An abrasion testing machine is a specialized testing device or instrument used for abrasion testing. It can test the abrasion resistance of various materials, coatings, or surfaces to evaluate their abrasion resistance under actual use conditions.

An abrasion testing machine typically consists of a test platform, sample clamping device, friction head, load system, motion control system, and data acquisition system. During testing, the sample is fixed on the test platform, and the friction head reciprocates or rotates on the sample surface under a predetermined load and speed, simulating wear conditions under actual use, thereby measuring the sample's abrasion resistance.

Different types of abrasion testing machines have different testing parameters and methods, such as rubber abrasion testing machines, wear fatigue testing machines, grinding wheel wear testing machines, and roller wear testing machines. These testing machines are widely used in materials engineering, mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, construction engineering, and electronics to evaluate the abrasion resistance of materials or products.

Friction and wear testing equipment is an indispensable precision instrument in modern materials science and industrial quality control. By simulating the friction and wear behavior of materials in actual use, it provides crucial data support for materials research and development, product improvement, and quality control. These instruments are widely used in industries such as rubber, plastics, coatings, metals, and textiles, helping engineers and researchers quantify key performance indicators of materials, such as wear resistance and coefficient of friction.

Working Principle

The working principle of an abrasion testing machine is to simulate the wear process under actual usage conditions to conduct wear tests on the sample surface to evaluate its abrasion resistance. The specific working principle is as follows:

Sample Clamping and Positioning: The sample to be tested is fixed on the test stage and correctly clamped and positioned to ensure that the sample does not move or wobble during the test.

Friction Head Load and Movement: According to the test requirements, an appropriate load and speed are selected, and the friction head is moved reciprocally or rotary across the sample surface under a predetermined load and speed.

Wear Process Observation: During the test, changes in the wear process are observed using a microscope or camera to understand the nature, rate, and mode of wear.

Test Data Acquisition and Processing: During the test, test data is collected using sensors such as load, displacement, and time sensors. The data is then processed and analyzed by a computer or data acquisition system to derive test results and curves.

Through these steps, the abrasion testing machine can simulate various different wear conditions, thereby evaluating the abrasion resistance of materials or products. The test results can be used to guide product design and production, improving product quality and lifespan.

Core Functions and Testing Scope

Multi-Mode Testing Capabilities

The high-end version of the tester supports multiple wear modes, including flat abrasion, curved abrasion, edge abrasion, and folded edge abrasion, and can perform specialized abrasion resistance tests such as anti-frost, edge sealing, and napping. For example, by combining the flat abrasion test head (air-filled film abrasion test method) and the curved abrasion test head, the wear process of materials under different stress conditions can be simulated.

Wide Material Applicability

Suitable for a wide range of materials, including woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, coated fabrics, napped fabrics, socks, felt, non-woven fabrics, deep-layer fabrics, yarns, ropes, plastic films, rubber, leather, and paper. Test samples can be dry or immersed in water, oil, or other liquids to simulate actual usage environments.

Environmental Simulation and Extreme Condition Testing

Some high-end models support extreme environment simulation such as high temperature (up to 300℃) and vacuum, meeting the stringent requirements for material abrasion resistance in aerospace, new energy vehicles, and other fields. For example, for turbine blade coating materials, a gas medium simulation device can be used to recreate a high-altitude, low-temperature, and low-pressure environment to accurately measure the fretting wear characteristics of the composite material.

Application Scenarios and Industry Value

Aerospace Industry

For turbine blade coating materials, high-end models can accurately measure the fretting wear characteristics of composite materials by recreating a high-altitude, low-temperature, and low-pressure environment using a gas medium simulation device. A case study from an aerospace materials research institute shows that by comparing the wear rates of different alloys under simulated conditions, the material screening cycle was shortened by 60%.

New Energy Vehicle Industry

The demand for electrochemical wear testing of battery pack connectors has spurred the development of specialized equipment, such as the three-body corrosion wear tester, which can simultaneously monitor the correlation between changes in contact resistance and wear amount, providing data support for battery safety design.

Biomedical Engineering

Testing artificial joint materials requires equipment with body fluid environment simulation capabilities. High-end versions, by integrating a constant-temperature saline circulation system, achieve long-term wear prediction under biomimetic conditions, aiding in the reliability assessment of medical devices.

Selection Recommendations

Instrumentation – Testing instruments should have a robust design to provide repeatable and reproducible results. Parameters such as load, speed, rigidity of the equipment structure, alignment, and abrasive supply need to be fully controlled to ensure stable wear conditions.

Materials Involved – The structure of the wear system includes a sample and a counterweight (usually a type of abrasive). Note that a material can experience different wear patterns under different conditions or be affected by wear from other contacting objects.

Abrasives (wear agents) – Common types of abrasives include textiles, sandpaper, and engineering abrasives. While abrasive grains may not be the primary cause of actual wear, they are often used to accelerate testing. Abrasive grains, whether embedded in a bonded material or loose, have a significant impact on the wear rate.

Shape – Angular or “blocky” grains can have up to 10 times the wear rate compared to round grains.

Size – Grain size is crucial, as smaller grains cause relatively less wear than larger grains.

Type – Common abrasive grains include silicon carbide and alumina. When using sandpaper, silicon carbide grains produce thinner scratches and generally cut faster because they are sharper than alumina grains. Both types can be used as open-coated or closed-coated sandpaper. (Open-cell coatings have gaps and open spaces between the abrasive particles, helping to prevent clogging. Closed-cell coatings are more suitable for abrasive materials, such as metal surfaces, but are prone to clogging.)

Fragility – The ease with which the abrasive breaks down and shatters under localized heating and pressure, creating new sharp edges.

Contact Geometry – This includes the shape of the grinding head or abrasive and the contact between it and the sample. Some systems may require the sample and abrasive to “break in” to establish a uniform and stable contact geometry. While point contact eliminates many alignment problems associated with other contact geometries, stress levels can vary as wear progresses, requiring more sophisticated data analysis and comparison techniques.

Contact Pressure (Applied Load) – In accelerated testing, the load may exceed what is actually observed in the field. This parameter typically relates to the force with which the abrasive material pushes against the sample during friction.

Slip Speed (Slip Velocity) – The speed at which the abrasive moves across the sample. While acceleration in testing is ideal, if the speed is too high for the material (abrasive), the accuracy of the test may be compromised due to the introduction of different phenomena.

Lubrication Condition – Lubrication affects the tribological properties of the material. Typically involving metals, some plastic formulations also include lubricants.

Specimen Preparation – The details of specimen preparation and test control vary depending on the test and material involved. For example, for tests involving metals, the surface roughness, geometry, microstructure, homogeneity, and hardness of the sample must be controlled. Similar controls are required for surfaces and abrasive media.

Environment – Many materials are sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity; altering the test environment can affect the results.

In summary, abrasion testing machines play an irreplaceable role in numerous fields as a key tool for evaluating the abrasion resistance of materials. Their diverse testing modes, wide material applicability, and ability to simulate extreme environments provide accurate and comprehensive abrasion resistance evaluation solutions for various industries. When selecting a machine, it is necessary to comprehensively consider instrument performance, the characteristics of the materials involved, the type of abrasive, contact geometry, load and speed, lubrication status, specimen preparation, and environmental factors to ensure the accuracy and reliability of test results. This provides solid data support for material research and development, product improvement, and quality control, driving various industries towards higher quality and greater reliability.