Disclosure to Promote the Right To Information

Whereas the Parliament of India has set out to provide a practical regime of right to
information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities,
in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority,
and whereas the attached publication of the Bureau of Indian Standards is of particular interest
to the public, particularly disadvantaged communities and those engaged in the pursuit of
education and knowledge, the attached public safety standard is made available to promote the
timely dissemination of this information in an accurate manner to the public.
1 +, 1 +

01 ' 5

The Right to Information, The Right to Live

Step Out From the Old to the New

Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan

Jawaharlal Nehru

IS 1440 (1980): Ink, metal stamp, black [CHD 14: Printing,

Inks, Stationary and Allied Products]

! $ ' +-
Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda

Invent a New India Using Knowledge

! > 0 B

BharthariNtiatakam

Knowledge is such a treasure which cannot be stolen

IS : 1440 - 1980

Reaffirmed 1997
(( Reaffirmed
2003) )

Indian Standard
SPECIFICATION
FOR
INK, METAL STAMP, BLACK
(

First Revision )

First.Reprid JANUARY 1999

UDC

667.53

0 Copyright 1980

BUREAU
MANAK

Gr 3

OF

BHAVAN,

INDIAN

STANDARDS

9 BAHADUR
SHAH
NEW DELHI
110002

ZAFAR

MARG

July 1980

IS : 1440- 1980

Indian Standard
SPECIFICATION
FOR
INK, METAL STAMP, BLACK
(
Inks

and Allied

Chairman
SHRI S. C. PANDEY

First Revision )
Products

Sectional

Committee,

CDC

Representing
Development Commissioner ( Small
tries ), New Delhi

13

Scale

Indus-

Members
SHRI SATYANARAYAN (

Alternate to
Shri S. C. Pandey )
Kores ( India ) Ltd, Bombay
SHRI B. L. ARUK~A
SHRI P. N. GANDHI ( Alternate )
Ministry of Defence ( DGI )
SHRIJ. A. ASTAPUTR~
SHRI K. P. MAJUMDAR
( Alternate )
Controller
of Stationery, New Delhi
SHRI A. R. BASU
SHRI H. MITRA( Alternate )
Directorate
of Industries
( Quality
Marking
SHRI M. L. BHATTACHARYA
Scheme), Government of West Bengal
SHRI A. SEN ( Alternate )
CHIEF MANAGER, MAP PIJBLI- Surveyor General o;India.
Dehra Dun
CATION DIRECTORATE
MANAGER( SENIOR ) ( Alternate j
Camlin Private Ltd, Bombay
SHRI S. D. DAND~KAR
SHRI M. G. DANDEKAR( Alternate )
National Archives of India, New Delhi
SHRI R. C. GUPTA
SHRI RAJENDRAPRASAD( Alternate )
SHRI K. V. G. KRISHNAMOORTHYChelpark Co Ltd, Bangalore
SHRI S. GUNASEKARAN
( Alternate )
Stationery and Ofice Equipment Association of
SHRI N. G. MAITRA
Ivdia, Calcutta
Che$TirasTesting
and Analytical
Laboratory,
DR M. I. MATHEWS
SHRIP. N. SUNDARARAO ( Alternate )

National Test House,

SHRI P. K. PAIN
Essen and Company,
DR J. RAJARAM
SHRI R. VISWANATHAN
( Alternate )

Calcutta
Bangalore
( Conrinued

(8

on page

2 )

Copyright 1980

BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS

This publication is protected under the Indian Copyright Act ( XIV of 1957 ) and
reproduction in whole or in part by any means except with written permission of
the publisher shall be deemed to be an infringement of copyright under the said Act.

..

.,

IS : 1440- 1980
( Continued

from

page

1 )

Members
SHRJ PRAKA~H Sn~Rhf.4
SHRI SARVESH NARAIN (
SHR~ B. G. THORAT

DR HARI BHAGWAN,

Director

Representing
Bharat Carbon & Ribbon Mfg Co Ltd, New Delhi
Alternate )
Maharashtra State Bureau of Text Book Production
and Curriculum Research, Bombay
Director General, IS1 ( Ex-officio Member)

( Chem )
Secretary
K. MATHUR
Deputy Director ( Chem ), ISI
SHRI S.

