Designation: F 1604 – 02

Standard Specification for

Freezers, Ice Cream, Soft Serve, Shake1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1604; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope 2.3 ANSI/NSF International Standard:6

1.1 This specification covers commercial ice cream, soft
serve, and shake freezers, which freeze and dispense frozen
product (dairy, yogurt, custard, etc.) on a continuous basis.
Included are conventional and heat-treatment freezers.
1.2 Equipment covered under this specification may contain
a substance (or be manufactured with a substance) that harms
public health and environment by destroying ozone in the
upper atmosphere. This specification does not purport to
address environmental regulations. It is the responsibility of
the user of this standard to comply with environmental
regulations (see 7.5).
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for
information only.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
A 167 Specification for Stainless and Heat-Resisting
Chromium-Nickel Steel Plate, Sheet, and Strip2
A 176 Specification for Stainless and Heat-Resisting Chro-
mium Steel Plate, Sheet, and Strip2
D 3951 Practice for Commercial Packaging3
F 760 Specification for Food Service Equipment Manuals4
2.2 ANSI/UL Standard:5
Standard No. 621 for Ice Cream Makers
Standard No. 6 for Dispensing Freezers
2.4 ANSI Standards:7
B1.1 Unified Inch Screw Threads (UN and UNR Thread
Form)
Z1.4 Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspection by
Attributes
2.5 Military Standards:8
MIL-R-12323 Refrigerators and Related Equipment, Pack-
aging and Packing
MIL-STD-167/1 Mechanical Vibrations of Shipboard
Equipment, Type I—Environmental and Type II—
Internally Excited
MIL-STD-461 Requirements for the Control of Electro-
magnetic Interference Characteristics of Subsystems and
Equipment
MIL-STD-1399/300 Interface Standard for Shipboard Sys-
tems Section 300A Electric Power, Alternating Current
3. Terminology
3.1 corrosion-resistant steel—corrosion-resisting steel shall
conform to any of the 300 Series of Specification A 167, or the
400 Series of Specification A 176, where permitted by ANSI/
NSF Std. 6.
3.2 heat-treatment freezers—operate as conventional freez-
ers and heat daily all product to 150°F (66°C) minimum for at
least 30 minutes to destroy undesirable microorganisms.
3.3 overrun—the increase in volume due to the addition of
air to frozen softserve and shake products, calculated by this
formula:
A2B
B 3 100 5 percent overrun (1)

where:
1
A = weight of the liquid mix, and
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F26 on Food
Service Equipment and is under the direct responsibility of F26.03 on Storage and
Dispensing Equipment.
Current edition approved March 10, 2002.. Published April 2002. Originally
6
published as F 1604 – 95. Last previous edition F 1604 – 95. Available from NSF International, P.O. Box 130140, Ann Arbor, MI 48113-
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 01.03. 0140.
3 7
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.09. Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13th
4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.07. Floor, New York, NY 10036.
5 8
Available from Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., 333 Pfingsten Rd., Northbrook, Available from Standardization Documents Order Desk, Bldg. 4 Section D, 700
IL 60062. Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Attn: NPODS.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

