors, cushioning, seals and gaskets, acoustic/thermal insulation where tear resistance of foams is critical.

Related Standards

• ISO 1923 - determination of linear dimensions of cellular plastics and rubbers (thickness measurement).
• ISO 7500-1 - calibration and verification of force-measuring systems for tensile testing machines.

EN ISO 8067:2018 is essential for consistent evaluation of tear strength in flexible cellular materials and enables reliable comparisons across suppliers and applications.