DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD  
  DUS DEAS 857 
First  Edition  
2015-mm-dd 
 
 Reference nu mber  
DUS DEAS 857: 2015 
© UNBS 201 5 
  
Specification for carbon paper  
 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDUS DEAS 857:2015 
ii                © UNBS  2015 - All rights reserved 
 Compliance with this standard does not, of itself confer immunity from legal obligations  
A Uganda Standard does not purport to include all necessary provisions of a contract. Users are 
responsible for its correct application  
© UNBS 2015 
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without prior written 
permission from UNBS. 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document should be addressed to 
The Executive Director 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
P.O. Box 6329 
Kampala 
Uganda 
Tel: 256 41 505 995 
Fax: 256 41 286 123 
E-mail: unbs@infocom.co.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  
 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDUS DEAS 857:2015 
© UNBS  2015 - All rights reserved                iii National foreword 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327, of the Laws of Uganda, as amended.  UNBS is mandated to co-
ordinate the elaboration of standards and is  
(a) a member of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and  
(b) a contact point for the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point on TBT Agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). 
The work of preparing Uganda Standards is carried out through Technical Committees. A Technical 
Committee is established to deliberate on standards in a given field or area and consists of representatives of 
consumers, traders, academicians, manufacturers, government and other stakeholders. 
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committee are widely circulated to stakeholders and the 
general public for comments. The committee reviews the comments before recommending the draft standards 
for approval and declaration as Uganda Standards by the National Standards Council.  
This Draft Uganda Standard, DUS D EAS 857: 2015, Specification for carbon paper , is identical with  and has 
been reproduced from an East African  Standard , DEAS 857: 2015, Specification for carbon paper , and is 
being proposed for adoption  as a Uganda Standard.  
Wherever the words, “ East African Standard" appear, they should be replaced by "Uganda Standard." 
 
  DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDEAS 857:2015 
ICS  
© EAS 2014                                                                                                                         First Edition 2014  
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD 
 
Specification for carbon paper  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDRAFT UGANDA STANDARDCD/K/19:2014 
ii © EAC 2014  – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice 
This EAC document is copyright-protected by EAC. While the reproduction of this document by 
participants in the EAC standards development process is permitted without prior permission from EAC, 
neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form for 
any other purpose without prior written permission from EAC. 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be addressed 
as shown below or to EAC’s member body in the country of the requester:  
© East African Community 2013  — All rights reserved 
East African Community  
P.O.Box 1096 
Arusha 
Tanzania 
Tel: 255 27 2504253/8 
Fax: 255 27 2504481/2504255 
E-mail: eac@eachq.org 
       Web: www.eac-quality.net 
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement. 
Violators may be persecuted 
 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDEAS 857:2015 
© EAC 2014  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Foreword 
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are encountered when goods and services are exchanged 
within the Community will be removed.  
In order to achieve this objective, the Community established an East African Standards Committee mandated 
to develop and issue East African Standards.   
The Committee is composed of representatives of the National Standards Bodies in Partner States, together 
with the representatives from the private sectors and consumer organizations. Draft East African Standards 
are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the Partner States. The comments 
received are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in accordance with the procedures 
of the Community. 
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing .  
This Draft East African Standard, DEAS. 857:2015 ., was prepared  by Technical Committee EASC //TC/065 
Paper and paper products .The Commit tee is composed is of representatives from National Standards Bodies,  
regulators and academia, together with the representatives from the private sector and consumer 
organizations in Partner States.  DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 857:2015  
 
© EAC 2014  – All rights reserved  1 
  Carbon paper- Specification 
1 Scope 
This Draft East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for carbon paper. It 
covers carbon papers for typewriting and carbon papers for handwriting with their respective grades.  
2 Normative references 
ISO 536:2012 Paper -- Determination of grammage 
ISO 15754:2009 Paper and board test for the directional tensile strength 
ISO 187: 1990-Paper board, pulps-Standard atmosphere for conditioning and testing and procedure for 
monitoring the atmosphere and condition of samples. 
3 Terms and definitions 
For the purpose of this standard, the following shall apply. 
3.1 
Carbon paper 
paper coated (generally on one side) with a pressure transferable pigmented or dyed layer, used for making 
copies at the same time as an original manuscript or typescript is made. 
3.2 
Durability 
the minimum number of impressions at the same spot. 
3.3 
Manifolding 
the minimum number of carbon copies produced in one typing or writing. 
3.4 
Curling resistance 
the tendency of sheet carbon to be flat on exposure to varying conditions of temperature and humidity. 
3.5 
Staining 
the discoloration of image receptor sheet during contact with a carbon sheet. 
4 Types 
There shall be two types of carbon paper 
a Typewriter carbon Papers 
Grade 1 – Light weight. DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDEAS 857:2015 
2 © EAC 2014  – All rights reserved  
 Grade 2 – Medium weight. 
b Handwriting carbon Papers 
Grade 1 – Single side pen/pencil carbon paper. 
Grade 2 – Double side pen/pencil carbon paper (for use where impression on the reverse side of the original 
is required). 
 