Panel for Stamp Ink and Thumb Impression

Ink, CDC 13 : Pl

Convener
DR C. SANDILL

Khoday

Industries

Pvt Ltd, Bangalore

Members
SHIU B. L. ARUKIA
Kores ( India ) Ltd. Bombay
SHRI P. N. GANDHI ( Alternate )
Controller of Stationery, New Delhi
SHR~ A. R. BASU
SHRI H. MITRA ( Alternute )
Sulekha Works Ltd, Calcutta
SHRI N. G. MA~TRA
SHRI P. NANDI ( Alternate )
Bharat Carbon and Ribbon Mfa Co Ltd. New Delhi
SHRI PRAKASH SHARMA
SHRI SARVESHNARAIN ( Alternate )
SHRI K. S. SURYANARAYANARAO
Mysore Lac and Paint Works Ltd, Mysore

IS : 1440- 1980

Indian Standard
SPECIFICATION FOR
INK, METAL STAMP, BLACK

( First RuGsion )
0.

FOREWORD

0.1 This Indian

Standard ( First Revision ) was adopted by the Indian

Standards Institution on 29 February 1980, after the draft finalized by the
Inks and Allied Products Sectional Committee had been approved by the
Chemical Division Council.

0.2 This standard was originally published in 1959. The Sectional

Committee decided to revise it in the light of experience gained since its
publication.
In the revised standard, the requirements of flash point, water
content and pigment content have been deleted as these were not considered
necessary in view of the performance tests already specified,
0.3 For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of this
standard is complied with, the final values, observed or calculated, expressing the results of a test or analysis, shall be rounded off in accordance with
IS : 2-1960*. The number of significant places retained in the rounded off
values should be the same as that of the specified values in this standard.

1. SCOPE
1.1 This standard prescribes the requirements

and the methods of sampling

and test for black metal stamp ink used for stamping letters or figures with
the help of metal stamps on porous surfaces, such as *paper, cardboard
cartons and postal stationery.
2. TERMINOLOGY

2.1 For the purpose of this standard, the definitions given in IS:4395-19677
shall apply.
*Rules for rounding off numerical values ( revised ).
tGlossary of terms relating to ink and allied industries.
3

IS : 1440 - 1980
3. REQUIREMENTS
3.1 Description
3.1.1 The material shall consist of a dispersion of carbon black ( see
IS:40-1971* ) with or without admixture of other pigment in a suitable oil
base vehicle. The colour of the finished material shall be jet black.

3.1.2 The material as received or after long standing, if separated, shall

be readily mixed to a uniform consistency by simple stirring.
3.1.3The material shall be free from ingredients producing
or having deleterious effects on paper and tools.

tackiness

3.2 The material shall. also conform to the requirements given in Table 1
when tested by the methods prescribed in the appendices. Reference to the
relevant appendices is given in co1 4 of the table.
TABLE

SL
No.

REQUIREMENTS

FOR

CHARACTERISTIC

INK,

METAL

STAMP,

REQUIREMENT

BLACK

METHOD OF TEST
( REF TO APPENDIX)

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

i)

Relative density at 27C

0.960 to 0,965

Not inferior to the approved

sample

ii)

Performance

iii)

Permanence

To pass the test

iv)

Smudginess

To pass the test

4. KEEPING QUALITY
4.1 The material when stored under normal conditions

in original sealed
containers shall retain the properties detailed in this specification for a
minimum period of two years from the date of manufacture.

5. PACKING

AND MARKING

5.1 Packing - The material shall be packed in well-closed tins of suitable

design as agreed to between the purchaser and the supplier.

5.2 Marking - The

information:

containers

shall

be marked

a) Name and colour ( black ) of the material;

*SpeciEcation for carbon black for paints ( jirsr revision ).

with

the

following

15:1440-1980
b) Name of the manufacturer

and/or his recognized trade-mark, if any;

c) Net mass of the material in the container;

d) Month and year of packing; and
e) Identification mark in code or otherwise to enable the lot of
manufacture to be traced back from records.
52.1 The product may also be marked with Standard mark.
5.3

The use of the Standard Mark is governed by the provisions of the

Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 and the Rules and Regulations
made
thereunder.
The details of conditions under which the Iicence for the use of
Standard Mark may be granted to manufacturers or producers may be obtained
from the Bureau of Indian Standards.

6. SAMPLING
6.1 The method of drawing representative samples of the material from a
lot, number of tests to be performed and the criteria for conformity of the
material to the requirements of this specification shall be as prescribed in
Appendix D.

