Test Method
Materials GMW3205
Test Method for Determining the Resistance to Odor Propagation of
Interior Materials
1 Scope The lid shall be sealed by means of a plain ground
joint. Sealing grease or sealing rings shall not be
This test method shall be used to determine the odor
used.
propagation of automotive interior materials (e.g. fab-
ric, coated fabrics (vinyls), carpets, padding, insula- Any necessary support shelves or racks within the
tors, felts, etc.) when subjected to elevated tempera- container shall be made of glass or glazed ceram-
tures and high humidity. ics. The use of suitable sized desiccators is recom-
mended. The lid must form a vapor seal with the con-
Note: Nothing in this test method supersedes appli-
tainer.
cable laws and regulations unless a specific exemp-
tion has been obtained. The test container including lid and possibly the insert
shall be cleaned carefully prior to each test. It shall
Note: In the event of a conflict between the Eng- have no individual smell.
lish and the domestic language, the English language
shall take precedence. 3.3 Suitable cutting tools for preparation of test spec-
imens.
2 References
4 Test Material
Note: Only the latest approved standards are appli-
cable unless otherwise specified. Distilled or deionized water.
2.1 Normative.
5 Test Method
ISC-C93-001 SAE J1351
5.1 Summary of Test Method. Test specimen is
2.2 GM. placed in a sealed container and conditioned as
required. After the specified time, the container is
GME 60276
opened and the odor of the test specimen is evalu-
ated by test person(s).
3 Test Equipment 5.2 Test Sample Preparation.
3.1 Air circulating oven capable of maintaining the re-
5.2.1 Test Specimens and Number of Test Speci-
quired temperature to within ± 2 C.
mens. The size of the test specimens shall be gov-
3.2 One (1) test container is required for each coding erned by the amount of the material used in the ve-
plus a control container. The test container, lid and hicle, and shall be selected to give the approximate
rack must not release or absorb any odorous volatiles. ratios of test specimen volume and test container vol-
Only containers and lids of glass shall be permitted. ume according to Table 1.
© Copyright 2000 General Motors Corporation All Rights Reserved
Originating Department: North American Engineering Standards, Records and Documentation
December 2000 Page 1 of 5
GMW3205 GM WORLDWIDE ENGINEERING STANDARDS
Coding Test specimen volume : Test container volume Example of materials for test
1 1 : 20 Padding felts
2 1 : 50 Carpets, Fabrics
3 1 : 100 Plastic films
4 1 : 500 Parts for paneling
5 1 : 1000 Small parts as speaker panels
6 1 : to specification to requirements
The specific coding will be shown on the individual en- any possible increase in pressure during the test. The
gineering drawings, material specifications etc. The test container shall then be placed in the oven for
coding system is defined in Section (24 +0/-2) h at (+70 ± 2) C.
Where test specimens are taken from large compo- 5.3.2 Dry Condition – Coding B.
nents, they shall be cut to a thickness of 20 mm max.
5.3.2.1 The test specimen shall be placed in the test
A test specimen may consist of several individual container, avoiding contact with the bottom, and the
pieces. lid tightly closed.
Run a minimum of one test for each required coding. 5.3.2.2 The test container shall then be placed in the
5.2.1.1 To calculate the test specimen size, first de- oven operating for (24 +0/-2) h at (+70 ± 2) C.
fine the test specimen area that will fit flat on the sup-
5.3.3 High Temperature Condition – Coding C.
port shelf or rack. Define the thickness of the mate-
rial and calculate the volume in mm³. Multiply the test 5.3.3.1 The test specimen shall be placed in the test
specimen volume by 10-6 to convert to liters. Define container, avoiding contact with the bottom, and the
the air volume of the test container in liters. Divide lid placed on the test container but not sealed.
the test container volume by the test specimen vol-
5.3.3.2 The test container shall then be placed in the
ume. If the ratio doesn’t equal the required ratio, then
oven operating for (24 +0/-2) h at (+105 ± 2) C. Sub-
cut a second test specimen the same size, double the
sequently the lid shall be tightly closed.
thickness value and calculate the ratio as above. Use
the number of test specimens that comes the closest 5.3.4 Control Container Procedure.
to the required ratio.
5.3.4.1 The empty test container is to be placed into
5.2.2 Conditioning. Test specimens are to be pro- the oven along with the container which has a test
duced immediately upon receipt of parts or materials specimen inside.
and tested shortly afterwards.
