From our everyday products to industrial tools, nearly everything faces constant friction. Have you ever wondered how these materials are ensured to handle wear? The answer lies in the abrasion testing. Everything is tested using abrasion testing methods, from the soles of your shoes to your car’s tires. Are you new to this testing concept and eager to learn more? You are at the right place. In this article, I will explore different types of abrasion testing & methods. You will learn everything in this step-by-step guide. So, let’s get started!
Overview of Abrasion Testing and its Importance
Abrasion testing is a process in which different materials are tested to ensure their durability. The purpose of abrasion testing is to check a material’s friction resistance. Simply put, this testing method checks to what extent a material can resist wear and tear. There are several types of abrasion testing, all specific to different kinds of materials.
Real-world scenarios are developed to perform abrasion tests. Specialized chambers are used to perform these tests in controlled conditions. Moreover, abrasion tests are not just confined to hard materials. You can also perform these tests to check the durability of plastics and clothes. Let’s discover why abrasion testing is so important.
Importance of Abrasion Testing
Here is the list of the most common benefits you can get from abrasion testing.
- Ensures Longevity and Durability: Abrasion testing ensures the longevity of products. It helps manufacturers check the durability of their products. After testing, they know how much their products can withstand friction. In this way, they improve the quality and ensure the long lifespan of their products.
- Saves Money on Repairs: Material or products without proper testing can deteriorate quickly. When you use test products with various tests, it lasts for a long time. In this way, you can save the repair and replacement costs.
- Increases Safety: Abrasion tests ensure the safety of any product, especially automobiles. By this test, manufacturers provide the durability of brakes, paddles, and tires. Untested automobile parts can cause serious accidents and risk one’s safety.
- Increases Customer Satisfaction: A long-lasting product gives customers mind satisfaction. Customers prefer a tested product with enhanced durability. So, abrasion testing methods help the manufacturer improve the trust of their customers.
- Protects the Environment: Abrasion testing helps sustain the environment. HOW? As I said above, this testing method ensures the product’s durability. Durable products last longer and do not deteriorate quickly. They are also not thrown away readily, which reduces pollution and saves our environment. Moreover, it also reduces the use of resources for new products.
Abrasion Testing Methods
As I said above, several tests check products’ friction resistance. Each type of test features unique methods and machines. Let’s explore some abrasion testing methods in an easy-to-understand way.
1- Taber Abrasion Test
This type of test involves the usage of machine called “Taber.” Due to this machine, this test name is the Taber abrasion test. How will you perform this test using the Taber machine? The mechanism is very straightforward. The Taber machine contains a rotating table. So first, the operator places the material under testing on the table.
Two abrasion wheels are on the upper side of the table. When the table rotates, these wheels rub against the product’s surface, causing scratches and wear. After each cycle, the operator checks and measures the material loss. You can alter the number of cycles depending on your project’s requirements and the nature of the material.
Lastly, the operator measures the total mass loss after several cycles to check the final results. If a product shows less weight loss or wear, it has more friction resistance, and vice versa. This testing method is easy to operate and fast. Moreover, Taber machines can handle a variety of materials, from plastic to metals.
2- Martindale Abrasion Test
The Martindale abrasion test method is specially conducted to test fabric. This type of testing method is straightforward to operate. During the Martindale test, the operator places the fabric sample on a flat table surface. A machine rubs two abrasive wheels on the surface of the fabric. However, the rubbing intensity of these wheels is relatively lower than that of others.
The rubbing process continues for minutes to hours, depending on the nature of the fabric. At the end, wear and scratches per cycle are noted. This testing method is suitable for testing the durability of carpets and thick fabrics. Besides, the Martindale testing method offers several benefits. For instance, it is cost-effective and versatile for many fabric types.
3- Sand Slurry Abrasion Test
It is a prevalent type of abrasion testing method. The sand slurry test checks how a material will behave when exposed to a slurry. Do you know what a slurry is? It is a mixture of sand and water. Slurry can damage the surface or coating of several products. So, this test checks the frictional durability of industrial equipment.
