Abrasion Tester

Abrasion tester is a device used to evaluate the wear resistance of a material's surface. By simulating friction or abrasion, it measures how well a material can withstand wear during use. It's commonly applied in industries like textiles, coatings, plastics, rubber, leather, and metals for quality control, product development, or material comparison.

Purpose

The main functions of an Abrasion Tester are to:

• Test surface wear resistance of materials.
• Compare durability of different materials or treatments.
• Provide data to support product design or quality improvement.

Common Types

• Taber Abrasion Tester: Uses rotating abrasive wheels to rub against material surfaces and is commonly used for plastics, coatings, and leather.
• Martindale Abrasion Tester: Applies a back-and-forth rubbing motion to assess wear resistance, mainly for textiles and upholstery materials.
• Falling Sand Abrasion Tester: Measures erosion resistance by letting sand fall onto the material.

Key Parameters

• Load: The pressure applied to the material.
• Speed or Friction Frequency: Number or rate of abrasive actions.
• Abrasive Medium: Sandpaper, wheels, metal pins, or sand.
• Abrasion Cycles: The number of rubs until visible damage or performance loss.

Testing Procedure Overview (Taber Example)

• Mount the sample on the test platform.
• Install abrasive wheels and set the load.
• Start the machine—the wheels rotate and abrade the sample surface.
• Measure wear by weight loss, thickness change, or visual inspection.

Result Evaluation

• Measured in weight loss (mg).
• Or in total abrasion cycles the material withstands.
• Microscopic or image analysis may be used to assess surface changes.