GB/T 25978-2018Road vehicles - Plates and labels (English PDF)

1 Scope

This standard specifies the classification, the performance requirements and the test methods of the plates and labels used on road vehicles to state vehicle information.

It applies to plates and labels of every kind used on road vehicles to state manufacturing information, warning information, operating and indicating information and similar content.

It does not apply to vehicle markings formed directly on the vehicle or on a vehicle component itself by stamping, etching, casting, spraying or printing, or by being sewn onto the component itself.

It does not apply to markings on vehicles or components used during production, transport and handover, that is markings removable before the vehicle enters normal use.

Plates and labels of every kind used on vehicle parts and assemblies may be dealt with by reference to this standard.

2 Normative references

The following documents are indispensable to the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition bearing that date applies to this document. For undated references, the latest edition, including all amendments, applies.

GB/T 250 Textiles - Tests for colour fastness - Grey scale for assessing change in colour.

GB/T 3280 Cold rolled stainless steel plate, sheet and strip.

GB/T 13306 Plates.

3 Terms and definitions

3.1 Plate: a marking object of rigid construction, bearing vehicle information, fitted to the vehicle by riveting, welding, adhesive tape or a similar means. Plates are divided into metal plates and non-metal plates.

3.2 Label: a marking object of flexible construction, bearing vehicle information, fitted to the vehicle by sticking or a similar means. By position of use, labels are divided into engine compartment labels, exposed exterior labels, non-exposed exterior labels, exposed interior labels, non-exposed interior labels and engine/transmission labels.

3.2.1 Engine compartment labels (A type): labels located inside the engine compartment and stuck to something other than the engine body itself. Note: for example labels stuck to sprayed sheet metal parts inside the engine compartment, to plastic trim covers, to the battery or to containers.

3.2.2 Exposed exterior labels (B type): labels located on the outside of the body, in a position where the sticking place is visible. Note: for example trailer hook labels, or roof rack and ski rack load labels.

3.2.3 Non-exposed exterior labels (C type): labels located at the joint of a movable body part, visible after the movable body part has been opened. Note: for example labels stuck on the door pillar or on the inner side of the door pillar, or fuel filler cap labels.

3.2.4 Exposed interior labels (D type): labels located inside the vehicle, visible when the component is in normal use, that is with a folding component in the stowed position, and exposed to sunlight, as well as labels located on the outer, visible surface of the sun visor. Note: for example airbag labels or seat belt labels on the sun visor.

3.2.5 Non-exposed interior labels (E type): labels visible inside the vehicle, or, for a folding component, visible when it is in the open position, that are not exposed to sunlight, as well as labels exposed only when the sun visor is lowered or a door is opened. Note: for example labels stuck to the inner surface of the sun visor, to the inner surface of a folding component, or luggage compartment labels.

3.2.6 Engine/transmission labels (F type): labels stuck directly to the metal body of the engine or of the transmission.

4 Performance requirements for plates and labels

4.1 Performance requirements for plates. The adhesion of the coating of a plate, the colour fastness to sunlight, the abrasion resistance, the salt spray resistance, the damp heat resistance and the mould resistance shall meet the relevant requirements of GB/T 13306.

4.2.1 Peel strength of plate adhesive tape. The peel strength may be evaluated either by 180 degree peel strength or by 90 degree peel strength, one of the two being chosen. The requirements under the different conditions are: a) peel strength at initial tack, after the test of 5.2.3.3, 180 degree peel strength at least 0.5 N/mm and 90 degree peel strength at least 0.4 N/mm; b) peel strength in the standard environment, after the test of 5.2.3.4, at least 1 N/mm and 0.8 N/mm respectively; c) peel strength at high temperature, after the test of 5.2.3.5, at least 0.4 N/mm and 0.3 N/mm; d) peel strength after heat ageing, after the test of 5.2.3.6, at least 0.8 N/mm and 0.8 N/mm; e) peel strength after warm water ageing, after the test of 5.2.3.7, at least 0.8 N/mm and 0.8 N/mm; f) peel strength after cyclic ageing, after the test of 5.2.3.8, at least 1 N/mm and 0.8 N/mm; g) peel strength after humidity ageing, after the test of 5.2.3.9, at least 0.8 N/mm and 0.8 N/mm.

