Material and part approval documents
Match the document to the decision.
A plastics buyer needs different evidence at different decisions. A technical data sheet (TDS) helps screen a grade. A certificate of analysis (COA) reports the characteristics actually tested for an identified lot. A certificate of conformity or conformance (COC) is an issuer's statement against named requirements. A UL Yellow Card records the recognition details of a listed polymeric material. A production part approval process (PPAP) package concerns the part and its production process. One cannot stand in for all the others.
Start with the exact commercial grade, the product and destination market, the customer specification, and the decision you are trying to make. The documents available from Nylon Plastic or a manufacturer must be confirmed for that grade and project; this guide is not a promise that every listed document can be supplied.
By Nylon Plastic Technical Team
Reviewed by: Nylon Plastic Technical Team
Last Technical Review:
Choose the Evidence by Decision Stage
- Screen a material before samplingAsk for: Current named-grade TDS; applicable SDS; exact-grade UL listing or substance information if the application requires itCheck: Is this a plausible candidate under the stated test conditions and project requirements?
- Receive and release a resin lotAsk for: Agreed purchase specification, lot COA if specified, and a COC if required by contract or customerCheck: Does the identified delivered lot meet the characteristics and statements actually agreed?
- Approve a molded part or production processAsk for: Approved drawing and material revision, inspection or FAI records, and PPAP/IMDS when required by the customer programCheck: Does the part from the defined tool and process satisfy the approval requirements?
The stages can overlap. A material change after part approval may trigger another review, trial or submission under the customer's change-control rules.
What Each Document Can and Cannot Establish
On a narrow screen, swipe the comparison table sideways to read every document field.
| Document or evidence | Main purpose | Applies to | Evidence level | When to request |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Data Sheet (TDS) | Screen grade properties and stated test conditions | Named material grade | Grade; values are commonly typical, not automatically purchase limits | Before choosing a sampling candidate |
| Safety Data Sheet (SDS) | Communicate hazards and handling information where applicable | Supplied substance or mixture | Product or formulation | Before receiving or handling when available or legally required |
| Certificate of Analysis (COA) | Report the agreed characteristics actually tested for an identified lot | Delivered resin | Batch or lot | At receipt if the purchase agreement requires one |
| Certificate of Conformity or Conformance (COC/CofC) | State that identified goods conform to named requirements | Material, part or shipment as stated | Scope named by issuer; may be lot or shipment | When specified by contract, drawing or customer |
| RoHS supporting evidence | Support assessment of relevant substance restrictions in in-scope EU electrical or electronic equipment | Identified material or component in product context | Scope and date stated by issuer | When end-product scope or customer requirements call for it |
| REACH substance information | Communicate relevant substance information for the identified material or article | Material or article, depending on the duty | Product, substance and current-list context | When EU supply-chain role or customer request makes it relevant |
| UL Solutions Yellow Card | Show the recorded recognition details for an exact listed polymeric material | Listed manufacturer and grade | Listed material, color and thickness conditions | When the end-product evaluation specifies a recognized material |
| IMDS material data | Record material and substance information for an automotive customer program | Automotive material or part structure | Customer/program submission | When required by the automotive customer |
| First Article Inspection (FAI) record | Compare an initial part with the approved drawing and specified characteristics | Molded part | Part, tool/cavity and defined run | When the customer quality plan requires it |
| PPAP package | Support customer approval of a defined part and production process | Part and process | Customer program and agreed submission level | When the automotive or other customer specifies PPAP |
RoHS and REACH are regulatory frameworks, not names of universal certificates. An SDS communicates hazards; it is not itself proof of RoHS or REACH conformity. A resin COA does not approve molded-part dimensions, and a supplier COC is not automatically third-party certification. ISO explains the distinction between first-party attestations and independent certification.
Before Sampling: Confirm the Named Grade and Document Scope
Ask for the full manufacturer and grade code, including reinforcement, stabilization, flame-retardant variant and color where relevant. Read the TDS revision, test method, specimen conditioning, thickness and units. Published values commonly describe test specimens and do not automatically set contractual shipment limits. For example, BASF's Ultramid B3EG7 product information labels its values as typical and distinguishes the literature data from agreed contractual quality. It is a third-party reading example, not a Nylon Plastic grade or a proposed substitute. For the individual properties, use the engineering plastics datasheet guide.
Ask whether an SDS is available or legally required for the supplied substance or mixture in the relevant market; do not assume every finished plastic article needs one. If an electrical design specifies UL recognition, check the current Yellow Card for the exact manufacturer and grade, including listed color and minimum thickness. A TDS line saying “UL 94 V-0” alone does not establish that the proposed formulation has an active listing, or that the finished device is approved. UL's Yellow Card guide en card-field explanation show what to read.
For an EU electrical product or other regulated application, define the end-product, supply-chain role and document date before requesting RoHS or REACH evidence. The European Commission's RoHS overview addresses electrical/electronic equipment, while its REACH overview describes a different regulatory framework. Candidate List communication and other REACH duties need separate scope checks; a generic undated “compliance certificate” cannot settle them all.
At Receipt: Match the Lot to the Agreed Specification
When a COA is required, match its manufacturer, grade and lot number with the labels and delivery record. Check which characteristic was tested, the method, result and agreed limit. Do not infer that every TDS property is measured on every batch. A COC, if required, should identify the issuer, goods or shipment, applicable specification and revision, and the statement being made. It may be supported by test records but need not contain the raw results.
The purchase terms determine whether a COA, a COC or both are required, and at what frequency. The site's nylon granules incoming inspection checklist covers physical receipt and batch traceability in more detail; this page only distinguishes the documents' roles.
Before Part or Production Approval: Separate Resin Evidence from Part Evidence
Freeze the approved grade, color, material source and drawing revision. Define critical dimensions, inspection methods, sample conditions, lot-to-shipment traceability and change triggers. A conforming resin lot is one input; the molded part still needs its own dimensional, appearance, assembly or functional verification against the approved drawing.
FAI and PPAP are customer- or program-dependent. An automotive program may request an IMDS material submission and a PPAP package at an agreed level; neither is a universal requirement for every molded part. Agree on the submission scope before tooling or sampling is completed. The site's plastic-parts inspection guide treats FAI, PPAP and part inspection in detail.
Request the Right Document Package
When asking for a material and documentation review, send:
- The current or proposed manufacturer, exact grade and color, if known.
- Your decision stage: candidate screening, first lot receipt or part/process approval.
- The application and destination market, plus any customer standard or specified document.
- The drawing or purchase-specification revision if the request concerns a part or controlled acceptance limit.
- The lot, purchase order or shipment reference if you are checking delivered material.
Request a material documentation review
If the grade or a document is still unknown, say so; the missing item can be identified before a supply commitment. Nylon Plastic can review the requested scope and confirm what is available for the exact grade and project.
Request a Material Documentation Review
If quantity is unknown, enter “Not sure yet”; phone and CAD upload are optional.
Sources / technical references
General engineering guidance; contractual and legal requirements depend on the product, jurisdiction and customer program.
- BASF, Ultramid B3EG7 Product Information — an example of named-grade typical TDS data, not Nylon Plastic's own grade.
- ISO, Attestations of Conformity — issuer and evidence distinctions.
- UL Solutions, How to Read the Yellow Card en Color Codes and Abbreviations — listed-material conditions.
- European Commission, RoHS Directive en REACH Regulation — distinct EU frameworks.
- IMDS, official public pages — automotive material-data system.
- AIAG, Production Part Approval Process — production-part approval framework.
- OSHA, Safety Data Sheets — US hazard-communication purpose of an SDS; not a statement of EU requirements.
