Abstract

Proficiency Testing (PT) is one of the means for laboratories to gauge the test data better and subsequently elevates the quality of the result, equipment, and personnel, thus boosting the quality of the laboratory environment altogether. In the current scenario, there are challenges for rubber industries in and around the world for proven Proficiency testing Providers and for the availability of reference materials to measure the competency of the laboratories from time to time. There are many test parameters in the field of rubber, but very few PT schemes are available globally unlike other areas like water, coal, pharmaceuticals, etc. Rubber vulcanizates with three different ranges of hardness such as 55±5 Shore A (lower range), 65±5 Shore A (medium range), and 85±5 Shore A (high range) considered for the PT scheme, and the participants were evaluated for the performance has been considered in this work.

Keywords:Rubber; Polymer; Proficiency testing; Material; Vulcanizates