BS ISO 18573-2024 PDF

Full title and description

STB BS ISO 18573-2024 — Conveyor belts — Test atmospheres and conditioning periods. This standard specifies the temperature, relative humidity and time conditions to be used when conditioning and testing conveyor‑belt test pieces, and the minimum time intervals to be observed between production and testing. It is the 2024 revision of ISO 18573 and is published as an International Standard and adopted as a national/BSI publication.

Abstract

The document defines standard test atmospheres and recommended conditioning periods for all types of conveyor belts (textile, rubber, plastic covers, and light belts), and sets requirements for the time interval between production and testing of specimens. It excludes special climatic simulations or test atmospheres that are specific to a particular material or test method.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard; adopted as BS ISO).
• Publication date: ISO publication effective 3 September 2024; BSI national publication recorded in September 2024 (BS adoption published September 2024).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO); adopted as BS ISO by the British Standards Institution (BSI).
• ICS / categories: 53.040.20 — Components for conveyors (ISO/TC 41/SC 3).
• Edition / version: Edition 3 (2024).
• Number of pages: ISO official text: 4 pages; the BS/BSI-adopted document as sold by national bodies/resellers may include additional national foreword/cover pages (commercial listings show BSI edition packaged at ~14 pages).

Scope

Applies to the conditioning and testing of conveyor‑belt test pieces irrespective of cover material (rubber or plastics or textile carcass). The standard prescribes a set of standard atmospheres (temperature and relative humidity classes), minimum conditioning durations and guidance on the minimum time interval between production and testing of specimens. It does not cover special climatic environments or test atmospheres that are specific to an individual material or test method.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of standard test atmospheres (typical reported classes include e.g. Atmospheres A, B, C, D, E with specified temperatures and RH ranges used for conditioning and testing).
• Minimum conditioning periods for specimens (examples in the published guidance: multi‑parameter atmospheres with temperature & humidity typically require longer conditioning times than temperature‑only atmospheres; specific minima for general belts and extended minima for light conveyor belts are given).
• Requirements for the minimum interval between production and testing (a defined minimum period is specified; light belts have longer minimum intervals to allow equilibration).
• Specimen handling instructions (conditioning with full surface exposure, free from mechanical stress, and testing in the same environment used for conditioning unless otherwise specified).
• Scope exclusions and notes: special climatic simulations and material‑specific conditioning regimes are outside the standard’s scope and must be specified separately when required by particular test methods.

Typical use and users

Used by conveyor‑belt manufacturers, independent testing laboratories, quality and R&D engineers, procurement/specification teams, conformity assessment bodies and standards committees. Typical applications include pre‑test conditioning of specimens for tensile, tear, adhesion, flammability and electrical tests; harmonising test conditions in supplier contracts; and reducing variability in inter‑laboratory testing by specifying atmospheres and equilibration times.

Related standards

ISO 18573:2012 (previous edition, now withdrawn and replaced by the 2024 edition); other ISO/TC 41/SC 3 conveyor‑belt standards frequently referenced together include ISO 14890 (specification for rubber‑ or plastics‑covered conveyor belts), ISO 433 (marking), ISO 252 (adhesion test methods), ISO 20238 (drum friction testing) and the suite of light conveyor belt standards (ISO 21178 / ISO 21182 series). These related standards cover test methods, product specifications and additional test conditions that are commonly used alongside the conditioning rules in ISO 18573.

Keywords

Conveyor belts; conditioning; test atmospheres; relative humidity; equilibration time; specimen handling; ISO/TC 41; test preparation; BS ISO; conditioning periods.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 18573:2024 (adopted as BS ISO 18573:2024 in national catalogues) specifies standard atmospheres and conditioning periods for conveyor‑belt test pieces; it is the third edition published in 2024.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers prescribed temperatures, relative humidity ranges and minimum conditioning times for preparing conveyor‑belt specimens for testing, and minimum time intervals between production and testing. It excludes special climatic simulations or material‑specific atmospheres.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Manufacturers, test laboratories, R&D and QC engineers, procurement/specifiers and conformity assessment bodies who need consistent specimen conditioning and repeatable test results.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: Current — ISO 18573:2024 was published (effective) on 3 September 2024 and replaces ISO 18573:2012. National/BSI editions carrying the BS ISO designation were issued in September 2024.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It belongs to the family of conveyor‑belt standards maintained by ISO/TC 41/SC 3 and is commonly used alongside other ISO conveyor‑belt standards (specifications and test methods) such as ISO 14890, ISO 433, ISO 252 and related light‑belt standards.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Conveyor belts, conditioning, test atmospheres, relative humidity, equilibration, specimen handling, test preparation, BS ISO, ISO/TC 41.