5 Requirements 
5.1 General Requirements 
5.1.1 The carbon paper shall be free from blemishes like wrinkles, waves, tears and cuts and, as far as 
possible free from pin holes, crease, crimpled corners or sides.  It shall be manufactured by coating necessary 
to give the required copying qualities.  The coating shall be smooth, uniform and free from smudginess. 
5.1.2 The side which is not coated shall be marked by printing or by some other means, in order to facilitate 
distinguishing it from the coated side. 
5.1.3 The carbon paper shall not contain mechanical pulp. 
5.1.4 The edges of the sheets shall be straight, and at right angles to each other. 
5.1.5 The base paper used for the manufacture of typewriter carbon papers shall conform to Grades 1 and 
2 as specified in DEAS 857:2015 
5.1.6 The base paper used for the manufacture of handwriting carbon papers shall conform to Grades 2 
and 3 of the same document stated under the same clause. 
5.1.7 The sizes of the carbon papers shall be A4 and A5 with pull tab length of 10 per cent with appropriate 
opposite corner cuts.  Any other sizes, if required, shall be defined within A and B series of paper sizes in 
accordance with ISO 216  
5.1.8 The carbon shall be well defined and clean.  Light shall not have any appreciable effect on the written 
carbon work.  There shall be a gradual, not abrupt, loss of distinctness of the carbon copies when repeated at 
the same place. 
5.1.9 It shall have no tendency to offset or stain on normal handling when left in contact with copying sheets 
or separate as flakes when in use.  
5.1.10  Tolerances 
a) For dimensions up to and including 150 mm ± 1.5 mm. 
b) For dimensions greater than 150 mm and up to and including 600 mm ± 2.0 mm. 
5.2 Physical requirements 
The carbon papers shall also comply with the requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with 
the methods prescribed therein. DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDEAS 857:2015 
© EAC 2014  – All rights reserved  3 
  
Table 1 – Requirements for typewriting and handwriting carbon papers 
SL 
NO. Characteristic  Requirements  Method of test in 
the Annex  Typewriter Carbon 
paper  Handwriting carbon 
paper  
GR 1  GR 2  GR 1  GR 2  
(i) Grammage of 
base paper g/m2 
± 5 per cent  11.0 16.0 16.0 24.0 ISO 536 B 
(ii) Coating, g/m2 ± 5 
per cent  10.0 11.0 12.0 12.0 B 
(iii) Durability, 
.(minimum 
number of 
impressions 
at the same 
spot)  10 10 6 6 C  
(iv) Resistance to 
curling, per cent  80 80 80 80 A 
(v) Manifolding, 
copies , min  6 6 6 6 D 
4 Packaging 
4.1 Carbon papers shall be packaged  suitab le pack ages  in multiples of 25 without exceeding 100 sheets a 
packet which may be either a folder or cardboard box.  4.2 Reams – Carbon papers may also be packed in 
reams (containing 500 sheets) wrapped in paper strong enough to prevent damage to the carbon papers. 
5 Labelling 
5.1 Each packet or ream shall be marked with the following information: 
a) Name and physical address of the manufacturer, or his registered trade mark; 
b) Type, grade and size of the carbon paper; 
c) Colour of the coating; 
d) Number of sheets in the packet; 
e) Shelf life 
f) Instructions for use, storage and disposal. 
5.2 Cartons – Where the packets above have been packed into a carton, the outer side of the carton shall 
also bear the information contained in clause 5 .1. 
6 Sampling 
For ascertaining the conformity of these types of carbon papers to the requirements of this standard: DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDEAS 857:2015 
4 © EAC 2014  – All rights reserved  
 a) Representative samplesfrom original unopened packets shall be taken from the market or elsewhere, 
ensuring the procedures of random selection; 
b) Samples shall be protected from abnormal exposure to heat and light, and shall not be allowed to 
come in contact with any liquid; 
c) Samples shall be touched as little as possible, and contact with sweated hands shall be avoided; 
d) Samples shall not be folded before testing. 
7 Test methods  
 
Where conditioning is required before testing, condition the specimens according to ISO 187 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDEAS 857:2015 
© EAC 2014  – All rights reserved  5 
 ANNEX A 
(normative) 
 
