1、Designation:D 5626 94(Reapproved 2001)An American National StandardStandard Test Methods forU.S.Postal Service Optical Measurements for Small Areas1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 5626;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in
2、 the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon(e)indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 These test methods deal with the measurement of opticalproperties important to automatic
3、 equipment used by theUnited States Postal Service,such as optical character recog-nition(OCR)readers and barcode readers.These test methodscan be used to examine finished mailpieces bearing addressinformation,as well as the unconverted materials intended tobe subsequently used in mailpiece construc
4、tion.These testmethods are limited to the use of a single instrument,the U.S.Postal Service Envelope Reflectance Meter Model 2(ERM-2),2designed for use with mailpieces and materials intendedfor mailpiece construction such as paper and paper-like syn-thetics and inks.1.2 These test methods cover exam
5、ination of small areas,measuring 0.152 by 0.254 mm(0.006 by 0.010 in.).Thisenables measurement of the reflectance characteristics ofregions as small as the inked portion of a single printedcharacter or a single bar in a barcode pattern.1.3 These test methods deal with the measurement of fourdifferen
6、t optical properties important to automatic mail han-dling,as follows:1.3.1 Background Reflectance(see 11.1)These test meth-ods cover the determination of the relative reflectance factor ofsmall areas of a specimen that do not contain printing orapparent show-through of printing,and so are represent
7、ative ofthe base material.1.3.2 Print Reflectance Difference and Print Contrast Ratio(see 11.2)These test methods characterize the difference inreflectance between the envelope material and the charactersprinted upon the envelope with ink.1.3.3 Print Show Through(see 11.3)These test methodscharacter
8、ize the difference in reflectance between the envelopematerial backed with an unprinted insert and the envelopematerial examined in a region where it covers a printedcharacter on the insert or a character printed on the back sideof the envelope material itself.1.4 This standard does not purport to a
9、ddress all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:D 585 Practice f
10、or Sampling and Accepting a Single Lot ofPaper,Paperboard,Fiberboard,or Related Products3E 284 Terminology of Appearance4E 1347 Test Method for Color and Color Difference Mea-surements by Tristimulus(Filter)Colorimetry43.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 The definitions contained in Terminology E 284
11、 areapplicable to these test methods.3.1.2 Relative reflectance factor is defined in Test MethodE 1347.3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 background reflectance(BR),nthe relative direc-tional reflectance factor,expressed as a percent,obtained froma portion of the material under
12、 any test which has not beenprinted on either side and does not show printing from anybacking material.Also referred to as paper reflectance.3.2.2 bar code reader(BCR),nas used by the UnitedStates Postal Service(USPS)in the automatic processing ofmail.3.2.3 bar code sorter(BCS),nas used by the USPS
13、in theautomatic processing of mail.3.2.4 directional,adjdescriptor for the optical geometryemployed in the ERM-2 for which illumination is from twosources disposed at+50 and 50 from the vertical,anddetection is at 0 from the vertical.3.2.5 Envelope Reflectance Meter,Model 2(ERM-2),nmanufactured by C
14、hamberlain MRC.NOTE1This instrument renders ERM-1 obsolete.The ERM-1 cannotbe used to implement these test methods.1These test methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D06 onPaper and Paper Products and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D06.92on Test Methods.Current edition a
15、pproved Oct.15,1994.Published December 1994.2The ERM-2 is available from Chamberlain MRC,Division of DuchossoisIndustries,Inc.,336 Clubhouse Road,Hunt Valley,MD 21031-1325.3Annual Book of ASTM Standards,Vol 15.09.4Annual Book of ASTM Standards,Vol 06.01.1Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor
16、Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959,United States.3.2.6 optical character reader(OCR),nas used by theUSPS in the automated processing of mail.3.2.7 print contrast ratio(PCR),nthe ratio between printreflectance difference and background reflectance,defined asPCR=(BR PR)/BR=PRD/BR.3.2.8 print reflectance(PR),nthe relative directionalreflectance factor,expressed as a percent,obtained from aportion of the material under test which has been printed;alsoreferred to as ink reflectance.3.2