ASTM F2252
Standard Practice for Evaluating Ink or Coating Adhesion to Flexible Packaging Materials Using Tape
Describes a tape procedure for evaluating ink or coating adhesion on flexible packaging materials; notes: it is not specifically an in-mold-label or pressure-sensitive-label adhesion standard.
What ASTM F2252 specifies
ASTM F2252/F2252M is a real standard practice for evaluating ink or coating adhesion to flexible packaging by applying and removing pressure-sensitive tape. It can be relevant to printed flexible label stock when the substrate itself is not damaged by tape removal, but it does not test the bond between an in-mold label and a molded plastic part, nor does it grade barcode print quality. The requested withdrawn status flags this mismatch for catalog review, even though ASTM published an active 2025 edition. Buyers should define tape, conditioning, application pressure, peel direction and speed, and an explicit visual acceptance criterion.
Tests and the drawing call-out
Tests the document imposes
- Condition flexible printed or coated specimens
- Apply specified pressure-sensitive tape with controlled pressure
- Remove tape at the specified direction and rate
- Examine tape and specimen for ink or coating transfer
- Report the purchaser-defined acceptance result
How to cite it
Drawing call-out
TEST PRINTED FLEXIBLE LABEL STOCK PER ASTM F2252/F2252M, TAPE <TAPE>, PEEL <ANGLE>, ACCEPTANCE <MAXIMUM TRANSFER>Angle brackets mark the choices the drawing must make; every finish page shows a completed example.
Finishes specified to ASTM F2252
Also referenced by: In-Mold Labeling (IML).
ASTM F2252 — frequently asked
Is ASTM F2252 an in-mold-label bond test?
No. It evaluates ink or coating adhesion to flexible packaging stock using tape, not the label-to-molded-part interface.
Does the practice set a universal pass grade?
No. The purchaser should define acceptable visible transfer or image degradation and control the tape and procedure.
Is ASTM F2252 a barcode verification standard?
No. Use ISO/IEC 15415 for 2D print quality or ISO/IEC 15416 for linear symbols.
ASTM F2252 is copyrighted by ASTM International. This page explains the document so a drawing can be read; it does not reproduce the standard. Purchase the current edition from the publisher. Official source ↗