APPENDIX

[ Clause 3.2, and Table 1, Sl No. (i) ]

DETERMINATION

OF RELATIVE

DENSITY

A-O. GENERAL
A-O.1 For the purpose of this standard, the relative density of the material
is the ratio of the mass of a given volume of the material to that of an
equal volume of distilled water, the temperature of both the material and
the water being 27C.

A-l. APPARATUS
A-l.1 Pyknometer

( Hubbard Type ) - See Type 6 of IS: 5717-1970*.

*Specificationfor pyknometer.
5

IS : 1440 - 1980
A-2. PROCEDURE
A-2.1 Clean, dry and weigh the bottle and the stopper. Fill with water at
a temperature of about 25C, introduce the stopper and keep it in a water
bath at 27C for 15 minutes. Wipe off all adhering water from the surface
with a soft, clean and dry cloth and weigh it again. Empty the bottle,
clean and dry and repeat the operation with the material filled in it.
A-3. CALCULATION
Relative density at 27C = Ec

where
M, = mass in g of the relative
material at 27X!,
M

density bottle filled with the

= mass in g of the dry relative density bottle, and

Ml = mass in g of the relative density bottle filled with distilled

water at 27C.

APPENDIX

[ Clause 3.2, and Table 1, Sl No. (ii) ]

TEST FOR PERFORMANCE
B-P. APPARATUS
B-l.1 Stamp Pad - It shall consist of two detachable parts, namely, body
and cover. The body shall consist of a wooden base about 4 cm thick
made of two concentric steps, the lower step being about 12 cm in diameter
and l-5 cm thick and the upper step being about 10 cm in diameter and
2.5 cm thick. The base shall be plane so that it does not wobble on a level
surface. On the upper layer shall be mounted a thick layer of good and
strong felt pad covered by means of a,soft but strong ( preferably woollen )
cloth such that the cloth and the pad soak the ink readily and uniformly
and withstand the high pressure of metal stamp. The thickness of
the pad complete with cloth shall be not less than 2 cm. The pad shall be
attached to the wooden base with the help of a brass ferrule about 2-5 cm
high which shall be secured to the base by means of brass wood-screws
around the circumference.
6

IS : 1440 - 1980
B-l.2 Metal Stamp - The engravings on the type face shall be sufficiently
deep and neat to yield clear impressions on paper.
B-1.3 India Rubber Pad--At
least O-5 cm in thickness.
the pad shall be even, without any depressions or ridges.

The surface of

B-2. PROCEDURE
B-2.1 Soak in sufficient quantity of ink on a clean and dry metal stamp
pad. Ink the type face of a clean and dry metal stamp by pressing it
evenly on the inked pad with moderate pressure and make a series of
impressions on a white sheet of paper placed on India rubber pad. Observe
the number of sharp and uniformly intense impressions that can be obtained
after one inking of the stamp. Carry out a control test using exactly similar
stamp pad, stamp, paper, and an equal quantity of an approved sample of
the ink.
B-2.2 Repeat the process of inking the metal stamp and producing impressions on paper ten times with the material.
On the eleventh time, again ink
the metal stamp and after producing five impressions on paper, observe the
condition of the type face of the stamp and the last stamp impression
produced.
R-2.3 The material shall be considered satisfactory if:
a) the number of clear and distinctly intense impressions produced
(see B-2.1 ) is not less than 95 percent of similar impressions
produced by the approved sample, and
b) in the test under B-2.2 there is no filling of the closed portions or
designs and no impressions other than those determined by the
engraving on type face are produced and also there is no excessive
deposit of ink.

APPENDIX
C
[ CZause3.2, and Table 1, SZNo. (iii) and (iv) ]
TEST FOR PERMANENCE AND SMUDGINESS
C-l. TEST SPECIMENS
C-l.1 Procedure -Take
a few strips of 60 gsm bond paper. Make five
impressions with a metal stamp as prescribed in B-2.1 on each sheet. The
impressions shall be clear and of equal intensity.
7

IS : 1440 - 1980
C-l .2 Smudginess - Exactly four minutes after making the stamp impressions, rub the inked impression lightly with a thumb. The impression shall
have no tendency to smudge.
C-l.3 Fastness to Saline Water - Take another strip with stamp impressions and dip it into a beaker containing sodium chloride solution (approximately 10 percent m/v ) for one hour at room temperature.
The ink shall
be considered fast to saline water if impressions remain clear without any
noticeable spreading of ink or loss of intensity.
C-l.4 Fastness to Organic Solvents - Take two fresh strips and dip one in
denatured spirit ( see IS: 324-1959* ) and the other in petroleum ether
( bp 60C ) for one hour. The ink shall be considered fast to organic
solvents if the impressions remain clear without any noticable spreading of
ink or loss of intensity.
C-l.5 Fastness to Dilute Acetic Acid -Take
another strip and dip it for
one hour in dilute acetic acid ( 5 percent m/m ) at room temperature.
The
ink shall be considered fast to dilute acetic acid if the impressions remain
clear without any noticeable spreading of ink or loss of intensity.

