Overview
ISO 3303-2:2020 specifies a hydraulic diaphragm method for determining the bursting strength of rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics. The standard describes two types of diaphragm bursting testers (type A and B), both driven by hydraulic pressure, and gives requirements for apparatus, calibration, sampling, conditioning and test procedure. It is widely used to assess the multidirectional strength of coated textiles where traditional tensile tests are less relevant (e.g., knitted substrates prone to necking).
Key topics and technical requirements
- Test principle: Fluid is pumped under a rubber diaphragm that stretches into a dome and applies pressure to a clamped test piece; the burst pressure and dome height at failure are recorded.
- Test machines:
- Type A: Measurement range 350 kPa to 5 500 kPa. Typical clamped area 10 cm² (diameter 35.7 mm). Diaphragm bulge/pressure characteristics and pumping rate of 170 ml/min ± 20 ml/min specified.
- Type B: Measurement range 70 kPa to 1 400 kPa. Diaphragm thickness 0.86 mm ± 0.06 mm; specified bulge/pressure and pumping rate 95 ml/min ± 5 ml/min.
- Apparatus details: Clamping systems with concentric annular surfaces and grooves, pressure-measuring systems with response accurate to ±3% of true peak, and hydraulic fluids compatible with diaphragm materials (e.g., glycerol, silicone oil, ethylene glycol with inhibitor).
- Sampling & preparation: Five test pieces across usable width recommended; wet testing involves 24 h immersion (water or ≤0.1% surfactant), rinse and test within 1 minute; blotting paper and immersion equipment required.
- Conditioning & atmospheres: Conditioning per ISO 2231 (method “1”); specific exposure times for one- or two-sided coatings; testing atmosphere chosen from ISO 2231 categories A–E.
- Calibration & accuracy: Calibrate per manufacturer’s manual and at regular intervals to maintain specified accuracy. Note that results from type A and type B machines may not be directly comparable.
- Safety: Users should follow normal laboratory practice and local safety regulations.
Applications and users
ISO 3303-2:2020 is used by:
- Quality control and testing laboratories in coated-fabric manufacturing
- R&D teams developing rubber- or plastics-coated textiles
- Procurement, certification bodies and compliance teams specifying performance requirements
- Suppliers and customers agreeing test methods and acceptance criteria
Typical applications: evaluation of protective clothing materials, inflatable goods, coated upholstery, tarpaulins, industrial conveyor belting and other coated textile products where multidirectional bursting performance matters.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 3303-2:2020, bursting strength, hydraulic method, diaphragm bursting tester, rubber-coated fabrics, plastics-coated fabrics, Mullen burst tester, type A, type B, conditioning, calibration.