What is a good Martindale score? —Martindale Test Score Guide

This article will introduce some knowledge of judging Martindale test result scores and some knowledge of Martindale test uses, test results, and prices.
1. What is the Martindale Test？
The Martindale test is a test method used to test the abrasion resistance of textiles or other materials. This test is based on the well-known “Martindale method” method standard system and its relationships, and evaluates its abrasion resistance by repeatedly rubbing against textiles under simulated actual use conditions. In the test, the sample and the abrasive are subjected to continuous reversing friction, and the degree of wear and pilling is evaluated under a certain pressure. The Martindale tester can be used to test the abrasion resistance and pilling performance of fabrics and is one of the important tools in textile quality control. There are multiple industry standards for this test method, such as ISO 12947, etc.
It was originally invented by British engineer James Martin (1814-1896).
The Martindale tester started out as a bulky piece of equipment, usually made of steel. With the advancement of technology, the Martindale tester has become smaller, and lighter and can be used in various occasions. For example, in some laboratories, they can be used to measure the tensile and tear strength of textiles, paper, plastics and other materials.
The principle of the Martindale test is to place a textile or other material of a certain size on a rotating wheel, and then let the wheel rub repeatedly under a certain load. In this process, the wheels will drive the textile or material to move under certain speed and pressure, which will cause wear and tear. The test results are usually expressed by the wear amount or wear rate of the yarn or fabric. The smaller the wear amount, the better the wear resistance of the material.
The Martindale test is widely used in the abrasion resistance test of various textiles and other materials, especially in the fields of outdoor sports, industry and the military. This test method is also known as “MatriQA (Textile Testing for QUALITY and ADVANCED ATTENTION)”, which means “textile quality and advanced attention test”.

2 Purpose and structure of Martindale tester
Performing the Martindale test requires the use of specialized Martindale testing equipment. The following describes the use and structure of the Martindale tester.
The Martindale Abrasion Tester is an instrument used to test the abrasion resistance of textile products. It can simulate the friction between fabrics and other substances in actual use, so as to evaluate the abrasion resistance of fabrics. The tester adopts the Martindale method standard system and its relationship, and evaluates its wear resistance by testing the amount of wear of the fabric, so as to judge the quality and service life of the product. The Martindale Abrasion Tester is suitable for the abrasion test of various textiles, leather, paper, wood and other materials, and is one of the important means to evaluate the abrasion resistance of materials.
The Martindale Abrasion Tester is mainly composed of a base with a grinding table and a transmission. The transmission device includes 2 outer wheels and 1 inner wheel, which makes the track of the guide plate of the sample holder form a Lissajous figure. The guide plate of the sample fixture moves in a plane driven by the transmission device, and each point of the guide plate depicts the same Lissajous figure. The guide plate of the sample holder is equipped with a bearing seat and a low-friction bearing, which drives the pin shaft of the sample holder to move. The lowermost end of each test fixture pin is inserted into its corresponding sample fixture socket, and a loading weight can be placed on the top of the pin.
The internal structure of the Martindale Abrasion Tester is as follows:
1 Grinding table: The grinding table is the core part of the Martindale Abrasion Tester, which consists of grinding discs, grinding wheels, etc., and is used to simulate the friction between fabrics and other substances in actual use.
2. Transmission device: The transmission device includes 2 outer wheels and 1 inner wheel. This device makes the track of the guide plate of the sample fixture form a Lissajous figure. The guide plate of the sample fixture moves in a plane driven by the transmission device, and each point of the guide plate depicts the same Lissajous figure. The guide plate of the sample holder is equipped with a bearing seat and a low-friction bearing, which drives the pin shaft of the sample holder to move. The lowermost end of each test fixture pin is inserted into its corresponding sample fixture socket, and a loading weight can be placed on the top of the pin.
3. Specimen fixture: The specimen fixture is the key component of the Martindale Abrasion Tester. It consists of a fixture seat, a fixture pin, etc. It is used to fix the sample and place it on the grinding table for testing. Specimen fixtures need to have good wear resistance and precise positioning capabilities to ensure the accuracy of test results.
4. Loading weight: The loading weight is an important part of the Martindale Abrasion Tester, which can be used to apply additional pressure or load to evaluate the wear resistance of the sample.
5. Control system: Martindale Abrasion Tester is also equipped with a control system, which is used to control the test process, read test data, control loading weights, etc.
In short, the Martindale Abrasion Tester is a precision testing instrument with a complex internal structure, including multiple parts such as a grinding table, a transmission device, a sample holder, and a loading weight. Through the precise design and manufacture of these components, as well as strict control of the testing process, the wear resistance of textile products can be accurately evaluated, thereby improving the quality and service life of the product.

