sonosite, inc. bothell, washington
change history:
table of contents
1. purpose and scope 2
2. definitions 2
3. evaluation techniques – time/distance analysis 4
4. methods 5
5. cosmetic category standards 7
6. references/attachments 13
1. purpose and scope
the purpose of this document is to define basic terminology and application of cosmetic criteria for finished plastic, painted or powder coated sheet metal, painted or powder coated die or sand cast, anodized aluminum, and elastomeric parts. this document is intended to define defects in general terms so all parties will understand our terminology.
the requirements are generic and apply to the majority of parts, but there are some components that allow for more lenient requirements based on their application and manufacturing process, and are specified separately by their own cosmetic document/ drawing or in additional documents attached to this specification (see section 6).
unless otherwise defined in this document, injection molded parts must meet the criteria established in the society of the plastics industry (spi) specification “cosmetic specifications of injection molded parts”, latest revision.
2. definitions
2.1. injection molded plastic part cosmetic evaluation nomenclature
burn – (gas mark) evidence of thermal decomposition, usually occurs with visible local discoloration.
discoloration – (stains, streaks) any change from original color, or unintended inconsistent part color.
dirt – (debris) any material on, but not attached to the part, such as lint, dirt, cardboard fines, resin fines, etc.
flash – unwanted plastic attached to a molded part along the parting line, moveable core line, ejector pins, etc.
flow marks –wavy or streaked appearance of the part material.
gate vestige – an area on the surface of a part where the gate is located. the gate areas should always be located in a seldom seen or handled area whenever possible.
gloss – an area on the surface of a part that has a different shine or luster than the rest of the surface.
haze – (blooms, sticking) cloudy appearance in an otherwise transparent part.
knit line –shallow groove in the surface that appears molded into the surface.
nick – (gouge) any removal of material caused by a foreign object. parting line—(witness line) line or impression on the part inherent in the tool design.
pit – (dimple, crater) small, crater-like impression on the surface of the part. surface of the part still remains painted.
protrusion – (blister, bump, ridge) a raised area on the surface of a molded part.
sink – (shrink mark) a depression in the surface of a molded part.
scratch – shallow groove left as a result of material removed.
speck – (inclusion, bubble) a substance included in a part, which seems foreign to its intended composition.
weld line – (flowline, splay) a visible line, mark (not necessarily physical) or crack on the surface.
2.2. painted or powder coated metal (sheet and/or die cast) evaluation nomenclature
blisters – (bubbles) trapped air pockets between coating and base material.
dirt – (speck, lint) any contamination or foreign substance in the coating or on the surface.
delta e - the color difference, or δe, between a sample color and a reference color.
crack- (as-cast part) a fracture, fissure or break in the base material.
discoloration – (streaks, stains) any change from original color, or unintended inconsistent part color.
gloss – an area on the surface of a part that has a different shine or luster than the rest of the surface.
marks- pits, sanding or other anomalies on the base material that remains visible after coating.
nick – (breakout, gouge) any removal of material caused by a foreign object. non-adhesion – lack of proper adhesion of the coating to the surface, usually due to improper material preparation or mismatch in coating to surface.
non-uniform cover -- areas where there is insufficient or excess coating to produce the desired and consistent finish across the surface.
orange peel – poor application of smooth finish—crater-like surface appears similar to the skin of an orange.
pits – (dimples, voids) small crater-like impressions on the surface of the part, such as from a burst air bubble. surface of the part still remains painted.
runs – (drips) excessive coating that causes drips or uneven coating.
scratch – shallow groove left as a result of material removed. form – the shape of a processed feature, typically as is compared to the design intent.
overspray- impingement of a coating into an adjacent area.
wrinkle – shriveled look associated with substrate/coating incompatibilities.
2.3. anodized aluminum evaluation nomenclature
discoloration – (streaks, stains) any change from original color, or unintended inconsistent part color.
nick – (gouge) any removal of material caused by a foreign object.
pits –small crater-like impressions on the surface of the part. surface of the part still remains painted.
scratch – shallow groove left as a result of material removed.
burrs - raised, sharp edges inherent in cutting operations.
tool marks- indications that are created directly from the extrusion process and/or machining process.
2.4. compression molded elastomer evaluation nomenclature
ablated/laser etch – aporized to remove unwanted material, as occurs to color coat paint in icons during laser etching.
base material – elastomeric material the part is formed with.
carbon puck - conductive rubber material used to make electrical contact to the printed circuit board in one style of elastomeric keypad.
delta e - the color difference, or δe, between a sample color and a reference color.
discoloration -
∙ linear: any single discoloration/gloss or surface defect in the form of a line.
∙ area: any discoloration/gloss or surface defect that forms an area.
∙ specks: any discoloration/gloss or surface defect that is a single or collection of dots or small spots.
gloss - the brightness of a polished surface.
laser etching - a process in which legends are formed on the top of an elastomer by means of a laser beam. the laser beam removes the top layer of opaque material (spray coat, often black) revealing another material (graphic color, usually white).
light leak - voids in the elastomer that allow light to be seen through the elastomer surface.
physical - any defect where there is extra or missing material.
speck - foreign particle within the material, or unbroken paint bubble. see contamination.
web - region at the base of a key molded into the elastomer, which flexes when the key surface is actuated.