4.2.2 Pull-off force. After the test of 5.2.4 the pull-off force shall be at least 125 N.

4.2.3 Dynamic shear strength. After the test of 5.2.5 a), the dynamic shear strength at initial tack shall be at least 0.2 N per square millimetre; after 5.2.5 b), in the standard environment, at least 0.3; after 5.2.5 c), at high temperature, at least 0.2; after 5.2.5 d), after heat ageing, at least 0.4; after 5.2.5 e), after warm water ageing, at least 0.3; after 5.2.5 f), after cyclic ageing, at least 0.3; after 5.2.5 g), after windscreen washer fluid ageing, at least 0.4, all in N per square millimetre.

4.2.4 Static shear strength. After the test of 5.2.6 the static holding time shall be at least 10 000 min.

4.3 General performance requirements for labels. 4.3.1 After the test of 5.3.2 the 180 degree peel strength shall be at least 0.44 N/mm. 4.3.2 Abrasion resistance: after the test of 5.3.3 the labels shall be sound in appearance, with no separation of the bond and no breakage, and the surface colour shall show no marked change compared with the sample before the test; the information on the label shall be clear and easy to identify and, if the label bears a bar code, the bar code shall be readable after the test. 4.3.3 Liquid resistance: after the test of 5.3.4 the labels shall be sound in appearance, with no separation of the bond, and the surface colour shall show no marked change compared with the sample before the test; the information shall be clear and easy to identify and any bar code shall be readable after the test. 4.3.4 Humidity resistance follows the same criteria after the test of 5.3.5. 4.3.5 Thermal cycling performance follows the same criteria after the test of 5.3.6.1. 4.3.6 Heat ageing performance follows the same criteria after the test of 5.3.7. 4.3.7 Colour fastness: after the test of 5.3.8 the colour difference produced on the label shall reach at least grade 4 of the grey scale specified in GB/T 250. 4.3.8 Artificial accelerated weathering performance follows the same criteria after the test of 5.3.9. 4.3.9 High pressure washing resistance follows the same criteria after the test of 5.3.10. 4.3.10 Hot shear bond strength: after the test of 5.3.11 the displacement of the label shall not exceed 5 mm, the type on the label shall not become distorted, the information shall be clear and easy to identify and any bar code shall be readable after the test.

4.4 Additional requirements for labels of special use. A footnote states that labels of special use, such as those identifying the identity or manufacturing history of a vehicle or of a part or assembly - the vehicle identification number label, the product plate, the engine marking and the like - shall also have anti-tampering and anti-counterfeiting performance where needed.

4.4.1 Anti-tampering performance. 4.4.1.1 Removal of the label: 4.4.1.1.1 removal shall destroy the label or make the information on it unrecognizable, so that the label destroys itself; after the test of 5.3.12 the label shall break so that it cannot be removed whole, or, without breaking, shall change so markedly in appearance - cracks, deformation and the like - that the marked information is no longer complete. 4.4.1.1.2 Once a label stuck to a painted surface has been removed, the appearance of the area where it was stuck shall change recognizably, so that an inspector can trace evidence of the original label in the original area; where this is achieved by fluorescent means, a fluorescent mark shall remain after removal. 4.4.1.2 Any alteration of the information on a label shall leave traces of the original information, or shall change the appearance of the label markedly.

4.4.2 Anti-counterfeiting performance. 4.4.2.1 The label shall be proof against counterfeiting. 4.4.2.2 The label material shall carry the manufacturer's marking or some other unique marking, and altering or removing that marking shall change the appearance of the label recognizably.

5 Test methods for plates and labels

5.1 Test method for plates. The test is carried out in accordance with GB/T 13306.

5.2.1 Test environment. Unless otherwise specified, all tests are carried out in the standard environment, 23 °C +/- 2 °C and 50 % +/- 5 % relative humidity, and the test tape and the test plate are kept in the standard environment for 4 h before being stuck together.

5.2.2 Sample preparation. Test plate: length 125 mm +/- 1 mm, width 50 mm +/- 1 mm, thickness 1.5 mm to 2.0 mm, in the material 06Cr19Ni10 specified in GB/T 3280. Alternatively the outer painted panel or the electroplated panel of the vehicle area where the plate is actually stuck may be taken as the test plate. Before the tape is stuck to the test plate, the surface of the plate is cleaned with degreased gauze and a cleaning agent. Tape: the tape dimensions follow the specific requirements of each test; at least 3 samples are prepared for each test and the test result is the average of the results of the samples. The tape used is double-sided tape supplied in a roll with release paper on one side; the side without release paper is called the open face and is the side stuck to the plate, while the side covered by the release paper is called the covering face and is the side stuck to the body or to the electroplated part.

