TQC Sheen Comprehensive Abrasion Test

Assess coatings with a Comprehensive Abrasion Test machine

The Comprehensive Abrasion Test is a universal test machine designed to test the coating abrasion resistance on cans or other packaging or material types. The abrasion tester’s reciprocating motion mimics in-the-field transportation damage of coatings, equivalent to the Gavarti Associates “GV-CAT” system.  

This Comprehensive Abrasion Test machines is used in coating test laboratories for quality control work and is particularly useful in beverage can testing. 

Why abrasion test cans and packaging materials

Beverage cans often suffer from severe scuff and friction during transport, as do cartons and a variety of flexible packaging products. And damaged and abraded cans or packaging can have a big economic impact, making abrasion testing a must. For example:  

Abrasion damage makes products hard to sell

Typically, foodstuff in damaged packaging is hard, if not impossible to sell to the consumer. A small scratch is enough to make the merchandise worthless.  

Abrasion can cause leakage or spoilage

If the paint (or ink) does not survive the scuffing movements during transport and bare aluminum starts to scuff against bare aluminum, a can may start to leak within minutes. Drinks can spray and spill over the entire consignment, especially when carbonated. 

With more than 300 billion cans sold globally per annum, you can imagine how significant the costs of such damage can be. Want to know more about the effect of cans on the packaging and testing industries? Check out our history of the can timeline. 

Straightforward abrasion tester machine

This machine is a comprehensive solution for testing the abrasion resistance of inks and coatings on aluminum beverage cans, cartons or book covers. 

How abrasion testing works 

• It simulates the motion of a truck or train during shipping and is used to assess the transit scuff resistance of printed cartons and book covers as well as containers. 
• The printed sample sheets or containers can be sandwiched between the pressure plates with or without the oblong blocks and acessories.
• The hydraulic rams push the holder with the samples and optional blocks from the side in a wave motion to simulate transit vibration.
• At the end of the test, the sample-to-sample or the sample-to-plain-paper scuffing can be examined.

Since the failure of the coating can have two causes, testing has to be done at both paint makers end and at the side of the can maker/paint applicator.