3 Martindale Test Scores
To judge a good or bad score on the Martindale test, here’s what to do:
1. Evaluate the change in appearance of the specimen: At each inspection interval to evaluate the change in appearance of the specimen, carefully remove the grip containing the abrasive, remove the specimen from the friction table, and evaluate the surface change. Under the same test conditions, after the specified number of abrasions, observe the changes in the surface gloss, fluff, pilling and other appearance effects of the sample, and usually compare it with the standard sample to evaluate its grade. It is also possible to use the number of frictions required for a certain number of sand lines to break on the surface of the sample after wear, or for holes of a certain size to appear on the surface of the sample as the evaluation basis.
2. Compare the wear resistance of different fabrics: use the sample damage method to test, the error is small, the test results are intuitive and clear, and the wear resistance of different fabrics is easy to compare. After the sample has been worn for a specified number of times, the changes in its physical and mechanical properties such as weight, thickness, and breaking strength are measured to compare the wear resistance of the fabric.
3. Evaluation according to comparison of standard parameters: Under a certain pressure, the sample and abrasive undergo continuous reversing friction, and the degree of wear and pilling is evaluated according to comparison of standard parameters. Martindale standard parameters include: counting range: 0-999999 times. Number of stations: 9 stations. Mass of pressurized material: holder: 200±1g, clothing sample weight: 395±2g, furniture decoration sample weight: 594±2g, stainless steel disc: 260±1g.

4. Make sure the testing equipment is in the best condition:

In order to ensure the accuracy of the test results, the testing equipment should be kept in a good working condition. Check the Martindale tester before performing the test.
Before the test, the inspection points of the Martindale tester include:
A: Check whether the power supply voltage meets the working conditions and is effectively grounded.
B: Check whether the optical components are protected and avoid strong light source irradiation and strong magnetic field interference.
C: Check whether the heat dissipation space is sufficient for heat dissipation.
D: Check whether the temperature control is accurate and stable to ensure the accuracy of the measurement results.
E: Check that the warm-up time is sufficient to improve stability.
F: Check whether the cleaning and maintenance are carried out regularly to ensure the normal operation of the test instrument and avoid the influence of pollution on the measurement results.
G: Check whether the test instrument is in the best condition, such as whether the optical components are protected, whether the power supply voltage meets the working conditions, etc.
4 When using the Martindale tester, you need to pay attention to the following points:
The standard rubbing cloth cannot be used repeatedly, and another standard rubbing cloth needs to be replaced to complete a test.
Wool felt (woven and non-woven upon request) can be used repeatedly and needs to be replaced if the surface becomes worn or soiled, and can be used on both sides.
After the test is completed, if the surface of the sample has abnormal phenomena such as wear, yarn breakage, fluffing, severe pilling, and severe wear, it will be judged as unqualified, and a standard sample card will be used for comparison.
Before sample preparation, special attention should be paid to avoid burrs on the cutting edge.
When using the Martindale tester, it is necessary to strictly follow the operating steps in the manual to ensure the accuracy of the test results.

5 the price of Martindale abrasion and pilling Tester
A good set of Martindale testers doesn’t come cheap. Martindale tester prices vary by brand, model, and specification, among other factors. TESTEX is a company specializing in the production of textile testing instruments. The Martindale testers they produce are of high quality, high accuracy, and offer very reasonable prices. You can contact them for inquiries about the price of Martindale testers.

6 Future Development of Martindale Tester
In the future, Martindale testers may develop towards a more intelligent, automated and high-precision direction.
First of all, with the continuous development of artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, Martindale testers may gradually realize automation and intelligence, and improve the accuracy and efficiency of testing by analyzing large amounts of data. Secondly, the Martindale tester may use more advanced materials and manufacturing processes, such as nanomaterials, superconducting materials, etc., thereby improving the sensitivity and accuracy of the test.
In addition, the Martindale tester may also be combined with Internet of Things technology to enable remote monitoring and data collection. This will allow enterprises and research institutions to manage and use Martindale testers more conveniently, and to discover and solve material quality problems in a timely manner.
The future development of Martindale tester will make more progress in intelligence, automation and high precision. This will help improve the efficiency and accuracy of testing, and provide enterprises and research institutions with a more comprehensive and scientific evaluation method of material performance.