Shore Hardness — ISO 868 / ASTM D2240 / ISO 7619-1

What Is Shore?

Shore hardness test is a test in which the hardness value is read from the indentation depth by pressing the sample surface with a standard penetrating and spring-loaded durometer. Shore A is used in soft elastomers, Shore D is used in hard plastic and hard rubber.

Purpose of Shore

The purpose is to verify batch consistency and specification compliance by checking the hardness of the elastomer or plastic.

Which Products Is Shore Applied To?

Gaskets and sealing elements
Hose and profiles
shoe sole materials
Hard plastic parts

In Which Sectors Is Shore Used?

AutomotiveElectric VehicleBatteryPlasticsRubber

Standards Related to Shore

ISO 868
ISO 7619-1
ASTM D2240

Shore Conditions

Scale: Shore A (soft) or Shore D (hard); is selected according to the material
Specimen thickness: Minimum thickness defined in the standard (typically at least 6 mm; layering if necessary)
reading time: Defined in the standard; instant or after defined waiting
Number of measurements: A defined number of measurements at different points; median or mean is given

Equipment for Shore

Shore A and Shore D durometers
Measuring stand (constant load application)
Kalibre referans bloklar
Thickness measuring instrument

Sample Requirements for Shore

The sample surface must be flat and smooth
Minimum thickness must be ensured; If stratification is done, it should be reported
Measurement points must be at a distance defined in the standard from the edge
The sample must be conditioned

Duration of Shore

Typically 1 day.

Shore Procedure

1The durometer is verified with reference blocks.
2Specimen thickness is measured.
3The sample is placed on a flat surface.
4Measurements are made at a defined number of points.
5Values are recorded according to the reading time.
6The result is reported by specifying the scale.

Shore Acceptance Criteria

The acceptance criterion is the hardness range given in the specification (e.g. 70 ± 5 Shore A).

Evaluation of Results

Shore A and Shore D values cannot be converted to each other and a hardness value given without a scale is meaningless. Insufficient sample thickness overestimates hardness; stratification affects the outcome and should be reported.

Shore Report

Applied standard and scale
Sample thickness and layering
reading time
Individual measurements and the result
Conditioning conditions

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

Material and product specifications

Otomotiv Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Shore test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Automotive testing shows that a component keeps working under conditions representing the loads it will meet over the life of the vehicle. A vehicle is not a single product but an ENVIRONMENT: vibration, temperature cycling, salt water, stone impact, electrical transients and electromagnetic noise are all present at the same time and for years.

What distinguishes this family is that VEHICLE MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS sit on top of the standards. ISO and SAE publications establish the common ground; but Volkswagen, BMW, Ford, Stellantis, Toyota and Renault define different severity levels, additional tests and different acceptance criteria in their own specifications. For a component, the phrase "complies with automotive standards" is not sufficient on its own; which manufacturer's specification, and which revision of it, must be answered.

The family carries three separate processes together and they are often confused. Homologation covers the type approvals a vehicle needs to enter traffic and runs under state authority. Supplier approval means passing the vehicle manufacturer's own quality and testing requirements and is a commercial relationship. The third is design verification: the engineering team demonstrating that its own design meets its targets.

At component level the test plan is built around the LOCATION OF USE. A module in the engine bay and a module in the boot do not go through the same temperature and vibration profile; a component inside a door and one in the roof console do not see the same water and dust exposure. The ISO 16750 series is the common framework for this location-based approach.

The shift to electric vehicles has reshaped the field. High-voltage safety, insulation coordination, battery safety, charging interface conformity and the electromagnetic behaviour of high-voltage components have been added to the classical automotive test set. In a quiet vehicle, acoustic and vibration expectations have changed too; sounds once masked by the combustion engine are now audible.

The quality system side cannot be separated from testing in this field. A manufacturer under IATF 16949 presents test results in the PPAP file; measurement system analysis, process capability study and the control plan stand around the test report. A single good result is not enough — the process must be shown to be able to repeat it.

Method groups in this field

Environmental and climatic
Temperature cycling, thermal shock, damp heat, salt spray, dust and water ingress (IP), solar radiation. Severity levels vary with the mounting location.
Mechanical
Sine and random vibration, shock, mechanical loads, fastener torque and durability cycles.
Electrical
Supply voltage variations, transients (ISO 7637), reverse polarity, overvoltage, short circuit and sleep current measurements.
EMC
Component emissions (CISPR 25), radiated and conducted immunity (ISO 11452 series), electrostatic discharge (ISO 10605).
Materials and emissions
Odour, fogging and VOC emissions from interior materials; flammability; UV ageing; coating durability and stone impact.
Functional safety and cyber security
Functional safety evidence under ISO 26262 and cyber security engineering under ISO/SAE 21434; these are tied to regulation through UNECE R155 and R156.

Commonly confused in this field

An automotive report without a specification reference is not accepted in the supply chain; which OEM specification and revision was applied must be stated.
Type approval and supplier approval are different processes. A component with E-Mark approval is not thereby considered to have passed the OEM's own acceptance tests.
A result obtained on a prototype does not carry over to series production; PPAP is done with series production parts.
On the EMC side, measuring emissions alone is incomplete; immunity is a separate body of work and is more critical in a vehicle.
On electric vehicle components, high-voltage safety is a distinct competence; classical 12 V test infrastructure is not sufficient.

Which decisions these results support

Supplier component approval and the PPAP file
UNECE type approval and E-Mark marking
Design verification and durability evidence
Root cause analysis of field complaints and warranty returns
Assessing the impact of a design or supplier change

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Shore

Are Shore A 90 and Shore D 40 the same hardness?

These values are read on different scales and cannot be directly translated. For materials located in the overlap zone, the standard defines which scale to use; The report should indicate the scale.