ASTM F1596-00(2005)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation: F 1596 – 00 (Reapproved 2005)
Standard Practice for
Exposure of Membrane Switches to Temperature and
Relative Humidity
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1596; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3.4 This practice defines the duration of a single cycle.
Multiple cycles may be appropriate depending on the require-
1.1 This practice covers a procedure for temperature and
ments of the application.
humidity cycling of membrane switches.
1.2 This practice is designed to determine changes induced
4. Apparatus
by temperature and humidity.
4.1 Closed system, with temperature and humidity control.
1.3 This practice is not intended to be a thermal shock
4.2 The formation of condensation during rising tempera-
procedure; a gradual ramp rate between conditions is required.
ture cycles is acceptable; the formation of ice during low
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
temperature cycling is not acceptable.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
5. Test Specimens
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
5.1 The specimens shall be finished switches as delivered
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
and mounted to an actual or agreed upon substrate.
2. Terminology
6. Conditioning
2.1 Definition:
6.1 Condition all specimens for 72 h at 20 to 25°C (68 to
2.1.1 membrane switch—a momentary switching device in
77°F)and20to80 %relativehumidity(RH)immediatelyprior
which at least one contact is on, or made of, a flexible
to exposure, or prior to temperature and humidity cycling.This
substrate.
is to enable the specimens to stabilize.
3. Significance and Use
7. Procedure
3.1 Changes in temperature and humidity during shipping,
7.1 Subject the preconditioned specimens to the exposure
storage or use can affect the visual appearance, mechanical
test cycle as illustrated in Table 1.
integrity, or electrical functionality of switches. This practice
7.2 Return to room temperature and prepare for evaluation.
simulates three different environments to which membrane
switches may be exposed.
8. Keywords
3.2 The three industry-recognized switch categories based
8.1 membrane switch; relative humidity (RH); temperature
on performance levels are Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 (see
section 7.1).
3.3 Additionally, there may be custom requirements that
vary by application, therefore, these requirements can be
determined by customer and vendor agreement and be estab-
lished as a Level 4.
1 2
Thi
...