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INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 1268-4

First edition
2005-03-15

Fibre-reinforced plastics — Methods

of producing test plates —
Part 4:
Moulding of prepregs
Plastiques renforcés de fibres — Méthodes de fabrication de plaques
d'essai —
Partie 4: Moulage des préimprégnés

Reference number
ISO 1268-4:2005(E)

© ISO 2005
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ISO 1268-4:2005(E)

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ISO 1268-4:2005(E)

Contents Page

Foreword ............................................................................................................................................................ iv
1 Scope...................................................................................................................................................... 1
2 Normative references ........................................................................................................................... 1
3 Health and safety .................................................................................................................................. 1
4 Principle ................................................................................................................................................. 2
5 Apparatus............................................................................................................................................... 2
6 Procedure............................................................................................................................................... 4
7 Determination of the quality of the test plates................................................................................... 8
8 Precision ................................................................................................................................................ 8
9 Test plate preparation report ............................................................................................................... 8
Annex A (normative) Stacking designation system ..................................................................................... 10
Annex B (informative) Precision ..................................................................................................................... 13
Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................................... 14

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ISO 1268-4:2005(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.

International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

ISO 1268-4 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 61, Plastics, Subcommittee SC 13, Composites
and reinforcement fibres.

This first edition cancels and replaces ISO 9353:1991, which has been technically revised. It considers input
from prEN 2565, EN 2374 and ASTM D 5687.

ISO 1268 consists of the following parts, under the general title Fibre-reinforced plastics — Methods of
producing test plates:

 Part 1: General conditions

 Part 2: Contact and spray-up moulding

 Part 3: Wet compression moulding

 Part 4: Moulding of prepregs

 Part 5: Filament winding

 Part 6: Pultrusion moulding

 Part 7: Resin transfer moulding

 Part 8: Compression moulding of SMC and BMC

 Part 9: Moulding of GMT/STC

 Part 10: Injection moulding of BMC and other long-fibre moulding compounds — General principles and
moulding of multipurpose test specimens

 Part 11: Injection moulding of BMC and other long-fibre moulding compounds — Small plates

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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 1268-4:2005(E)

Fibre-reinforced plastics — Methods of producing test plates —

Part 4:
Moulding of prepregs

1 Scope
This part of ISO 1268 describes the preparation of test plates from layers of preimpregnated unidirectional
fibre or fabric (prepregs) under pressure and temperature in various types of equipment (for example,
autoclave, bladder press, hydraulic press or vacuum bag equipment). It applies to all reinforcements and
resins.

This method is applicable to reinforcements preimpregnated either with a partially cured thermosetting resin or
with a thermoplastic resin. The test plate is formed by stacking layers of the preimpregnated material in the
required sequence and orientation, followed by compaction and final consolidation under pressure/vacuum at
a temperature above ambient. The prepared test plates are subsequently machined into the required test
specimens.

Standard plates prepared in this manner may be used either for evaluating the components, i.e. the
reinforcement, finish, resin, etc., or for verifying the overall quality of the finished product.

2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.

ISO 291, Plastics — Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing

ISO 1172, Textile-glass-reinforced plastics — Prepregs, moulding compounds and laminates — Determination
of the textile-glass and mineral-filler content — Calcination methods

ISO 1183 (all parts), Plastics — Methods for determining the density of non-cellular plastics

ISO 1268-1, Fibre-reinforced plastics — Methods of producing test plates — Part 1: General conditions

ISO 2818, Plastics — Preparation of test specimens by machining

ISO 7822, Textile glass reinforced plastics — Determination of void content — Loss on ignition, mechanical
disintegration and statistical counting methods

3 Health and safety

See ISO 1268-1.

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ISO 1268-4:2005(E)

4 Principle

Standard plates, intended for the preparation of test specimens, are produced from fibre-reinforced prepregs
by cutting the required number of layers to size and stacking them in the required sequence and orientation.
The stack of prepregs is initially consolidated and trapped air removed using mechanical compaction and/or
an applied vacuum. The assembled stack, normally sealed in an evacuated vacuum bag, is then finally
consolidated using one of several possible combinations of heat and pressure depending on the equipment
used and the material supplier’s processing instructions. Suitable processing routes include using an
autoclave, a pressclave, an applied vacuum only or a hydraulic press.

Plates with flat surfaces are prepared unless the effect of surface finish is being studied. They have to be of
sufficient size to cover the maximum specimen size required in subsequent testing.

5 Apparatus

5.1 Processing equipment

5.1.1 Press, of any type, with the components specified in 5.1.1.1 to 5.1.1.4.

5.1.1.1 The press itself (see Figure 1), consisting of a frame, ram and base. The height of the frame
shall be large enough to provide a moulding chamber where the mould containing the prepreg stack can be
inserted in one operation. A gap between the ram and the frame of at least 0,20 mm shall be ensured by
means of appropriately constructed guides.

