This document establishes a system of designation for polyamide (PA) moulding and extrusion materials, which can be used as the basis for specifications.

The types of polyamide plastics are differentiated from each other by a classification system based on appropriate levels of the designatory properties

a) viscosity number,

b) tensile modulus, and

c) nucleating additive,

and on information about composition, intended application and/or method of processing, important properties, additives, colorants, fillers, and reinforcing materials.

The designation system is applicable to all polyamide homopolymers, copolymers, and blends.

It is applicable to unmodified materials ready for normal use and materials modified, for example, by colorants, additives, fillers, reinforcing materials, and polymer modifiers.

This document does not apply to the following materials:

—    monomer casting-type polyamides of PA 6;

—    monomer casting-type polyamides of PA 12.

It is not intended to imply that materials having the same designation give the same performance. This document does not provide engineering data, performance data, or data on processing conditions which can be required to specify a material. If such additional properties are required, they can be determined according to the test methods specified in ISO 16396-2, if suitable.

In order to specify a thermoplastic material for a particular application, additional requirements can be given in data block 5 (see 4.1).