5.2.3.1 180 degree peel strength test. In the standard environment a tape sample 25 mm +/- 1 mm wide and 200 mm +/- 1 mm long is prepared. To keep the tape from being stretched out of shape while it is peeled, a polyester film 20 µm to 60 µm thick is attached to the open face; to secure the bond between polyester film and tape, primer is first applied to the bonding surface of the film and the film is attached to the tape only after the primer has dried. The covering face of the tape carrying the polyester film is stuck to the test plate, and a 2 kg roller 50 mm wide is then run over the surface once out and back at 300 mm/min, to make the bond complete. Under the various conditions of 5.2.3.3 to 5.2.3.9 the free end of the sample is folded back through 180 degrees and 25 mm +/- 1 mm of the sample is peeled from the plate; the free end of the sample and the test plate are clamped in the upper and lower grips of the tensile testing machine, with the peel face kept in line with the force line of the machine. The machine peels the tape continuously at 300 mm/min and an automatic recorder draws the peel curve; the readings over the first 20 mm +/- 1 mm of the curve are disregarded and the readings between 20 mm +/- 1 mm and 80 mm +/- 1 mm are recorded. See Figure 1, which shows the upper grip, the anti-slip device and the lower grip.

5.2.3.2 90 degree peel strength test. Sample preparation, polyester film, primer and rolling are as for the 180 degree test. Under the conditions of 5.2.3.3 to 5.2.3.9 the free end of the sample is folded through 90 degrees and 25 mm +/- 1 mm of the covering face is peeled from the test plate; free end and test plate are clamped in the upper and lower grips, the peel face is kept in line with the force line of the machine, peeling runs continuously at 300 mm/min, the first 20 mm +/- 1 mm of the curve is disregarded and the values between 20 mm +/- 1 mm and 80 mm +/- 1 mm are recorded. See Figure 2, which shows the upper grip and the lower grip.

5.2.3.3 Peel strength test at initial tack. Once the sample has been prepared and stuck, it is left in the standard environment for 20 min and then tested by the method of 5.2.3.1 or 5.2.3.2.

5.2.3.4 Peel strength test in the standard environment. The sample is left in the standard environment for 72 h and then tested by the method of 5.2.3.1 or 5.2.3.2.

5.2.3.5 Peel strength test at high temperature. The sample is left in the standard environment for 24 h and then tested by the method of 5.2.3.1 or 5.2.3.2 at a temperature of 80 °C +/- 2 °C.

5.2.3.6 Peel strength test after heat ageing. The sample is left in the standard environment for 24 h, then held at 80 °C +/- 2 °C for 240 h, then left in the standard environment for 24 h, and tested by the method of 5.2.3.1 or 5.2.3.2.

5.2.3.7 Peel strength test after warm water ageing. The sample is left in the standard environment for 24 h, then immersed in a water bath at 40 °C +/- 2 °C for 240 h; the surface moisture is then wiped off completely, the sample is left in the standard environment for 24 h and tested by the method of 5.2.3.1 or 5.2.3.2.

5.2.3.8 Peel strength test after cyclic ageing. The sample is left in the standard environment for 24 h and then aged over the following temperature cycle, of which the pages available show only the first step: a) held at -30 °C +/- 2 °C for 17 h. The remaining steps of the cycle fall beyond the pages available.

T Note on the printed English title

The cover of the document prints the English title as Road vehicle - Plates and label, with the first noun in the singular and the second of the two listed items in the singular while the first is plural. The Chinese title has no such number, and the corresponding series title used elsewhere is in the plural. The title has been set here as Road vehicles - Plates and labels; the printed form is recorded above.

R Relationship to previous standards

The foreword states that this standard replaces GB/T 25978-2010 Road vehicles - Plates and labels, and that the previous edition of the standard replaced was GB/T 25978-2010.

The main technical changes with respect to GB/T 25978-2010 are listed in the foreword: 3.2.6 engine/transmission labels (F type) was added, with the corresponding performance requirements; the test conditions of several general performance requirements for labels were completed, and among the liquid resistance requirements of 5.3.4 several further liquids were added - leather cleaning liquids, carpet and vehicle utensil cleaning liquids, a 50 % by volume aqueous solution of isopropyl alcohol (IPA), transmission fluid and ethanol; a 10 min thermal cycling test was added to 5.3.6.2, and a high pressure washing resistance test 5.3.10 and a hot shear bond strength test 5.3.11 were added; the label self-destruction test method 5.3.12 was added and the anti-counterfeiting and anti-tampering performance requirements for labels were completed; and the informative Annex A, recommendations on the surfaces to which labels are applied, was added.