Overview
ISO 15527:2022 - Plastics - Compression-moulded sheets of polyethylene (PE‑UHMW, PE‑HD) - Requirements and test methods defines the product requirements and laboratory test procedures for solid, flat, compression‑moulded polyethylene sheets (PE‑UHMW and PE‑HD) without fillers or reinforcing materials. The standard applies to sheet thicknesses from 10 mm to 200 mm and covers appearance, dimensional tolerances, physical and mechanical properties, specimen preparation, conditioning and testing protocols.
Keywords: ISO 15527:2022, compression‑moulded sheets, PE‑UHMW, PE‑HD, test methods, polyethylene sheets, dimensional tolerances.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Material scope: Solid, compression‑moulded PE‑UHMW or PE‑HD per ISO designation systems; no fillers or reinforcements permitted.
- Thickness range: 10 mm to 200 mm (standard only applies within this range).
- Appearance: Smooth surfaces; sheets substantially free from bubbles or blowholes; visual inspection and optional ultrasonic/X‑ray assessment.
- Dimensional tolerances:
- Thickness tolerances increase with sheet thickness (e.g., +3 mm for 10–20 mm up to +16 mm for 150–200 mm).
- Length and width by agreement; rectangularity assessed by diagonal difference.
- Thickness measurement uncertainty required to be < 0.10 mm; length/width to nearest 1 mm.
- Physical and mechanical properties (average values specified):
- Density ranges for PE‑UHMW and PE‑HD (grouped by material grade).
- Abrasion resistance, tensile stress and strain at yield (>17–19 MPa and >8%), tensile modulus (>500–800 MPa depending on grade).
- Impact strength (double‑notched Charpy values and single‑notched criteria).
- Melt mass‑flow rate (MFR): PE‑UHMW often not measurable; PE‑HD MFR ranges are specified and tested per ISO 1133‑1.
- Test methods & conditioning: Specimen extraction geometries, conditioning at 23 °C ±2 °C for at least 16 h (ISO 291), and testing in standard atmosphere (23/50) with referenced test standards (e.g., ISO 179‑1, ISO 527‑2, ISO 1133‑1, ISO 1183).
Applications and users
- Useful for manufacturers of compression‑moulded polyethylene sheets to set production tolerances and quality criteria.
- Used by testing and quality laboratories to perform standardized mechanical, abrasion and MFR tests.
- Relevant to design engineers, procurement/specification teams, fabricators and end‑users in industries such as material handling, wear components, liners, and machine parts where thick PE sheets (10–200 mm) are used.
- Helpful for regulatory and compliance assessment where physiological behaviour and material identity must be verified.
Related standards