1
 F 1604

B = weight of same volume of frozen product. 5.1.5 If sampling and inspection procedures are required,
3.4 recovered materials—materials that have been collected see 10.2;
or recovered from solid waste and reprocessed to become a 5.1.6 Level of preservation and packing required if other
source of raw materials, as opposed to virgin raw materials. than as stated in Practice D 3951 (see 15.1);
5.1.7 When mounting options are required (see 5.4);
4. Classification 5.1.8 When Federal/Military procurement is required, re-
4.1 General—Ice cream freezers covered by this specifica- view and implement the applicable supplementary require-
tion are classified by type, size, group, style, class, and grade. ments (see Supplementary Requirements S1 and S2);
4.2 Type: 5.1.9 Type of refrigerant, insulation, and other manufactur-
4.2.1 Type I—Commercial soft-serve freezer. ing processes required (see 7.5); and
4.2.2 Type II—Commercial shake freezer. 5.1.10 When a certification report is required.
4.2.3 Type III—Combination commercial soft-serve and 5.2 Freezer Selection and Application—Prior to the use of
shake freezer. Section 4classifications, the purchaser will ensure the user is
4.3 Size: not restricted by some aspect of the freezer design such as
4.3.1 Size 1—1.0 to 4.9 gal/h (3.8 to 18.6 L/h) finished weight or external dimensions that would prevent the unre-
product output.9 stricted use of the classifications listed in Section 4.
4.3.2 Size 5—5.0 to 9.9 gal/h (18.9 to 37.5 L/h) finished 5.3 Freezer Availability—Although Section 4 lists a wide
product output.9 range of sizes, classes, groups, and styles for commercial types
4.3.3 Size 10—10.0 to 14.9 gal/h (37.9 to 56.4 L/h) finished of freezers, not all combinations may be available.
product output.9 5.4 Mounting Options (see 5.1.7):
4.3.4 Size 15—15.0 to 19.9 gal/h (56.8 to 75.3 L/h) finished 5.4.1 Casters.
product output.9 5.4.2 Legs.
4.3.5 Size 20—20.0 to 29.9 gal/h (75.7 to 113.2 L/h) 5.4.3 Brackets.
finished product output.9 5.4.4 Seals.
4.3.6 Size 30—30.0 to 39.9 gal/h (113.6 to 151.0 L/h) 5.5 Supplementary Requirements—The supplementary re-
finished product output.9 quirements shall apply only when specified by the purchaser in
4.3.7 Size 40—40.0 to 99.9 gal/h (151.4 to 378.1 L/h) the contract or order.
finished product output.9
6. Materials
4.4 Group:
4.4.1 Group 1—One freezing cylinder. 6.1 General—Freezers shall conform to the applicable
4.4.2 Group 2—Two freezing cylinders. documents listed in Section 2. Materials used shall be free from
4.4.3 Group 3—Three freezing cylinders. defects that would affect the performance or maintainability of
4.4.4 Group 4—Four freezing cylinders. individual components or of the overall assembly. Materials
4.5 Style: not specified herein shall be of the same quality used for the
4.5.1 Style 1—Floor. intended purpose in commercial practice. Unless otherwise
4.5.2 Style 2—Countertop. specified herein, all equipment, material, and articles incorpo-
4.6 Class: rated in the work covered by this specification are to be new or
4.6.1 Class 1—Air-cooled condenser. fabricated using materials produced from recovered materials
4.6.2 Class 2—Liquid-cooled condenser. to the maximum extent possible without jeopardizing the
4.6.3 Class 3—Remote air-cooled condenser. intended use. None of the preceding shall be interpreted to
4.7 Grade: mean that the use of used or rebuilt products are allowed under
4.7.1 Grade 1—Nonheat-treatment freezer. this specification unless otherwise specified.
4.7.2 Grade 2—Heat-treatment freezer (see 3.2). 6.2 Hardware and Fittings—Unless otherwise specified
(see 5.1), all hardware and fittings shall be corrosion-resistant
5. Ordering Information or suitably processed to resist corrosion in accordance with the
5.1 Ordering Data—Purchasers shall select the preferred manufacturer’s standard practice.
options permitted herein and include the following information 6.3 Threaded Parts—All threaded parts shall conform to
in procurement documents: ANSI B1.1.
5.1.1 Title, number, and date of this specification; 7. Design and Construction
5.1.2 Type, size, group, style, class, and grade of freezer
required (see 4.1); 7.1 Electrical Requirements:
5.1.3 When hardware and fittings are to be other than as 7.1.1 Nominal Input Power—Unless otherwise specified
specified (see 6.2); (see 5.1), the freezer shall be designed to operate on one of the
5.1.4 Voltage and frequency (hertz) of input power (see following:
7.1.1); 7.1.1.1 120 V, 60 Hz, single phase;
7.1.1.2 208 V, 60 Hz, single phase;
7.1.1.3 240 V, 60 Hz, single phase;
9
Per freezing cylinder. Combination freezers may require two size ratings, for 7.1.1.4 208 to 240 V, 60 Hz, single phase;
example: 15 soft serve/20 shake. 7.1.1.5 208 V, 60 Hz, three phase;