DETERMINATION FOR RESISTANCE TO CURLING 
A.1 Procedure 
Place two sheets of carbon papers on a wire screen, carbon-coated side down, in a conditioning room in 
which relative humidity of 65 ± 2 per cent and temperature of 23 ± 20 C are maintained.  After the sheets have 
been conditioned for one hour, remove the sheets from the screen and place on a flat glass surface, carbon-
coated side-up.  After ten minutes, measure the distance between the corners of the short sides and long 
sides of the sheet, while it is resting freely on the flat surface. 
A.2 Results 
Express these lengths as percentages of the original lengths of the short and long sides of the sheet being 
tested.  The degree of resistance to curling shall be the average of the values measured for both the short and 
long sides of the sheet. DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDEAS 857:2015 
6 © EAC 2014  – All rights reserved  
 ANNEX B 
(normative) 
 
DETERMINATION OF SUBSTANCE OF BASE PAPER AND AMOUNT OF 
COATING 
B.1 Test piece 
Condition at least 5 sheets of the carbon papers and cut out a test piece from each measuring 10.0 cm x 10.0 
cm.  Weigh it accurately. 
B.2 Decorating 
Take a suitable quantity of carbon tetrachloride or a mixture of equal volumes of carbon tetrachloride and 
acetone in a beaker.  Bring the contents to boil on a water bath and immerse the test pieces into the boiling 
solvent until the tissues are clean.  During this operation hold the test pieces with forceps and agitate through 
the solvent. 
Repeat the operation with a fresh quantity of solvent, if necessary.  After the coating has been removed dry 
the decoated papers, condition them and weigh accurately. 
B.3 Calculation 
For each of the five pieces, do the calculation as follows: 
S = 
Am1  
C = 
Amm1  
Where,  
C = Amount of coating in g/m2, 
S = Substance of base paper in g/m2, 
m1 = mass in g of the test piece after decoating, 
A = Area in m2 of the test piece, 
m = Mass in g of the test piece before decoating. 
The substance of the uncoated paper shall be taken as the arithmetic mean of the five specimens. DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDEAS 857:2015 
© EAC 2014  – All rights reserved  7 
 ANNEX C 
(normative) 
 
DETERMINATION FOR DURABILITY 
C.1 Typewriting carbon papers 
C.1.1 Apparatus 
C.1.1.1  Typewriter – Use any suitable electric typewriter with freshly cleaned pica or ball type.  The roll of 
the typewriter used for the test shall be soft.  When typing the ribbon shall be suitably tensioned. 
C.1.1.2  Typing paper – Use wood-free typewriter paper of substance about 40 g/m2. 
C.1.2 Procedure – Take a piece of about 4 cm to 5 cm of the carbon paper to be tested and fasten it to the 
first sheet so that the coated side of the sample comes in contact with the copy sheet in the usual way. 
After the two sheets of paper have been placed in the testing machine, the first sheet carrying the carbon 
paper shall be securely fastened to the back of the carriage in any suitable way so that the former will not 
move while the platen is turned for spacing lines.  The platen shall be turned slightly to pull the first sheet taut.  
Then a line of suitable letter shall be written exactly over the same spot of the carbon paper.  The carbon 
paper shall make not fewer than the required number of intensity. 
In examining the sheet, the operator shall not be misled by extra black edges of some letters that are 
indicative of a shifting of the first sheet with attached sample or of a light play of the type bar. 
C.2 Handwriting carbon papers 
C.2.1 Apparatus 
Tests in case of pencil carbon papers shall be made by actual writing with a fountain pen on a 50 –60 g/m2 
white printing paper. 
C.2.2 Procedure 
Take a piece of about 4 cm to 5 cm from carbon paper to be tested and fasten it to a sheet of citrite printing 
paper so that the coated side of the sample comes in contact with the copy sheet in the usual way.  Place it on 
a glass plate with its long side parallel to one side of the plate.  Draw out a line impression.  Move the copy 
sheet slightly and draw a line over the same line.  The carbon paper shall make not less than the required 
number of carbon copies from the same place that are clear, legible and of good intensity. DRAFT UGANDA STANDARDDEAS 857:2015 
8 © EAC 2014  – All rights reserved  
 ANNEX D 
(normative) 
 
DETERMINATION FOR MANIFOLDING 
D.1 Typewriter 
Use the typing paper as specified in clause (C.1.1.2) and a typewriter of the type described in Clause  
(C.1.1.1) Prepare ten specimens of carbon paper, a sheet of writing paper and ten sheets of copy paper and 
place specimen of carbon paper between each of the sheets of copy paper.Straighten the sheets and place 
them in the typewriter.  The entire keyboard shall be typed twice and the copies examined in dispersed light.  
Record the number of legible copies. 
D.2 Handwriting carbon papers 
Assemble ten sheets of white printing papers and place ten specimens of carbon papers to be tested between 
them, one specimen of carbon paper on each sheet of copy paper.  Place them on a glass plate as in Clause 
C2.2.  Write down about 15 lines and examine the copies and record the number of legible copies. 
 DRAFT UGANDA STANDARD 
© EAC 2014 – All rights reserved