Dimensions in millimetres

Key

1 base
2 upper frame
3 columns
4 ram

a 1° draft all round.

b All-around pinch-off.

Figure 1 — Moulding press

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ISO 1268-4:2005(E)

5.1.1.2 Open-sided mould (see Figure 2), consisting of two flat metal plates (a base plate and a cover
plate) with spacers at the four corners controlling the thickness of the moulded plate. The dimensions of the
plates shall be such that test specimens of the required size can be cut from the test plates produced using
the mould. The surfaces of the mould plates facing the mould cavity shall be flat to within 0,05 mm and shall
be polished or hard chrome plated. Suitable mould plate thicknesses are 5 mm for steel and 6 mm for
aluminium alloy.

NOTE 1 A test plate of specific thickness can be obtained by placing suitably sized spacers between the mould plates
at the corners of the mould.

NOTE 2 To aid recognition of the zero-degree direction of the test plate, an “arrow” can be engraved in the surface
of the baseplate. Care is necessary, however, that the “arrow” moulded into each test plate does not affect the properties
of the test specimens prepared from the plate. Alternatively, non-square test plates can be moulded (e.g. 350 mm
long × 300 mm wide) with the zero-degree direction parallel to the longer side of the plate.

Key

1 cover plate
2 base plate
3 guidepieces
4 spacers of suitable thickness

Figure 2 — Mould

5.1.1.3 Means of applying the required moulding pressure, or executing the required force-time
profile, with an accuracy of 5 %, over the required period of time.

5.1.1.4 Temperature measurement and control equipment, capable of ensuring a heat-up rate of at
least 3 °C/min and maintaining the required curing temperature between the specified limits, or executing the
required temperature-time profile.

5.1.2 Autoclave, of any dry-heat type, meeting the requirements of 5.1.1.3 and 5.1.1.4.

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ISO 1268-4:2005(E)

5.1.3 Ventilated oven, meeting the requirements of 5.1.1.4.

5.1.4 Ruler, for measuring the length and width of the test plate to the nearest 0,5 mm.

5.1.5 Micrometer screw gauge, for measuring the thickness of the test plate to the nearest 0,01 mm.

5.1.6 Balance, capable of weighing to the nearest 0,01 g.

5.1.7 Cutting device, such as a knife, with a sharp blade.

5.18 Vacuum pump, capable of producing a vacuum of 0,08 MPa or better.

5.1.9 Supply of compressed air, capable of applying a pressure of 0,7 MPa ± 2 %.

5.2 Auxiliary apparatus and materials, as required

5.2.1 Rubber seals, of a shape and size such that they can be placed round the test plate in the mould,
and resistant to a temperature at least 20 °C higher than the curing temperature.

5.2.2 Release film, resistant to a temperature at least 20 °C higher than the curing temperature, made of a
material such as poly(vinyl fluoride) (PVF), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or PTFE-coated fabric.

5.2.3 Perforated release film, resistant to a temperature at least 20 °C higher than the curing temperature,
made of a material such as PVF, PTFE or PTFE-coated fabric.

5.2.4 Flexible pressure blanket, resistant to polymerization products and resistant to a temperature at
least 20 °C higher than the curing temperature, made of a material such as PVF, PTFE or PTFE-coated fabric.

5.2.5 Breather material, such as aluminium gauze or glass-fibre fabric.

5.2.6 Absorbent material, for absorption of excess resin, e.g. woven glass-fibre fabric.

NOTE Woven glass-fibre fabrics having a mass per unit area of 100 g/m2 and 300 g/m2 are capable of absorbing
approximately 60 g and 115 g of resin, respectively, per square metre. Polyamide-fibre fabric having a mass per unit area
2
of 60 g/m is capable of absorbing approximately 40 g of resin per square metre.

5.2.7 Metal edge strips, of a suitable length and a width of 15 mm, for placing round the test plate in the
mould. The thickness of the strips will depend on the thickness of the test plate to be produced.

5.2.8 Sealing tape, resistant to a temperature at least 20 °C higher than the curing temperature.

6 Procedure
6.1 Condition the materials to be used for preparing the test plates, including sufficient prepreg material, for
at least 2 h in one of the standard atmospheres specified in ISO 291. Carry out subsequent preparation of the
laminate stack (see 6.4) in the same atmosphere.

6.2 If the material has been stored at a temperature lower than the conditioning temperature, keep it in an
airtight bag to prevent moisture pick-up until it reaches the conditioning temperature.

6.3 After conditioning, cure thermoset-based material within 6 h, unless otherwise specified.

6.4 From the conditioned prepreg material, cut the number of layers needed to produce a cured test plate of
the required length, width and thickness, cutting each layer at the orientation required by the lay-up sequence
given in the specification or test method (see Annex A). Stack the cut layers of prepreg on the base plate of
the mould in the required sequence.

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