CTS Plastics Program History

In the late 1980's, resin producers, automotive suppliers, molders, and independent testing laboratories all faced a similar problem: how to prove measurement accuracy when conducting quality assurance tests on plastics and films. With traditional destructive testing there were few reference materials available to verify instrument performance. The use of in-house control materials, while a valuable quality assurance tool to maintain day-to-day consistency of measurements, did not evaluate a lab's ability to make measurements that agreed with other laboratories. Some companies attempted to determine the accuracy of their measurements through a round-robin program among three or four other facilities. This was often unsuccessful because the small number of participants made it difficult to determine a consensus value with a high degree of confidence.
 
 Members of the industry who were aware of CTS' other interlaboratory programs contacted CTS in the spring of 1991, and all parties agreed to meet at the next American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) Assessors' Conclave. Events progressed very quickly. At the A2LA meeting CTS learned that there were many labs being accredited for plastics test methods with no proficiency testing available to them. A2LA auditors had already approached some ASTM D20 members, who had indicated they felt that CTS was the best and most likely organization to get a plastics testing program up and running. The chair of D20 appointed three committee members to serve as the CTS program's advisory committee, and three test methods were selected for the initial program tensile properties, DTUL, and flow rates. Thus, the CTS Plastics Program was initiated in 1992 at the request of industry, ASTM committee D20 and accrediting bodies. While initially the plastics tests were incorporated into CTS' existing Rubber Program, it quickly became clear that there was little in common between the two programs. In 1994, the CTS Plastics Program was established as its own separate entity.
 
The number and variety of tests offered quickly start growing. Strong interest in film testing led to tests being introduced in 1997. After more than a quarter of a century, subproperties are still refined as needed to meet the needs of a demanding and changing industry, and additional test offerings are under development.
 
 Today, participation in the CTS Plastics Program assesses laboratory performance by comparing each participant's results to a consensus value based on the results from as many as 100 laboratories testing the same material. An additional benefit of the CTS program is the use of "blind" samples. As the participant does not know what the result should be, the CTS program is a true assessment of the testing process including sample labeling and preparation, instrument operation, and calculation of the test result.

Sample Information

Sample Types for all ASTM Tests offered by CTS

Test No.	Test Name	Sample Type
704	Tensile Properties	ASTM Type I tensile bars
710	DTUL @ 1.82 MPa	5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars
711	DTUL @ .455 MPa	5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars
715	Vicat Softening	5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars
718	Specific Gravity	5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars
720	Flexural Properties	5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars
790	Notched Izod Impact	5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars
750	Flow Rates	Plastic pellets
755	Moisture Content	Plastic pellets
757	Ash Content	Reinforced/filled plastic pellets
758	TGA	Plastic pellets
765	DSC (Research Test)	Plastic pellets
770	Tensile Properties	Thin plastic film
780	Static & Kinetic COF	Thin plastic film
782	Tear Resistance	Thin plastic film
785	Optical Properties	Thin plastic film

Sample Types for all ISO Tests offered by CTS

Test No.	Test Name	Sample Type
712	DTUL @ 1.8 MPa	ISO multipurpose bars
730	Tensile Properties	ISO multipurpose bars
736	Flexural Properties	ISO multipurpose bars
791	Notched Izod Impact	ISO multipurpose bars
792	Notched Charpy Impact	ISO multipurpose bars
718	Specific Gravity	5" x 0.5" x 0.125" Molded Bars
750	Flow Rates	Plastic pellets
755	Moisture Content	Plastic pellets
758	TGA	Plastic pellets
760	DSC	Plastic pellets

CTS Plastics Program Schedule

The Plastics Program is an annual program and testing rounds are conducted on a quarterly basis. Subscribers participate in four, three or two quarters depending on the enrollment date.
 
Note that data due dates occur approximately 6 weeks after a shipment date and that results must be submitted on or before a data due date in order to be included in the report.
 
Participants can track shipments, submit data and access reports through the CTS Customer Portal.
 

Enroll by November 15 of preceding year

Includes Qtrs:	Samples Ship:	Data Due:	Report Issued:
1	early January	mid February	early March
2	early April	mid May	early June
3	early July	mid August	early September
4	early October	mid November	early December

Enroll by February 15 of current year

Includes Qtrs:	Samples Ship:	Data Due:	Report Issued:
2	early April	mid May	early June
3	early July	mid August	early September
4	early October	mid November	early December

Enroll by May 15 of current year

Includes Qtrs:	Samples Ship:	Data Due:	Report Issued:
3	early July	mid August	early September
4	early October	mid November	early December

Summary Reports

Portal Links

Participants in CTS Plastics Program tests can access Test Instructions on the CTS Customer Portal.

A Guide to Interpreting Performance Analysis Reports, available as well on the CTS Customer Portal, assists participants in understanding and getting maximum benefit from the individual reports issued at the completion of each testing round.