APPENDIX

( Clause 6.1 )
SAMPLING OF BLACK METAL STAMP INK
D-l. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

OF SAMPLING

D-1.0 In drawing, preparing, storing and handling test samples, the following precautions and directions shall be observed.
D-l.1 Samples shall not be taken in an exposed place.
D-l.2 The sampling instrument shall be clean and dry when used.
D-l.3 Precautions shall be taken to protect the samples, the material being
sampled, the sampling instrument and the containers for samples from
adventitious contamination.
D-l.4 To draw a representative sample, the contents of each container
selected for sampling shall be mixed as thoroughly as possible by suitable
means.
D-1.5 The samples shall be placed in clean, dry, air-tight glass or other
suitable containers on which the material has no action.
*Specificationfor ordinary denatured spirit ( revised).
8

IS : 1440 - 1980
D-l.6

The sample containers shall be of such a size that they are almost
completely filled by the sample.
D-l.7 Each sample container shall be sealed air-tight after filling, and
marked with details of the material as prescribed in 5.2 and the date of
sampling.
D-l.8 Samples shall be stored in such a manner that the temperature of the
material does not vary unduly from ambient temperature.
D-2. SCALE

OF SAMPLING

D-2.1 Lot -All

the containers in a single consignment of the material

drawn from a single batch of manufacture shall constitute a lot. If a
consignment is declared or known to consist of different batches of
manufacture, the containers belonging to the same batch of manufacture
shall be grouped togetherand each such group shall constitute a seperate lot.
D-2.1.1 Samples shall be tested from each lot separately for ascertaining
the conformity of the material to the requirements of this specification.
D-2.2 The number of containers to be chosen from the lot shall depend on
the size of the lot and shall be in accord,ance with Table 2.
D-2.3 These containers shall be chosen at random from the lot. In
order to ensure the randomness of selection, reference may be made to
IS : 490.5-1968*. In case this standard is not available, the following
procedure may be adopted:
Starting from any container in the lot, count them as 1, 2, 3......up to
r and so on where r is the integral part of N/n. Every rth container
thus counted shall be withdrawn from the lot till the requisite
number of containers is obtained.
TABLE

NUMBER
SELECTED

OF CONTAINERS
FOR SAMPLING

LOT SIZE

TO

BE

NUMBER OF CONTAINERS
To BE DRAWN

(NJ

(n)

(1)

(2)

2to

15

16 ,,

40

41 ,,

65

66 ,,

110

Over 110

10

*Methods for random sampling.

9

IS : 1440 - 1980
D-3. TEST SAMPLES
D-3.1 Preparation

AND REFEREE

SAMPLE

of Test Samples

D-3.1.1 Draw, with an appropriate sampling instrument, a small portion

of the material from different parts of each container selected as prescribed
in Table 2. The total quantity of the material drawn from each container
shall be sufficient to make triplicate determination for all the characteristics
given in 2 of the specification.

D-3.1.2 Thoroughly mix all portions of the material drawn from the
Out of these portions, a small but equal quantity of
same container.
material shall be taken from each selected container and shall be well
mixed together so as to form a composite sample of quantity sufficient to
make triplicate determination for all the characteristics tested on the
composite sample. This composite sample shall be divided into three equal
parts, one for the purchaser, another for the vendor and the third for the
referee.
D-3.1.3 The remaining portions of the material from each container
(after a small quantity needed for formation of the composite sample has
been taken out ) shall be divided into three equal parts. These parts shall
be immediately transferred to thoroughly dried bottles which are then
sealed air-tight with stoppers and labelled with all the particulars of sampling given in D-1.7. The material in each such sealed bottle shall constitute
a test sample. These individual samples shall be separated into three
identical sets of test samples in such a way that each set has a test sample
representing each .container selected for sampling. One of these three sets
shall be marked for the purchaser, another for the vendor and the third for
the referee.
D-3.2 Referee Samples
D-3.2.1 Referee
sample shall consist of the composite
sample
( see D-3.1.2 ) and a set of test samples (see D-3.1.3 ) marked for this
purpose and shall bear the seals of the purchaser and the vendor.
This
shall be kept at a place agreed to between the purchaser and the vendor
and shall be used in case of a dispute between the two.

