1.1 This test method provides a measurement of the commercial mass of a shipment of yarn or man-made staple fiber or tow. The test method applies to (1) yarn of all fiber types except silk, glass, asbestos, and bast; (2) tops and slivers of all fiber types except wool, silk, glass, asbestos, and bast; and (3) man-made fibers or tow, except glass and other fibers used for special purposes such as flock (Note 1).

Note 1-For other test methods for measuring mass of fibrous materials, refer to Test Method D 1918, for Asbestos Content of Asbestos Textiles; Method D 739, Testing and Tolerances for Spun, Twisted, or Braided Products Made from Flax, Hemp, Ramie, or Mixtures Thereof; and Practice D 2720, for Calculations of Commercial Weight and Yield of Scoured Wool, Top and Noil for Various Commercial Compositions.

1.1.1 Sampling in this test method is primarily for use in acceptance testing rather than production control. Man-made fiber producers usually sample for the commercial "mass" of product on an on-going basis rather than each shipment to a customer.

1.2 Commercial mass has been traditionally based on one of three options depending on the state of the material: (1) dried, unscoured yarn, staple fiber, tow, etc., using commercial moisture regain in the calculations; (2) dried, scoured yarn, staple fiber, tow, etc., using commercial moisture regain values in the calculations; and (3) dried, scoured yarn, staple fiber, tow, etc., using a commercial allowance agreed to by the purchaser and seller in the calculations.

1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.