2
 F 1604
7.1.1.6 240 V, 60 Hz, three phase;
7.1.1.7 208 to 240 V, 60 Hz, three phase; and
7.1.1.8 480 V, 60 Hz, three phase.
7.1.2 Electric Motors—All electric motors shall have bear-
ings that require no additional lubrication.
7.2 Steel Fabrication—The steel used in fabrication shall be
free from kinks, sharp bends, and other conditions that would
be deleterious to the finished product. Manufacturing processes
shall not reduce the strength of the steel to a value less than
intended by the design. Manufacturing processes shall be done
neatly and accurately. All bends shall be made by controlled
means to ensure uniformity of size and shape.
7.3 Lubrication—All bearings (unless lifetime lubricated),
gears, and sliding parts shall have provision and instructions
for lubrication. Bearings or parts in the food zone requiring
lubrication shall be identified in the operator’s manual and
acceptable food grade lubricants shall be specified by the
manufacturer.
7.4 Interchangeability—All units of the same classification
furnished with similar options under a specific contract shall be
identical to the extent necessary to ensure interchangeability of
component parts, assemblies, accessories, and spare parts.
7.5 Use of ozone-depleting chemicals must comply with
national regulations.
7.5.1 Refrigerants—Unless otherwise specified (see 5.1),
shall be the manufacturer’s standard chemical(s).
7.5.2 Insulation—Unless otherwise specified (see 5.1), shall
be the manufacturer’s standard chemical(s).
7.5.3 Other—Unless otherwise specified (see 5.1), shall be
cleaned or processed using the manufacturer’s standard chemi-
cal(s).
8. Performance Requirements
8.1 Operation—When tested in accordance with Section 11,
the freezers shall operate without failure of the major func-
tional components.
NOTE 1—Performance Profile: A new standard is to be developed for
an energy-consumption profile.
9. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance
9.1 All components and assemblies of the freezer shall be
free of dirt and other extraneous materials, burrs, slivers, tool
and grind marks, dents, and cracks. Castings, molded parts, and
stampings shall be free of voids, sand pits, blow holes, and
sprues. External surfaces shall be free of sharp edges and
corners. All sheet metals used in the fabrication of the freezer
shall be free from kinks, dents, and other deformities. Forming
and welding shall not cause damage to the metal and shall be
done neatly and accurately.
10. Sampling
10.1 A representative production model shall be selected for
continuously produce frozen product at a given rate. If a
production rate is not stated by the manufacturer, the freezer
should meet the minimum rate of the appropriate ASTM size
(see 4.3).
11.2 Test Preparation:
11.2.1 Ambient air temperature should be 75 to 80°F (24 to
27°C) for air-cooled freezers. Inlet cooling water shall be 80°F
(27°C) minimum for water-cooled freezers.
11.2.2 Test mix formulations shall contain 32 to 37 % solids
for softserve and 24 to 28 % solids for shake. Mix temperature
should be 40 to 42°F (4 to 6°C) when put into the freezer.
11.2.3 Finished product parameters for the capacity test
shall be within this range:
Softserve 18 to 20°F (−8 to − 7°C) 50 % max overrun
Shake, without syrup 26 to 29°F (−3 to − 2°C) 60 % max overrun
11.2.4 The freezer shall be set up in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions. Start the initial freeze down and
allow the unit to cycle off. Draw approximately one pint of
product to start a refrigeration cycle. Begin the capacity test
when the freezer cycles off.
11.2.5 Draw product into an 8-oz (237-mL) container for
Size 1 and 5 freezers. For all other freezers use a 16-oz
(473-mL) container. Determine the draw rate by dividing 225
by the manufacturer’s rating (finished volume gallons per hour
(litres per hour)) when drawing an 8-oz sample. Divide 450 by
the manufacturer’s rating (finished volume gallons per hour
(litres per hour)) when drawing a 16-oz sample. See Table 1 for
typical rating samples.
11.2.6 Record finished product temperature and overrun
percentage in accordance with Table 2.
11.2.7 The capacity test shall be conducted for one hour.
Additional mix at 40 to 42°F (4 to 6°C) may be added to the
mix reservoir during the test.
11.3 Precision and Bias:
11.3.1 No statement is made about either the precision or
bias of the test method in 11.2.5for measuring the gallons per
hour (litres per hour) capacity since the result merely states
whether there is conformance to the criteria for success
specified in the procedure.
12. Inspection
12.1 Inspection of the material shall be agreed upon be-
tween the purchaser and the supplier as part of the purchase
contract.
13. Rejection and Rehearing
13.1 Material that fails to conform to the requirements of
this specification may be rejected. Rejection should be reported
TABLE 1 Typical Rating Examples
Gallons per Hour Litres per Hour Sample Size, oz Seconds per Sample

performance testing. 1 3.8 8 225

5 19 8 45
10.2 Unless otherwise specified in the contract or purchase 10 38 16 45
order, samples selected for testing and inspection by attributes 15 57 16 30
shall be determined in accordance with ANSI Z1.4. 20 76 16 22.5
30 114 16 15
11. Test Methods 40 151 16 11.25
100 379 16 4.5
11.1 This test method measures the ability of a freezer to