D-4. NUMBER

OF TESTS

D-4.1 Test for performance and performance of the material shall be

conducted on each of the sample constituting a set of test samples.
D-4.2 Tests for the determination of other characteristics mentioned in 3
shall be Conducted on the composite sample prepared under D-3.1.2.
10

IS : 1440 - 1980
D-5. CRITERIA

FOR CONFORMITY

D-5.1 In respect of each of the characteristics, tested on the individual

samples, the lot shall be deemed to have satisfied these requirements if the
test results on all the individual samples are found to satisfy the specified
requirements.
D-5.2 In respect of the characteristics tested on the composite sample, the
lot shall be declared to conform to these requirements, if all the test
results on the composite sample are found to satisfy the specified
requirements,
D-5.3 The lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirements
specification if D-5.1 and D-5.2 are satisfied, otherwise not.

11

of the

-.

BUREAU

OF INDIAN STANDARDS

a
Headquarters:
Manak Bhavan, 9 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, NEW DELHI 110002
Telephones: 323 0131,323 3375,323 9402
Fax : 91 11 3234062, 91 11 3239399, 91 11 3239382
Telegrams : Manaksanstha
(Common to all Offices)
Telephone
Central Laboratory :
8-77 00 32

Plot No. 20/9, Site IV, Sahibabad Industrial Area, Sahibabad 201010
Regional Offices:
Central

: Manak Bhavan, 9 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, NEW DELHI 110002

*Eastern

: 1I1 4 CIT Scheme Vll M, V.I.P. Road, Maniktola, CALCUTTA 700054

Northern : SC0 335-336, Sector 34-A, CHANDIGARH

Southern

32376

17

337 86 62
60 30 43

160022

: C.I.T. Campus, IV Cross Road, CHENNAI 600113

235 23 15

twestern : Manakalaya, E9, Behind Marol Telephone Exchange, Andheri (East),

MUMBAI 400093

832 92 95

Branch Offices::
Pushpak, Nurmohamed Shaikh Marg, Khanpur, AHMEDABAD

380001

550 13 48

$Peenya Industrial Area, 1 st Stage, Bangalore-Tumkur Road,

BANGALORE 560058

839 49 55

Gangotri Complex, 5th Floor, Bhadbhada Road, T.T. Nagar, BHOPAL 462003

55 40 21

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40 36 27

Kalaikathir Buildings, 670 Avinashi Road, COIMBATORE

Plot No: 43, Sector 16 A, Mathura Road, FARIDABAD
Savitri Complex, 116 G.T. Road, GHAZIABAD

751001

21 01 41

641037

8-28 88 01

121001

8-71 1996

201001

53/5 Ward No.29, R.G. Barua Road, 5th By-lane, GUWAHATI

541137

781003

5-8-56C, L.N. Gupta Marg, Nampally Station Road, HYDERABAD

580001

21 8876

117/418 B, Sarvodaya Nagar, KANPUR 208005

Seth Bhawan, 2nd floor,
LUCKNOW 226001

Behind

Leela

201083
37 29 25

E-52, Chitaranjan Marg, C- Scheme, JAIPUR 302001

Cinema,

Naval

ffishore

Road,

238923

NIT Building, Second Floor, Gokulpat Market, NAGPUR 440010

52 51 71

Patfiputra Industrial Estate, PATNA 809013

26 23 05

Institution of Engineers (India) Building 1332 Shiv@ Nagar, PUNE 411005

32 36 35

T.C. No. 14/l 421, University P. 0. Palayem, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

621 17

695034

*Sales Offiie is at 5 Chowringhee Approach, P.O. Princep Street,

CALCU-ITA 700072

271085

TSales Dffice is at Novelty Chambers, Grant Road, MUMBAI 400007

3096528

$Safes Office is at F Block, Unity Building, Narashimaraja Square,

BANGALORE 660002

2223971

Reprography Unit, BIS, New Delhi, India

I
I