CNH MTM0122 Material Test Methods - Integral Colored Plastic (ICP) Material and Finished Part, Performance Requirements

The “CNH MTM0122 Material testing methods - Integrated color plastic (ICP) material and finished part, performance requirements” standard, developed by CNH, an American-Italian multinational company , describes specific CNH performance requirements for integrated color plastic (ICP) materials and finished parts. According to this standard, supplied plastic materials must also comply with all applicable sections of the “CNH MAT0101 Material specification - General paint requirements and color control” standard, unless otherwise specified in this standard. ICP materials approved for use as CNH plastic parts are listed in the “CNH MAT3004 Integrated color plastic (ICP) gloss and performance requirements” standard.

Four types of plastic parts or components are described in this standard. According to the table titled "Plastic Part Type and Description":

• EET External part, high temperature: Mounted adjacent to or directly exposed to high temperature components or heat sources (e.g. engine hood, no thermal insulator).
• EST Outdoor part, standard temperature: Installed away from high temperature components, no exposure to high heat source.
• IET Internal part, high temperature: Mounted adjacent to or directly exposed to high temperature components or heat sources (parts close to heater).
• IST Internal part, standard temperature: Installed away from high temperature components, no exposure to high heat source.

High temperature exposure parts are those located near heat sources as described or determined to reach a surface temperature of at least 90 degrees.

Internal or external parts that will be exposed to high temperatures when installed in units require testing of certain properties for approval at higher temperatures as defined in the applicable test methods specified in the table titled “Performance requirements, integral colored plastic material and finished part.”

The requirements in this standard are stated as follows:

• Performance class:
  • For CNH products, ICP material performance is determined by surface durability requirements. Unless otherwise specified, the performance class requirements for ICP materials or parts are listed in the table.
  • Plastic parts or components used in the interior (Type I) or non-visible areas of CNH products must meet ICP Class 1 performance requirements unless otherwise specified on the engineering drawing. Class 1 applications include engine compartment interior trim, consoles or instrument panel components, and underhood parts requiring color control.
  • Plastic parts or components on the exterior of CNH products (Type E) that are visible or exposed to prolonged direct sunlight (ultraviolet UV) must meet at least ICP Class 3 performance requirements unless otherwise specified on the engineering drawing. Exterior applications include machine fenders, hoods, cab roofs, exterior trim, and body panels.
  • Ultraviolet (UV) exposure: The fade or weatherability of integrally colored parts is generally lower than that of painted parts. Certain ICP materials exposed to prolonged UV light may also exhibit deterioration in properties such as gloss, impact resistance, and ductility. UV stabilizers may be present in pigment concentrates to improve UV resistance. UV resistance should be specified individually or on the engineering drawing as required through ICP Performance Classes 1, 3, or 6. In some cases, parts will need to be coated or painted to meet the weatherability requirements of the specified performance class. Painted materials on plastic must meet the requirements of CNH MAT0105.
• Color: The color requirements for ICP materials supplied to this standard differ slightly from those specified for paint materials specified in standards CNH MAT0103 and CNH MAT0105. The specified instrumental Delta E color tolerance is 1,5 for ICP materials and parts compared to 1,0 for paint materials. However, the visual match requirement for color verification remains unchanged and is considered the primary criterion for ICP material or finished part color approval. While instrumental Delta E values ​​may vary, no ICP part is approved for use unless an acceptable visual color match is achieved with the CNH color base material or other similarly colored parts of the product.
• Gloss: ICP parts supplied to CNH must meet the gloss requirements specified on the engineering drawing or otherwise required by this specification. For ICP parts, this gloss level shall take precedence over the gloss levels specified for CNH colors in the CNH MAT0101 standard. All ICP parts, except those described in this standard, shall have the standard gloss level specified on the ICP part drawing (see the table titled "Gloss Requirements, Integral Color Plastic Material and Finished Parts") or the specific gloss requirement. The part surface texture generally determines the achievable gloss level for a part. The texture and corresponding gloss requirements should be specified on the part engineering drawing.

The engineering drawing for certain ICP Class 1 cabinet interiors requiring color control may not include a specified gloss level. In these cases, the ICP part must meet the gloss requirements of Class 1, standard gloss level GL-1 (60 degrees = 20, maximum), unless otherwise specified.

ICP part surfaces that will be covered with a decal or other coating do not need to meet the gloss requirements specified for the part.

• Test samples: Test panels and finished molded parts may be submitted to CNH Materials Engineering or Control Design Engineering for evaluation of conformance with specification requirements. A minimum of 10 test panels and 1 finished molded part must be submitted for approval testing.

Molded, flat test panels submitted for testing should be representative of the material and forming process intended for use in production. 100 mm x 300 mm test areas are preferred. If test specimens of this size are not available, materials engineering should be contacted to determine acceptable options.

Finished molded parts submitted for testing must be constructed with materials and processes comparable to those used to produce a proposed part. Parts must provide a flat surface test area of ​​at least 50 mm x 75 mm. Test areas of 100 mm x 300 mm are preferred.

• Florida Exposure Test: This test is an optional test to be performed when deemed necessary by CNH product engineering or control design engineering for integral colored plastic material abrasion performance evaluation. This determination is made as part of the engineering design review process. This test is often required to verify colored plastic material performance when considering new plastic materials, complex part designs, or a new process.

Our organization, which has been supporting businesses across all sectors for years through a wide range of testing, measurement, analysis, and evaluation activities, boasts a strong team of employees who closely follow global developments in science and technology and are constantly improving themselves. In this context, we also provide testing services in accordance with the standard "CNH MTM0122 Material Test Methods - Integral Colored Plastic (ICP) Material and Finished Part Performance Requirements."