SIST EN ISO 12114:1999 PDF

Overview

EN ISO 12114:1997 / ISO 12114:1997 specifies laboratory methods for determining the cure characteristics of fibre‑reinforced, thermosetting moulding compounds and prepregs. It applies to materials such as SMC, BMC, DMC and prepregs (typical field: unsaturated polyester‑based systems) and provides procedures to evaluate reactivity, exothermic heat release, thermal expansion and curing shrinkage - key parameters for quality control, shelf‑life assessment and process optimisation.

Key topics and requirements

• Two complementary test methods:
  • Method I - a simple temperature‑vs‑time test using a cylindrical metal mould (20 mm inside diameter), heated punch, insulated thermocouple and recording system. Typical mould wall temperature: 140 °C ± 2 °C. Specimens are compacted (minimum 15 daN) and temperature curves are used to derive reactivity, onset time/temperature, time to maximum temperature and Tmax.
  • Method II - a more sophisticated press method simulating practical moulding. Requires a press capable of ~100 bar (±3 %), a shear‑edge mould (≥200 cm²) with flush pressure, temperature and displacement sensors and recording equipment. Produces a moulded plate for further testing.
• Measured characteristics:
  • Heat generated by the exothermic cure
  • Thermal expansion during heating
  • Shrinkage from the curing reaction and net shrinkage (reaction shrinkage minus thermal expansion)
  • Reactivity (defined as maximum temperature gradient, °C/s)
• Sampling and conditioning: full‑width roll sampling for SMC, centre sampling for BMC; condition to temperature equilibrium (≥18 °C) and test under specified atmosphere.
• Test reporting: standard requires expression of results (onset, Tmax, cure time, pressure/displacement traces) and notes on test conditions and specimen preparation.

Applications and who uses it

• Material and composite manufacturers for:
  • Quality control and batch comparison
  • Shelf‑life and stabilization assessment
  • Process development and optimisation (mould cycle times, press settings)
• R&D labs evaluating new formulations and fibre/matrix interactions
• Independent testing laboratories and certification bodies
• Design and production engineers who need reliable cure data for production tooling and part specifications

Related standards

• ISO 472 - Plastics - Vocabulary
• ISO 8605 - Textile glass reinforced plastics - SMC basis for specification
• ISO 8606 - Prepregs; BMC and DMC specification bases
• Regional adoption: EN ISO 12114 (as in SIST EN ISO 12114:1999)

EN ISO 12114 is essential for anyone requiring reproducible, comparable cure‑behaviour data for thermosetting, fibre‑reinforced materials used in industrial moulding processes.