What is the ASTM D4966 Martindale Abrasion Test?

 

American Society of American Society gives the ASTM D4966 standard for Testing and Materials. This textile testing standard ensures the quality of fabric against abrasion. Martindale tester is used to measure the fabric abrasion resistance. Here we will discuss the purpose of ASTM D4966, why it is used, and the ASTM D4966 Martindale Abrasion Test procedure by using the  Martindale Abrasion Tester.  So let’s see the whole thing about this topic.

What is the ASTM D4966?

American Society of American Society for Testing (ASTM) gives guidelines for testing textile materials. The ASTM D4966 standard describes the test method for evaluating the Abrasive resistance of textiles.

The Martindale tester is widely used to determine the fabric wear testing and the material’s abrasion resistance in textile, automotive, and aerospace industries to ensure the quality of the products.

This testing standard explains how you can take the abrasion simulation on the fabric specimen by using an abrasive material with an instrument specially designed for this purpose.

The abrasion application can be done in different ways, like pressing through an abrasive material on the circular rotating disc or placing the specimen in a rotating drum in the presence of an abrasive material.

After the test, the fabric loses weight because of abrasion. This shows how well the material resists wear.

We can see the specimen’s physical condition before and after the test. There will be changes in texture, color, and appearance. These changes show the result of abrasion. We will compare the condition of the specimen with a grayscale to give a rating from 1 to 5.

The standard provides guidelines for test parameters. Factors are test speed, the choice of abrasive material, and the number of rubs or rotations. It also shows how to get accurate results when testing the same specimen again.

It also gives instructions for conditioning the fabric sample before testing. This step ensures accurate results and helps avoid mistakes and variations.

ASTM D4966-22 is a textile abrasion standard. It’s the best tool for checking how well fabrics resist wear and abrasion.

Martindale Abrasion Test

Fabrics wear out because of localized abrasion on garments during wear, for example, around elbows, knees, collars, and cuffs. The fabric’s construction and finishing processes can significantly affect the wearing resistance of the garment.

The Martindale abrasion test has been used for many years to assess the resistance to wear of fabrics and ensure that the garment will withstand everyday wearability for its intended end purpose.

The abrasion resistance of textile materials is determined by testing on the Martindale abrasion Tester. The material under test is abraded against a standard reference fabric, usually woven wool, in a multi-directional rubbing action called a Lissajous movement.

Martindale is a name of apparatus that is used to measure fabrics’ abrasion resistance. In this instrument, the textile specimen comes into contact and is rubbed with a circular disc with an abrasive material on its top surface to simulate the wear behavior.

The details of the installation of the Martindale Test Sample

The test stops when a set number of threads break on Plain Fabrics or when the pile fabric looks different. A piece of fabric is taken from the main sample. Then, four circular test specimens are cut out with a cutting die.

These specimens are mounted in the top holders of the Martindale tester. First, place the specimen in the holder. Then, put a circular piece of foam on top. Finally, screw in the metal insert using the jig from the tester.

A new wool abradant fabric is placed on the abrading table with a piece of felt beneath it. The tension weight is placed on the abradant, and the retaining frame is fixed. All four or six holders and the braiding tables are prepared as described.

The holders move to the operating position. Then, the right loading weight is added. We reset the counters. Then, we set the preset counter to the desired number of revolutions and turn on the Machine.

When the machine stops, the top holders come off. The test specimens stay in the holder. They are looked at under a low-power microscope. This helps to see if the endpoint has been reached.

If not, the tester replaces the holders, and the Machine runs for many revolutions. Once the specimens reach their endpoint, remove them from the holder. Then, mount them onto a test card for the report.

This test checks how well the fabric resists friction damage. It does this by rubbing the fabric on an abrasive surface.

Scope

This method determines the abrasion resistance of textiles using a Martindale abrasion tester. It applies to woven, no-woven and knitted fabrics.

However, the thickness of the fabrics may hinder the test’s suitability for that fabric because the specimen holder has limited capacity to hold the specimen.  The resulting values are stated in the inch-pound unit.

