4.1 The purpose of this classification system is to provide a method of identifying adhesives in order to give industry a system that can be used universally for materials. It further provides a means for specifying these materials by the use of the standards that are developed using this guide.

4.2 This classification system was developed to permit the addition of future adhesives.

1.1 This guide provides a classification system for tabulating the properties of adhesives suitable for holding parts or assemblies together. The use of this guide also provides information necessary for the development of standard specifications for adhesives.

Note 1: This classification system may serve many of the needs of industries using adhesives. This guide is subject to revision as the need requires; therefore, the latest revision should always be used.

1.2 Limitations—This classification system is intended to be a means of identifying adhesives. It is not intended for the selection of materials. Material selection should be made by those having expertise in the adhesives field after careful consideration of the design and the performance required of the part, the environment to which it will be exposed, the attachment process to be employed, the inherent properties of the material not covered in this document, and the economic factors.

1.3 This classification system is based on the premise that adhesives can be arranged into broad generic families using basic properties to arrange the materials into groups, classes, and grades.

1.4 In all cases where the provisions of this classification system would conflict with the referenced ASTM specification for a particular material, the latter shall take precedence.

1.5 The values stated in SI units, as detailed in IEEE/ASTM SI 10, are to be regarded as the standard.