3
 F 1604
TABLE 2 Criteria for Recording Finished Product Temperature
and Overrun Percentage
Size 1 = every draw
Size 5 through 20 = once/minute
Size 30 and up = every third draw
to the producer or supplier promptly and in writing. In case of
dissatisfaction with the results of the test, the producer or
supplier may make claim for a rehearing.
14. Certification
14.1 General—When specified in the purchase order or
contract, the purchaser shall be furnished certification that
samples representing each lot have been either tested or
inspected as directed in this specification and the requirements
have been met. When specified in the purchase order or
contract, a report of the test results shall be furnished. See
5.5.5.
14.2 Codes And Standards—The freezer(s) shall conform to
the requirements of ANSI/UL 621 and ANSI/NSF Std. 6. as
applicable unless otherwise specified herein.
14.2.1 ANSI/NSF—Acceptable evidence of meeting the re-
quirements of ANSI/NSF shall be one of the following:
14.2.1.1 A current ANSI/NSF listing and display of the
ANSI/NSF mark on the freezer.
14.2.1.2 A certification for the freezer issued by ANSI/NSF
under their one-time contract evaluation/certification service.
14.2.1.3 A certified test report from a recognized indepen-
SUPPLEMENTARY REQUIREMENTS
These requirements apply only to Federal/Military procurement, not domestic sales or transfers.
S1. Preservation, Packaging, and Package Marking—
When other than commercial practice or conformance to
Practice D 3951 is desired, the preservation, packaging, and
package marking requirements shall be stated in the purchase
order or contract.
S2. Naval Shipboard Requirements:
S2.1 Power Compatibility—Unless otherwise specified (see
5.1), all types of freezers shall be compatible with shipboard
Type I, 60-Hz, 440-Vac, 3-phase, 3-wire, ungrounded or
115-Vac, 60-Hz, single-phase, alternating current as specified
in MIL-STD-1399/300.
S2.2 Environmental Suitability—Freezers shall be capable
of withstanding vibration and motion of ships. Controls,
switches, moving parts, and electrical circuits shall operate
under shipboard conditions without malfunction, binding, ex-
cessive looseness, or damage. When required, freezers shall be
tested as specified in S2.7.3.
S2.3 Access—Freezers for naval surface vessels shall pass
through a 26-in. (66-cm) wide shipboard hatch without major
disassembly. Freezers for submarines shall pass through a
25-in. (64-cm) diameter circular hatch without major disassem-
bly. When establishing accessibility requirements, both physi-
cal and visual access must be provided along with access for
any tools, test equipment, or replacement parts needed.
4
dent laboratory acceptable to the purchaser indicating that the
freezer has been tested and conforms to ANSI/NSF Standard
No. 6.
14.2.2 ANSI/UL—Acceptable evidence of meeting the re-
quirements of ANSI/UL No. 621 shall be the ANSI/UL listing
mark or a certified test report from a recognized independent
testing laboratory, acceptable to the purchaser, indicating that
the freezer offered conforms to the applicable requirements of
ANSI/UL Standard No. 621.
15. Product Marking
15.1 Each freezer shall be provided with an identification
plate(s) securely affixed to the item, in compliance with
ANSI/UL No. 621.
16. Instruction Materials and Manuals
16.1 Format and content of applicable manuals shall be as
indicated in Specification F 760.
17. Packaging and Package Marking
17.1 Unless otherwise specified (see 5.1), the complete
freezer shall be packaged and marked in accordance with
Practice D 3951. In addition, the package shall be marked
showing the model number, serial number, and manufacturer’s
name.
18. Keywords
18.1 foodservice equipment; freezers; frozen yogurts; ice
cream; shake; soft serve
S2.4 Mounting—Provisions shall be made to mount the
freezers on a horizontal surface. The frame shall be provided
with four drilled or threaded bosses or retaining nuts for this
purpose. The minimum mounting bolt sizes, using four stan-
dard bolts, shall be 1⁄2-in. (12-mm) bolts for equipment not over
400 lb (181 kg), and 5⁄8-in. (16-mm) mounting bolts for
equipment not over 700 lb (318 kg). The threaded boss or
retaining nut shall provide a thread engagement not less than
the bolt diameter, plus one thread.
S2.5 Inclined Operation—Freezers shall operate satisfacto-
rily when cycled through a 15° roll each side of the vertical in