3. evaluation techniques – time/distance analysis
(these standards apply unless otherwise stated within each cosmetic category standard below)
3.1. purpose
since cosmetic defects are often difficult to define, each surface type will be viewed at a specified distance and time, replicating what the customer would see.
3.2. time and distance
the time and distance specified for each cosmetic standard is based on relation to the frequency and the distance the customer would look at it.
inspection time shall be no more than 10 seconds for class a surfaces and 5 seconds for class b and class c surfaces.
inspection is to be performed at arm’s length with the unaided eye.
see section 4.1.3 for definition of surfaces.
3.3. inspection methods
3.3.1. manual method: the part should be moved around to see all surfaces under different light sources and different reflection angles, within the designated time period and distance for the given surface type.
∙ uniform nondirectional illumination between 80 and 150 footcandles. at light levels greater than 150 footcandles, caution should be used not to over inspect.
∙ magnification is not to be used when inspecting for cosmetic defects, except for verifying the size of a found defect against limits to determine acceptability.
∙ parts shall not be manipulated to reflect a single light source in order to accentuate surface flaws.
∙ viewing angle +/- 30 degrees from a perpendicular in both x and y directions.
3.3.2. spectrophotometer method: a spectrophotometer is a device that measures color and can give the results of the measurements in different formats on common format is known as l*a*b* or, more simply, lab. l*a*b* is a three-dimensional color space where l* is the luminance or black-to-white component of the sample, and a* and b* are the color components of the sample.
for spectrophotometer measurements, use the following parameters:
∙ lighting - d65
∙ spectral - on
∙ measurement formula – l.a.b.
∙ if applicable; measure the part in the area referenced in the part drawing.
3.4. repetitive cosmetic problems
a small but repetitive cosmetic flaw will often occur in the same location on a part, and may become more noticeable due to its repetition. however, if this flaw has ever been deemed acceptable the same should be true for the entire life of the component.
3.5. cosmetic versus strength, function and/or dimension
during the cosmetic inspection period only the visual quality of the part should be inspected with relation to the standards. if a flaw, such as a sink, is acceptable for the cosmetic standard but makes the part unacceptable because of form, fit, or function, it should be rejected for these reasons, and not as a cosmetic defect.
4. methods
4.1. surface classifications
4.1.1. purpose
this document will define categories and classifications that are required to satisfy rigid cosmetic requirements only on surfaces or areas that are seen by the customer. this allows for more lenient quality requirements in areas not seen by the customer. display lenses, lcds, and transducers have their own cosmetic specifications, and are not included in this document.
4.1.2. categories
(see section 5.1) plastic
(see section 5.2) painted and powder coated sheet metal
(see section 5.3) painted and powder coated die cast or sand casted metal
(see section 5.4) anodized aluminum
(see section 5.5) elastomeric compression molded
(see section 6) additional attachments
4.1.3. classes
the surfaces have been divided into four classes pending the frequency a customer will see the surface.
A. any surface that is usually seen or viewed by the user or customer during normal use. e.g., display, keypad, top enclosure. these surfaces require the highest quality cosmetic appearance.
B. any surface that is occasionally or seldom seen or viewed by the user or customer during normal use. e.g., bottom enclosure, back of the stand.
C. surfaces that are not seen by the user or customer during normal use, but could be visible during installation, servicing, etc. e.g., bottom of base, mounting plates.
D. surfaces that are never seen by the user or customer, e.g., internal surfaces and components. these surfaces do not have any cosmetic requirement per this specification.
5. cosmetic category standards
5.1. category a: plastic
5.2. category b: painted or powder coated sheet metal
5.3. category c: painted or powder coated die cast or sand cast metal
5.4. category d: anodized aluminum
5.5. category e: elastomeric compression molded parts
special notes for coated and laser etched elastomer:
1. color coat paint must be fully ablated within laser etched icon geometry, with crisp edges and no visible nicks or specks when backlit with a light source that outputs between 800 and 1700 lux.
2. opaque color coat must not allow backlight to bleed through non-etched areas when backlit with a light source that outputs between 800 and 1700 lux.
special notes for top clear coat:
1. coating must be even and continuous over the entire elastomer, unless otherwise specified on engineering documentation.
2. no un-coated portion of the elastomer shall be visible on a class a or b surfaces.
special notes for carbon puck contacts:
1. no contacts or exposed portions are allowed in the web or on the lower surface of the base material regardless of cosmetic grade. none visible when seen in a backlit application.
2. a contact that is shifted on the contact post is acceptable providing 80% of the post diameter is covered.
3. missing or mis-registered contacts may be repaired by using conductive ink.
4. a double stacked contact (“double carbon puck”) is not acceptable
special inspection methods
lighting: the inspection should be done under external lighting, away from the workbench lights or with them off. inspection should be performed with the unaided eye.
viewing angle: viewing angle +/- 30 degrees from a perpendicular in both x and y directions.
inspection criteria:
minor defects are acceptable if they are a similar shade as the rest of the part, and meet the following criteria:
6. additional attachments
6.1.1. attachment 1: (deleted)
6.1.2. attachment 2: (deleted)
6.1.3. attachment 3: titan/micromaxx/m turbo control panel enclosures
6.1.4. attachment 4: (deleted)
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