scope:

This International Standard specifies acceptance sampling plans by the determination of variables and use of acceptance inspection procedures for bulk materials. These sampling plans comply with specific operating characteristic curves at reasonable cost.

This International Standard is applicable to the inspection where the lot mean of a single quality characteristic is the principal factor in the determination of lot acceptability, but it also gives special procedures for multiple quality characteristics. This International Standard is applicable to the cases where the values of standard deviations at individual stages of sampling are known or are imprecise.

This International Standard is applicable to various kinds of bulk materials, but is not always applicable to minerals such as iron ores, coals, crude petroleum, etc., where accurate estimation of the lot mean is more important than the determination of lot acceptability.

For special cases when standard procedures are not always adequate and the measurement standard deviation is dominant, this International Standard specifies special acceptance sampling plans and procedures, such as in the case for liquids.