November 2025: Essential Updates in Material and Environmental Testing Standards

Staying ahead in today’s fast-paced manufacturing and materials landscape requires rigorous adherence to evolving testing standards. The November 2025 publication period delivers critical updates, introducing four new international standards that redefine best practices in material characterization, printed electronics, non-destructive evaluation, and environmental reliability testing. This article provides industry professionals, quality managers, engineers, and compliance leaders with a detailed breakdown of each standard and its practical implications, helping organizations ensure compliance, competitive advantage, and sustained operational excellence.

Overview

Testing standards serve as the backbone for quality assurance in manufacturing, engineering, and technology sectors. In November 2025, four influential standards were published, setting new benchmarks in non-destructive testing (NDT) of advanced composites, precision measurement for printed electronics, and rigorous environmental qualification for components exposed to extremes of cold and heat. This article examines:

• The scope and application of each standard
• Key requirements and methodologies
• Who should comply and why it’s essential
• Compliance and industry impact

Whether your focus is in aerospace, automotive, electronics, or material science, understanding these latest standards is crucial for staying compliant and maintaining product reliability.

Detailed Standards Coverage

EN ISO 18249:2025 - Acoustic Emission Testing for Fibre-Reinforced Polymers

Non-destructive testing - Acoustic emission testing - Specific methodology and general evaluation criteria for testing of fibre-reinforced polymers (ISO 18249:2015)

This standard delivers authoritative guidance on acoustic emission testing (AET) for fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP), addressing methodology, evaluation criteria, and result interpretation. Its aim is to enable professionals to assess FRP materials, components, and structures for:

• Materials characterization
• Manufacturing quality control
• Retesting and in-service health monitoring
• Identification of damage accumulation and critical zones

Scope and Key Requirements

EN ISO 18249:2025 details:

• Specific instrumentation and sensor arrangements suitable for FRP’s unique acoustic characteristics
• Guidance on positioning and coupling of sensors, data acquisition thresholds, and loading strategies
• Procedures for establishing evaluation criteria when existing benchmarks are lacking, referencing qualitative and quantitative approaches
• Formats for presenting AET data to allow both real-time and post-test analysis, facilitating cross-site and cross-organization comparison
• Limitations: Recognizes that AET should be complemented by other testing methods (e.g., fracture mechanics) for comprehensive structural integrity assessments

Who Should Comply

• Aerospace, automotive, civil infrastructure, energy, and pressure vessel manufacturers
• Quality managers and NDT specialists responsible for FRP components
• Research labs and certification bodies involved in advanced composites

Practical Implications

Implementing this standard ensures robust assessment of:

• Initial manufacturing quality
• Fatigue and operational damage during service
• Preventive maintenance and lifecycle reliability

Notable Changes

EN ISO 18249:2025 outlines recent advances in modal acoustic emission testing and pattern recognition, reflecting the complexity and evolutions of modern composite structures.

Key highlights:

• Specific protocols for sensor arrangement and data filtering customized to FRPs
• Procedures for real-time and post-test AET data analysis and report formatting
• Addresses need for personnel qualification under ISO 9712 for reliable testing

Access the full standard:View EN ISO 18249:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 62899-302-7:2025 - Inkjet Dot Placement Evaluation for Printed Electronics

Printed electronics - Part 302-7: Equipment - Inkjet - Measurement methods of dot placement evaluation for printed electronics

This standard pioneers a methodology for measuring how accurately inkjet printers deposit dots in the production of printed electronics. Printed circuit quality is highly sensitive to dot placement, affecting the functionality and yield of devices ranging from sensors to flexible displays.

Scope and Key Specifications

IEC 62899-302-7:2025 specifies:

• Environmental test parameters (including strict temperature and humidity guidelines)
• Step-by-step measurement method for evaluating dot placement accuracy, including media preparation, use of alignment marks, and data acquisition from both moving and stationary print heads
• Image processing and analysis techniques for quantifying dot deviation, circularity, alignment, and layering precision
• Practical examples and test patterns to evaluate printer performance consistency across single-layer and multi-layer constructions

Who Should Comply

• Printed electronics manufacturers (flexible circuits, biosensors, RFID, displays)
• Equipment suppliers and integrators of inkjet printing systems
• R&D labs developing circuit patterning techniques

Practical Implications

• Enables assessment of print registration accuracy before mass production
• Supports supplier/customer discussions about dot placement tolerance
• Assists in qualification of new printing hardware and materials

Notable Changes

IEC 62899-302-7:2025 introduces standardized terminology and advances image-processing methodologies for dot placement analysis, enhancing consistency and repeatability across test sites.

Key highlights:

• Universal measurement methodologies for inkjet position accuracy
• Image analysis recommendations and environmental condition requirements
• Supports functional quality for advanced, high-resolution electronic applications

Access the full standard:View IEC 62899-302-7:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN IEC 60068-2-1:2025 - Environmental Testing, Test A: Cold

Environmental testing - Part 2-1: Tests - Test A: Cold (IEC 60068-2-1:2025)

This heavily revised edition defines precision temperature testing at low (cold) conditions to determine an item’s resistance to low ambient temperatures during use, storage, or transport. It covers both non-heat-dissipating and heat-dissipating specimens, whether energized or not. New guidance, figures, and clarifications enable rigorous, repeatable cold-testing assessments.