Terminologies

Abrasion Cycle

In abrasion testing, the movement of abradant across the fabric specimen or tested material, after which it reaches its starting position, is called a one-abrasion cycle.

Similarly, vice versa, the specimen’s movement on the abradant material. The nature of the abrasion cycle depends upon the program given to the machine according to the standard.

Flexing and abrasion test method

For example, in the flexing and abrasion test method, the material moves in a straight line in the forward and backward directions. It will be considered as one cycle. This type of motion is given for that type of textile, which may face repeated rubbing in daily use.

Rotary platform test method

In this programmed motion, the material moves in a circular motion across the abradant material. The complete circular motion is considered as a one cycle. This movement is selected for the flooring, coatings, and furniture that have to face rotational friction.

Inflated diaphragm test method

This is a complex programmed motion in which material has to face both rotations in circular and back-and-forth directions in a controlled manner. It is used to create more tough abrasion conditions during daily wear.

Oscillatory cylinder abrasion method

The oscillatory cylinder abrasion method has a circular motion with one double rub. It means the specimen moves in one direction, reaches its starting point, and comes in contact with an abrasive surface twice, considered one cycle.

Abrasion Resistance

Abrasion resistance is the property of the textile specimen or material that resists weight loss or surface damage during the rubbing on the Martindale abrasion tester.

Fabric Durability

The ability of a fabric to withstand the rubbing of Martindale abrasion tester is called fabric durability for abrasion.

Lissajous Figure

Lissajous is a complex pattern that is formed by two perpendicular harmonic motions. It is designed with an oscilloscope.

The purpose of using this pattern in the Martindale test is to ensure that each part of the fabric has been rubbed evenly. No extra force is exerted on a specific part, and the sample is abraded evenly. In the Martindale test, the Lissajous figure is designed up by 16 arcs.

Factors Affecting Abrasion Resistance of Fabric

Abrasive Material

The abrasion resistance depends on many factors, such as the nature of the abrasive material.

Testing Parameter

The testing parameters have a significant effect that is taken according to the desired standard.

Area of Specimen

The area of the specimen that has to be abraded and the tension in the specimen affect the abrasion resistance results.

Pressure

The pressure between the specimen and the abradant is another major factor in abrasion resistance determination.

 

ASTM D4966 Martindale Abrasion Test Method

The determination of the sample break in abrasion resistance fabrics with the Martindale method is the number of cycles until the sample breaks as a result of the abrasion resistance of the fabric is determined.

To do this, we will use the Martindale abrasion and pilling tester, a 38-millimeter sample cutter, and a 140-millimeter wide abrasive cloth cutter. A sample holder, load cells Martindale abrasive device to place the presser foot and the apparatus that weighs two point five kilograms.

 

First, the test specimen is conditioned under a minimum of 24 hours of standard atmospheric conditions. We spread the conditioned test sample on a flat surface. We take a 38-millimeter sample from the spread specimen.

The sample is taken in a way that includes each pattern in patterned fabrics. Areas that are not wrinkled are cut three centimeters from the inside. Sponge foam is not used when the mass of the specimen is 500 grams per square meter.

 

The foam sponge is used only for samples under 500 grams per square meter. A 100% standard wall sample is cut using abrasive fabric for 38 millimeter-wide samples. 140 millimeter felt is placed before the fabric we cut on the table.

The cut samples are placed in the sample holder to start the test. 8 millimeter wide samples are attached to the sample holder. For this, the color of the sample holder is removed from its slot.

How to install the samples correctly

The sample in the Martindale abrasion and peeling tester on the table is attached to the holder. The sample is placed into the collar in a way that its front side faces the front side that is downwards. Foam is inserted if the sample is lighter than 500 grams per square meter.

The foam is also cut as 38 millimeters. The device is placed on the foam, and the sample holder is compressed. This way, three pieces of 38-millimetre diameter samples are firmly placed in the holder. The samples are placed in the braising device.

