Resin Sampling

Q: Is there a standard definition of a “lot of resin.” 

A: Yes, a “lot” of polyethylene (PE) resin has always been a railcar (approximately 180,000 pounds [81,647 kg) of resin) that would be about 210,000 pounds (95,254 kg) of (Let-down) finished goods (i.e., the formulation [i.e., resin plus masterbatch, which contains carbon black]). Please note there are four compartments in a typical resin railcar. Sampling is typically done on firsts and lasts. 

This is very different from the “lot” definition in ASTM D4439, which is “a unit of production, or group of other units or packages, taken for sampling or statistical examination, having one or more common properties and being readily separable from other similar units.”