To perform the sand slurry test, place the product in a chamber. Then, using a pump, the slurry is thrown on the material’s surface with pressure. This pressure causes the abrasive particles to rub against the surface. After a few minutes, scratches appear, and the coating of the material starts diminishing. The operator checks the volume or weight loss for final durability results.
4- Dry Sand Rubber Wheel Test
This test checks the durability of a material when in contact with dry and rough particles. The dry sand rubber wheel test setup includes a rotating drum and sand. You will have to install the rubber wheel on this rotating drum. First, put dry sand directly on the surface of the material. After that, a rotating drum moves and rubs the wheel and the sand against the surface.
As the wheel and sand press, they create scratches and wear. This process involves repeating several cycles. In the end, you have to measure the weight loss and depth of wear caused by rubbing. The dry sand rubber wheel test is an efficient method for automotive industries. It checks the wear resistance of tires to ensure their durability on dry, sandy roads.
5- Pin-on-Disc Test
Before performing this test, the test conductor must understand some terms such as pin and disc. The pin in this test is the material under the testing. On the flip side, the disc is a flat surface that rotates. A disc can be of the same material as the pin or a different one. Now, let’s discuss how the pin-on-disc test works. The test conductor secures the pin against the disc, and the disc starts rotating.
As the disc rotates, friction generates between the pin and the disc, causing dents on the pin’s surfaces. The rotation continues for a specified period. After that, the operator measures the friction coefficient. If fewer marks and dents exist, the material proves reliable and has more friction resistance. The pin-on-disc test suits testing brakes and engine parts.
6- Reciprocating Wear Test
The reciprocating test checks the wear resistance of moving parts. Simply put, this test examines the durability of parts that remain in a continuous back-and-forth motion. Although simple, it is the most critical test for many industries. The sliding doors and pistons are tested using the reciprocating testing method for efficient working. So, how do you perform this method?
The material you want to test is pressed against the other flat surface. It moves forward and backward, producing significant friction. The back-and-forth movement lasts for a few minutes. After that, weight loss and dents are checked. Automotive industries use reciprocating to check car engines, bearings, and seals.
7- Los Angeles (LA) Abrasion Test
An engineering team in Los Angeles, California, first performed this test in 1920. The test became successful and popular quickly, so they named it after this city. The Los Angeles test is the most accurate and efficient testing method of all the above. To perform this test, the operator places the material in a rotating drum containing steel balls of definite size and volume.
When the drum rotates, the steel balls hit the material’s surface. However, the drums rotate about 500 to 1000 times in a defined time. This results in several dents on the surface. The operator measures the depth of dents and the percentage of material wear. The Los Angeles test helps test the durability of building materials, gravel, and crushed stones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three types of abrasives?
The three types of abrasives involve:
- Natural: Sand and quartz
- Synthetic: Silicon carbide and aluminum oxide
- Super Abrasives: Extremely hard, such as diamond
What is the principle of an abrasion tester?
The principle of an abrasion tester is to create wear and scratches on the material’s surface. The abrasive tester is rubbed against the material surface to generate friction. It checks the material’s friction resistance and durability.
What is the leading cause of abrasion?
The leading cause of abrasion is friction. There are several reasons for friction, such as
- Mechanical action, such as moving parts
- Particles such as sand
- Environmental factors such as dust and wind
Conclusion
Abrasion testing is the process of testing the durability of a material against abrasives. There are several methods for abrasion testing. In this article, I have covered some standard and widely used methods. For example, you can perform the sand slurry test. It involves a slurry mixture that creates wear on the material’s surface. You notice the weight loss and nature of dents and marks.
After that, you will have to measure the friction coefficient. If an object shows less wear, it is more durable. All the other types of tests, such as reciprocating and pin-on-disc, measure friction resistance. Abrasion testing methods are very efficient in understanding the quality of a material. All industries, from fabric to automotive, rely on these tests to ensure their high quality.