In the manufacturing industry, the products produced must meet high-quality standards before being released to the consumers. These products must also have a long lifespan to meet clients’ expectations who depend on them. The products are subjected to thorough tests in the lab to guarantee quality and a long lifespan. The tests are designed to investigate the quality of the products and ensure only the best ones are channeled to the market. One such test is abrasion resistance testing. This is a critical test done to ensure the products have no defects, endure their design life, and consistently perform their performance. The abrasive resistance of the products will ensure they have the correct strength to resist the predominant friction forces that they will be subjected to. Some of the products that pass through the abrasion resistance testing include metals, ceramics, wood products, and other composite materials. There are many abrasion test methods that are used in different manufacturing companies to carry out the abrasion resistance test on their products. Some of these tests are discussed below.
Pin Abrasion Test
The pin abrasion test is one of the tests done to determine the resistance of a product to frictional forces. It is done according to ASTM G132 procedures. Two pin specimens, reference material, and subject material are used during the test. The pin mounted on the abrasion testing machine moves on the subject material’s abrasive surface and records its abrasive resistance. This is used to determine the material’s strength.
Rubber Wheel Abrasion
The rubber wheel abrasion is another abrasion resistance test conducted according to the ASTM G65 procedures. A rectangular test sample is loaded against a rubber wheel that is rotating. The sand of different grit sizes and the flow rate is pumped between the two surfaces to offer the required friction. The material’s abrasive resistance is then determined and analyzed to understand its abrasive soundness.
Taber Abrasion
The taber abrasion test is performed according to the ASTM D1044 and ASTM D4060 guidelines. It is conducted by mounting a flat test specimen to a rotating table with two abrasive wheels. The wheels rotate at a fixed pressure and speed. The fixed pressure and speed are used to calculate the abrasive resistance of the test specimen.
Falling Sand Abrasion
The falling sand abrasion test is done using the ASTM D968 procedures and guidelines. This test is done to evaluate the abrasive resistance of any organic coatings on falling sand. The organic coatings are laid on a flat surface, such as glass or metal surface, and the coatings are rubbed against the sand with the abrasive machine. The abrasive resistance is determined by reading the machine output.
The pin abrasion test, rubber wheel abrasion test, taber abrasion test, and falling sand abrasion test are common ASTM abrasion resistance testing methods commonly used in manufacturing industries. These are used to test the frictional resistance of products before they are released to the market. They are vital tests that determine the quality of the products to guarantee a long lifespan and unmatched quality.