 

First, the Lissajous pattern of the abrasion device is checked. For this, a sample of 140 millimeters wide and a sheet are cut. The sample we have cut is inserted into its slot on the abrasion table, and the collar is squeezed.

The devices’ balls are removed from the filling slots and placed in the abrasion slots. These balls allow the sample holder manual to move correctly.

The balls are moved towards the center. The manual is placed in the slot. The Lissajous pattern comprises sixteen rubbing movements, and the number of abrasion rubbing is entered into the device as 16.

Test by the pencil before starting……

A pencil is placed in the table’s sample holder, which we will check. We will check by pressing the start button. After the device stops, the pencil is removed from the slot, and the pattern is checked.

This process is repeated separately for each table. Pattern ranges are checked to do this. When pattern intervals are equal, we accept that the device is suitable, and then we put the abrasive sample to prepare the abrasive table.

For this, we put down 140 millimeters of felt. We put 100% wool abrasive fabric inside the felt that we have placed. When placing the sample, we ensure that the thread Direction is parallel to the table.

We put the presser foot on the abrasive cloth and attach it to the table with squeezing collars. Removing the 2.5-kilogram presser foot from the abrasive fabric, we insert the sample manually.

Then, we placed the samples on the tables with the same numbers as the number on the sample holder. We attach it to the table with the compression apparatus. After checking the number of the second sample, we also placed it on the abrasive table.

If the sample has technically used, for example, specimens such as upholstery or bed linen, we place a weight of 12 kilo Pascal’s on it, except for household textiles such as upholstery and bed linen.

We place a weight of 9 kilo Pascal’s. The sample we are currently testing is garment fabric, and we are putting a weight of 9 kilo Pascal’s. A total weight of 595 kilograms is applied, and then we enter the number of rubbing abrasions.

What about the test cycles?

Resetting the value on the screen, we check the sample every 1,000 cycles, and the total rubbing abrasion number is five thousand. Two thousand cycles if it is between five thousand to twenty thousand rpm. It is checked every five 5,000 cycles to see if it is between 20,000 and 40,000.

If it is higher than 40,000, it is checked every ten thousand cycles. In case of abrasion, these intervals can be more frequent. We initially enter 2000 rpm and press the start button to do this.

We will check the samples at specific intervals. At the end of 2000 cycles, the device will automatically stop.

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We use an eight-time magnifying glass or loop to check the breaks, and when there are two different wefts or warp yarn breaks, we end the test.

If there is no abrasion when we check it, we enter 2000 rpm again and go on to the abrasive friction. We stop the test after the sample breaks.

How to Avoid Variations in the Martindale Rub Test Method?

The abradant material is not used for the long term. It is changed after one test or specific cycle. It depends upon the type of abradant material. The disposable abradant is used only once, and after usage, they are discarded.

Metal or hardened abradant can be used for a longer run, but it may cause a change in results in other laboratories due to mechanical effects.

Replace the Abradant Timely

The best way to avoid variation in an abrasion test is to change the abrasive material after specific cycles, which depends on the type of abradant material used.

Avoid Stretching the Specimen

The fabric specimen cut for the abrasion testing should be avoided from stretching. The specimen should not be stretched too much or under tension. It should be flat without stress.

In abrasion testing, the fabric sample is rubbed on the rough surface of any abrasive material. If the fabric is under tension, the specimen can be torn.

So, to avoid variations and get accurate results on repeated trials, the specimen should be placed in the testing table without tension.

Conclusion

American Society of American Society gives the ASTM D4966 standard for Testing and Materials. This textile testing standard ensures the quality of fabric against abrasion. Martindale tester is used to measure the fabric abrasion resistance.

The abrasion resistance of textile materials is determined by testing on the Martindale abrasion Tester. The material under test is abraded against a standard reference fabric, usually woven wool, in a multi-directional rubbing action called a Lissajous movement.

The Martindale abrasion resistance of fabric depends upon the nature of the abrasive material, testing parameters, specimen area, the specimen’s tension, and pressure between the specimen and the abradant.

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