Scope and Key Specifications

EN IEC 60068-2-1:2025 describes:

• Comprehensive procedures for specifying test severity (temperature/time), specimen conditioning, and mounting
• New instrumentation and measurement point requirements to monitor air velocity and specimen surface temperature
• Nomogram-based procedures for correcting conditioning temperature, particularly for tests at high air velocity
• Specific test types (Ab, Ad, Ae) for different specimen and operational statuses
• Expanded report and specification requirements to ensure transparency and repeatability

Who Should Comply

• Electronic, electro-mechanical, automotive, and aerospace component suppliers
• Manufacturing and design engineers responsible for compliance and reliability
• Testing laboratories and environmental qualification facilities

Practical Implications

• Simulate real-world cold storage, transportation, and operational conditions
• Identify potential failures or performance degradation due to low temperatures
• Inform design improvements and reliability risk mitigation

Notable Changes

• Expanded introduction and scope for greater clarity
• New nomogram adjustment procedures for temperature correction
• More precise air flow characterization requirements
• Instructions for test reporting, measurement, and mounting

Key highlights:

• Updates for air velocity classification and measurement point definition
• Nomogram procedures for conditioned temperature corrections
• Inclusion of advantages/disadvantages for each cold test method

Access the full standard:View EN IEC 60068-2-1:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN IEC 60068-2-2:2025 - Environmental Testing, Test B: Dry Heat

Environmental testing - Part 2-2: Tests - Test B: Dry heat (IEC 60068-2-2:2025)

This crucial environmental testing standard targets high temperature (dry heat) qualification for both electrically energized and passive items. It is used to determine the reliability and safety of components, products, and packaging subjected to extreme heat during operation, storage, or shipping.

Scope and Key Specifications

EN IEC 60068-2-2:2025 specifies:

• Standardized procedures for selecting temperature, time, and specimen condition
• Clarified protocols for air velocity and detailed measurement placement
• Nomogram-based procedures for adjusting the conditioning temperature when required
• Test types (Bb, Bd, Be) tailored for different operational and heat-dissipation scenarios
• Reporting protocols that ensure clarity, comparability, and compliance

Who Should Comply

• Electronic device and component manufacturers
• Quality assurance engineers, testing laboratories
• Organizations where product reliability in elevated temperatures is critical (e.g., automotive, defense, consumer electronics, aerospace)

Practical Implications

• Evaluate heat resistance and operational reliability in real-world conditions
• Guide product design and qualification for harsh environments
• Meet global customer and regulatory requirements for product safety

Notable Changes

• Revision of core procedures and scope to reflect best practice
• Detailed graphical resources for temperature adjustment using nomograms
• More rigorous air velocity and measuring point criteria

Key highlights:

• Enhanced protocols for dry heat testing across specimen types
• Temperature correction via nomogram procedures
• Expanded reporting and specification guidance

Access the full standard:View EN IEC 60068-2-2:2025 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

The November 2025 release introduces vital refinements to internationally harmonized testing protocols, reinforcing:

• Compliance Consistency: Harmonization through well-defined test procedures enables multinational organizations to maintain uniformity across global production sites.
• Risk Management: Advanced NDT and environmental test methodologies help identify failure modes early, supporting predictive maintenance and operational safety.
• Quality Assurance: These standards provide defensible, auditable frameworks for third-party and first-party conformity assessment, simplifying regulatory filings and supplier/customer agreements.
• Innovation Enablement: Up-to-date testing enables the safe implementation of emerging materials and electronics in ever more demanding applications.

Compliance timelines and recommendations:

• Adopt the standards immediately for new product development and during recertification
• Incorporate updated environmental and NDT methods into procurement, sourcing, and vendor qualification documentation
• Train technical and quality teams to new procedures and terminology, especially for acoustic emission testing and digital image-based dot placement analysis

Failure to comply exposes organizations to increased warranty claims, field failures, recalls, and loss of market access—especially important in regulated sectors.

Technical Insights

Recurring Requirements & Best Practices

Across all four standards, certain technical imperatives are emphasized:

• Strict Control of Environmental and Test Conditions: Whether dealing with cold/heat or digital/analog measurements, precise environmental regulation is necessary for accurate and reproducible results
• Comprehensive Reporting: Detailed documentation of methods, data, and deviations is required for traceability and inter-lab comparability
• Personnel Qualifications: NDT, especially acoustic emission for FRP, demands certified/trained inspectors to ensure data integrity
• State-of-the-art Instrumentation: Utilize appropriately calibrated sensors, image analysis tools, and environmental simulation chambers
• Clear Definition of Acceptance Criteria: Where not prescriptive, organizations should document and justify pass/fail thresholds based on end-use, regulatory, or customer needs

Implementation Considerations

• Integrate test methodology updates into laboratory Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Update supplier and customer agreements to reference the latest standard editions
• Apply digital reporting and automated measurements (where possible) to reduce human error

Certification & Testing

• Engage with accredited testing laboratories that are updated on November 2025 requirements
• For advanced composites and printed electronics, consult with specialized third-party NDT or electronics test firms for complex assessments

Conclusion & Next Steps

The November 2025 suite of international testing standards delivers the clarity, technical rigor, and harmonization required to elevate quality assurance across industries. Organizations are encouraged to:

• Review and integrate the new requirements into engineering, procurement, and compliance workflows
• Train quality and technical teams on advanced methodologies for FRP NDT and printed electronics assessment
• Leverage the iTeh Standards platform to access full documents and additional resources
• Stay proactive with future updates by subscribing to iTeh Standards notifications

Implementing these standards will ensure your products excel in reliability, regulatory compliance, and market performance.

Explore the full standards and stay updated at iTeh Standards.