Depending upon which parameters are to be con-
5.3 Test Procedure. trolled, test can be wet or dry.
Note: Test procedure depends on coding A, B or C 5.3.4.2 The test container shall then be placed in the
for test specimen conditioning. oven operating for (24 +0/-2) h at (+70 ± 2) C.
5.3.1 Wet Condition – Coding A. 5.3.4.3 Following the specified period in the oven, the
5.3.1.1 Sufficient distilled or deionized water shall be test containers shall be removed, and allowed to cool
placed in the test container, so as to ensure that some down to (+23 ± 5) C.
water remains at end of test.
5.3.1.2 The test specimen shall be placed with a sup- 6 Evaluation and Rating
port shelf or rack in the test container, excluding the After cooling down, the lid of the test container shall
direct contact with the water. be slid open just as far as necessary for evaluation by
5.3.1.3 The lid shall be tightly closed using sufficient each test person (the lid shall not be raised) and then
additional clamping (if necessary) to compensate to closed again as quickly as possible.
© Copyright 2000 General Motors Corporation All Rights Reserved
Page 2 of 5 December 2000
GM WORLDWIDE ENGINEERING STANDARDS GMW3205
Any odor shall be evaluated by three to six test per- be indicated as the overall average of the ratings
sons using the classification given below. No more rounded to one decimal place.
than half of the odor committee shall be chemists.
7.2 Deviations from the conditions. Deviations
Odor Classification from the conditions of this test method shall have
been agreed upon between supplier and vehicle
Rating 10 odorless manufacturer. These shall be specified on compo-
Rating 9 nent drawings, material specifications etc. and shall
be indicated on test certificates, reports etc.
Rating 8 trace
Rating 7 8 Safety
Rating 6 tolerable This method may involve hazardous materials, opera-
Rating 5 tions and equipment. This method does not propose
to address all the safety problems associated with its
Rating 4 annoying use. It is the responsibility of the user of this method
Rating 3 to establish appropriate safety and health practices
and determine the applicability of regulatory limita-
Rating 2 severe tions prior to use.
Rating 1 intolerable
9 Coding System
Note: If the stated three persons minimum are not
available for the evaluation, the number of people who This test method shall be referenced in other docu-
conducted the evaluation shall be noted on the test ments, drawings, VTS, CTS, etc. as follows:
report.
Test to GMW3205.
When less than three evaluators are available, indi-
vidual(s) shall rate the sample as often as required
to get a minimum of three data points. If same indi-
10 Release and Revisions
vidual rates sample more than once, one minute min. 10.1 Release. This test method was first approved in
between evaluations is required. June 1999 and published in October 1999.
Calculate the average of individual ratings. This test method is written to commonize the determi-
If difference between highest and lowest ratings is nation of odor propagation within GM. It is based on
greater than five units, test shall be repeated with dif- the GM Europe Engineering Standard GME 60276,
ferent evaluators if possible. SAE J1351 (NAO), ISC-C93-001-Test Method 17
All of the results from the first and second tests shall (Isuzu).
then be averaged. 10.2 Revisions.
7 Report Rev. Date Description (Org.)
7.1 Expression of Results. With reference to this
test method, the resistance to odor propagation shall A DEC 2000 Reformat revision (GMNA)
© Copyright 2000 General Motors Corporation All Rights Reserved
December 2000 Page 3 of 5
GMW3205 GM WORLDWIDE ENGINEERING STANDARDS
Appendix A for a test material to release volatile constituents of
Definition a smell, when subjected to elevated temperatures
and/or high humidity.
Odor Propagation. Odor propagation as determined
by this test method, shall be defined as the tendency
© Copyright 2000 General Motors Corporation All Rights Reserved
Page 4 of 5 December 2000
GM WORLDWIDE ENGINEERING STANDARDS GMW3205
Appendix B 2 5.0 to 5.4 2
Cross Reference to Replaced Local 3 4.5 to 4.9 3
Specifications 4 3.5 to 4.4 4
Replaced local specifications referred to other rating
scales then the classifications defined in Section . Be- 5 3.0 to 3.4 5
low table is a cross reference of former rating scales. 6 2.5 to 2.9 6
7 2.0 to 2.4 7
Rating of
8 1.5 to 1.9 8
GMW3205 GME 60276, GME 60276,
issue 1, since issue 2, 9 1.3 to 1.4 9
dated 3/80 dated 5/86 10 1.0 to 1.2 10
1 5.5 to 6.0 1
© Copyright 2000 General Motors Corporation All Rights Reserved
December 2000 Page 5 of 5