each of two vertical planes at right angles to each other, with no
spillage of fluid or product when tested as specified in S2.7.2.
S2.6 Label Plates—Freezers shall be provided with data
nameplates, instruction plates, and high-voltage warning plates
(for 440-Vac models).
S2.6.1 Data Nameplates—Freezers shall be provided with
data nameplates readily visible to the operator during normal
operating use and so as to not adversely affect the life and
utility of the unit. Plates shall be attached to the front of the
unit. The plate shall contain the following information:
S2.6.1.1 National Stock Number.
S2.6.1.2 Government Approved Manual Number.
 F 1604
S2.6.2 Instruction Plate—An instruction plate shall be at-
tached to the front of the freezer. The instruction plate shall
bear instructions for start-up, operation, and shutdown.
S2.6.3 High-Voltage Labels (440 Vac)—A “Danger High
Voltage” label shall be affixed to the equipment’s outer case
assembly, on or adjacent to each service access cover, and
adjacent to one of the fasteners that secures the cover. A
voltage warning label shall also be placed near the high voltage
components inside the equipment. The label shall include but is
not limited to the following warnings:
S2.6.3.1 A warning of high voltage.
S2.6.3.2 Power supply must be disconnected before servic-
ing.
S2.6.3.3 Access covers must be in place during use.
S2.6.3.4 Servicing should be done by authorized individu-
als.
S2.7 Quality Assurance Provisions:
S2.7.1 EMI Control Tests—When specified (see 5.1), freez-
ers shall be tested by the contractor in accordance with the
requirements of MIL-STD-461 for surface ships and subma-
rines. The first article or the initial production unit, as appli-
cable, shall be tested. The contractor shall furnish written
certification that the equipment meets the requirements of
MIL-STD-461. Nonconformance with the requirements speci-
fied shall constitute failure of the test.
S2.7.2 Inclined Operational Test—Bolt the freezer to a test
platform with its base level. The freezer shall then be operated
with product for a 60-s cycle (30 s to reach each 15° incline)
as the test platform is slowly inclined (rolled) 15° to each side
of the vertical in each of two vertical planes at right angles to
each other. This test shall be run for 30 complete cycles in each
of the two vertical planes. Any nonconformance with the
specified requirements of S2.5 shall constitute failure of this
test.
S2.7.3 Shipboard Environmental Test—When specified (see
5.1) the freezer, under normal operating conditions, shall be
tested in accordance with MIL-STD-167/1, Type I equipment.
The freezer shall be secured to the test machine in the same
manner that it will be secured on shipboard. Failure of the
freezer to perform its function during or after testing shall
constitute failure of this test. The government reserves the right
to witness all tests of freezers procured for naval shipboard use,
whether performed by the supplier or an independent testing
agency.
S2.7.4 Capacity Test for Class 1 Freezers—After comple-
tion of Section 11, the ambient temperature shall be raised to a
minimum of 100°F (38°C). When the test unit temperature
reaches equilibrium, Section 11 shall be repeated. Capacity
shall be no less than 67 % of rated capacity as determined in
accordance with 11.2.5.
S2.7.5 Manufacturer’s Certification—If the manufacturer
has successfully furnished the same equipment on a previous
contract within the past three years, further inspection will not
be required. The manufacturer shall certify in writing that the
equipment to be furnished is the same as that previously
furnished and approved, and that no major design changes have
been made to the equipment.

APPENDIX

(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. ADDED FEATURES

X1.1 Most manufacturers offer additional features that
extend the versatility of the freezers. The variety of options are
impossible to list but a good source of general information can
be found in the literature available at restaurant or food service
equipment dealers. Some of the more common and popular
options are faucets, syrup rails, spinners, foot pedals, air mix
pumps, separate hopper refrigeration, and standby controls.
X1.2 Typically, these options are added to basic models at
additional cost. Any additional options that are required can be
written into the procurement contract as desired.

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