ISO: Setting global standards for plastic products is important

With the increase of global plastics and rubber components, and delocalization into a number of different continents, it has become essential to make standards uniform and consistent to ensure the highest possible levels of safety around the world.

The International Standard Organization (ISO), an independent, non-governmental membership organization and the world's largest developer of voluntary International Standards, says having globally acceptable standards will remove the risk of safety devices and measures becoming barriers to the international trade of plastic materials.

Claudio Celata, Chair of the International Standards Organization (ISO) technical committee for plastics and rubber machines, says plastics have become essential – and irreplaceable – in a wide range of sectors.

He adds that plastics are effective because of their high performance, including: high tensile strength with proper structural design, reduced part weight, highly repeatable in processing (less scrap), lower manufacturing costs, enhanced regulatory compliance, greater design flexibility (part consolidation), lower packaging and shipping costs, up to six times longer tool life.

According to Celata, it has become essential to make standards uniform and consistent for manufacturing of plastics.

“With proper design, engineered plastics can be just as strong as metal, more chemical-resistant with exceptional resistance to heat, making them good choices for fuel systems, fluid handling systems, and other high-temperature applications.”

Where, initially, German, Italian, Japanese and American manufacturers dominated the global market, they have been superseded by producers in countries like China, Brazil and India because of growing industrialization and the subsequent huge increase in demand, particularly for products in the automotive, household appliances and toy industries.