Scuff refers to the effect of rubs or scratches on an object’s surface when it comes into contact with another object. Scuffing can occur during the handling or shipping of products. It may also occur during installation as well as regular use of products. To prevent scuffing of their products, it becomes important to employ a standard lab test. One of the renowned scuff testing machines in the market is the Sutherland 2000 Rub Tester. The machine has come in handy to perform all necessary scuff testing on most products in the market. This blog will dig deep into the properties of the machine and the applications of scuff testing.
The Sunderland 2000 Rub Tester
The Sunderland 2000 Rub Tester is a motor-driven machine that moves a weighted test strip on top of a printed product in an arc. Over the years, the machine has undergone changes to enhance its performance and reliability. For instance, the Sunderland 2000 Rub Tester has incorporated the ASTM recommendations for its use, making it more widely used in the market. Below are some of the key features of this equipment.
Features of the Sunderland 2000 Rub Tester
Precision Accuracy
The Sunderland 2000 Rub Tester has a tolerance that is close to 1/1000th. In addition, all its weights are within the allowable +/- three grams. These features make the machine very accurate when doing scuff testing on products.
Horsepower
The scuff testing machine has a full 1/12 horsepower rating. This means that it can perform the tests quickly and effectively. Additionally, it can handle testing many products at a given time.
Quality
The Sunderland 2000 Rub tester is built using quality materials and components. It is made using chrome-plated brass that is hand-crafted. The material is known to be stronger than aluminum and steel. It can withstand heavy loads, scratches, and liquid spills. The chrome-plated brass also enhances the aesthetic value of the equipment.
Market Lifespan
The scuff testing machine is designed for an Industry Standard of 60 years. Their design life is proof of having quality material and efficiently handling all scuff testing needs. Additionally, one can upgrade the equipment’s components to increase its lifespan in the market. There are numerous upgrades that can be fitted into the equipment. Most of the upgrades are guided by the intended use of the machine.
Wide Test Variety
The machine can perform a wide variety of scuff tests. It features the twenty-one, forty-two, eighty-five, and one-hundred-and-six speed strokes. Furthermore, one can customize the available speeds to meet their needs and specifications.
Heated Weights
The Sunderland 2000 Rub Tester has solid three hundred and four stainless steel weights. It also has a silicon pad included. Finally, it features a fully adjustable temperature range to widen its scuff testing performance.
Applications of the Sunderland 2000 Rub Tester
Printed Labels
The equipment comes in handy in performing rub tests on printed labels. The machine simulates the amount of scuff or abrasion that may come about during shipping, packaging, or storage. This may be used for labels of medical devices, pharmaceutical products, or keypad characters, among others. The labels must be resistant to the abrasive forces imposed on them as the machine rubs two labels together at set speeds and pressure. The examiner can evaluate the level of resistance by the label against abrasion.
Fabrics
The Sunderland 2000 Rub tester is useful in the textile industry too. Scuff testing examines the colorfastness of the dye or color found in a given fabric. Additionally, the test determines a fabric’s ability to resist stains. The test is done on either wet or dry fabric. Finally, an examiner uses grayscale to determine the degree of color change after completing the test.
Conclusion
Scuff testing is an essential process in modern industry. A lot of companies use this test to gauge the ability of their products to resist abrasion or rubbing. Such forces come about from product handling, packaging, storage, and transportation. The simulation of the forces by the Sunderland 2000 Rub Tester has helped many industries improve their product labels and fabric, ensuring quality products are released into the market.
