For inflatable restraints, practices for conducting accelerated aging are designed to determine the aggravated effects on a fabric from exposures to heat, humidity, or ozone, or a combination thereof. These environmental conditions may also be cycled in combination. The four accelerated aging procedures of concern to the design and manufacture of inflatable restraints are referred to as cycle aging, heat aging, humidity aging, and ozone aging.

The environmental conditions described in this practice are designed to allow restraints so that reliable comparisons may be made between different fabrics and different laboratories.

In order to achieve precise and reliable physical property comparisons of different fabrics, it is necessary to control accurately the humidity, temperature, ozone, and cycling conditions to which the fabric is subjected.

Fabric specimens are configured in accordance with the requirements of test methods to be conducted on the specimens subsequent to accelerated aging.

Unless otherwise specified by agreement between the purchaser and the supplier, this practice shall constitute the conditions, procedures, and equipment by which inflatable restraint fabrics are conditioned and aged. It is intended to be used as a guideline in establishing a written material specification. The specification or agreement of the purchaser and the supplier may deviate from the practices described herein when (based on experience) considerations of fabric properties, material handling equipment, or inflatable restraint system design dictate otherwise.

1.1 This practice describes the procedures for the accelerated aging of inflatable restraint fabrics when required as a preparatory step for other test methods.

1.1.1 In Section 7, this practice lists four methods for conducting accelerated aging that are of concern to the design and manufacture of inflatable restraints. They are as follows:

1.2 This practice may be used in conjunction with other ASTM test methods when subsequent tests of physical properties are required of aged fabric specimens.

1.3 Procedures and apparatus other than those stated in this practice may be used by agreement between the purchaser and the supplier with the specific deviations from the standard practice acknowledged in the report.

1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system must be used independently of the other.

1.5 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.