SAE J576_202601

This SAE Recommended Practice is intended as a guide toward standard practice and is subject to change to keep pace with experience and technical advances. This document establishes additional performance requirements and provides test methods and requirements to evaluate the suitability of materials intended for optical applications in motor vehicles. The tests are intended to determine physical and optical characteristics of the materials only. Performance expectations of finished assemblies, including plastic components, are to be based on tests for lighting devices, as specified in SAE Standards and Recommended Practices for motor vehicle lighting equipment. Glass and materials inclusive to the light source are not in scope for this method. With the emergence of front decorative lamps, the weathering test methods and requirements of this standard necessitate updating. SAE J3098 references SAE J576, but there is a need to screen new technologies more quickly for decorative applications, which do not serve a safety function. A guide for artificial accelerated weathering, which applies to decorative lighting only, is now included in this standard. The recommended test procedure is based on methods previously established for SAE J3086, which simulates 3-year outdoor weathering. The Heat Test, which must be conducted on all materials according to FMVSS108, is now included in this standard as well. Sample or samples are now specified as material(s). ASTM D4364 has been replaced by the equivalent SAE J1961 method and exposure durations are now defined. A minimum specimen width is now recommended to ensure the specimen is large enough to be measured with a 25-mm diameter aperture. The geographic Florida and Arizona exposure site locations are more clearly defined. The requirement to add an optical brightener to the coating has been deleted since this is not practical or necessary. A recommended method for protected inner lens testing is included. The color requirements for before and after exposure are more clearly defined. Unexposed controls are now unexposed file specimen(s) to reflect the ASTM definition for controls that are not tested. A rating scale has been included to evaluate if surface defects on exposed specimens are significant enough to affect performance from an appearance standpoint.