The SATRA STM 633 Martindale abrasion tester

Reporting on the latest developments within this key piece of equipment.

SATRA has been manufacturing Martindale abrasion testers since the 1950s. The most recent version – the SATRA STM 633 – is a state-of-the-art machine that builds on the experience in design, manufacture and use gained in our own laboratories.

The original Martindale concept was developed in the 1940s by J G Martindale while he was working for the UK Wool Industry Research Association. While the design principle has remained largely unchanged over the years, the SATRA machine has been developed to be programmable for the many test methods that have adopted this equipment around the world.

Typically, a test method will specify the geometric requirements for the abradant table and the specimen holder, as well as the applied weight, the abradant material and any associated underlay. It will also state if the test is conducted wet or dry, the speed of the test, the number of cycles involved and the inspection intervals. The relative movement between the specimen and the abradant is fundamental to the action of the machine. This is defined by the creation of ‘Lissajous’ figures of a set dimension after a number of cycles.

Improved design

The SATRA STM 633 machine was introduced in 2013 as a smaller and more lightweight version of its predecessor the SATRA STM 604. It featured a number of engineering improvements to improve accuracy and repeatability. Critical to any Martindale tester is maintaining parallelism and alignment of the abradant table and specimen holders. Machine wear during use affects these attributes, and SATRA has introduced upgraded precision linear bearings for improved accuracy and longevity of movement and improved overall stability.

The unique SATRA SMARTDrive operating system is retained to provide accurate control over speed, torque and cycle counting and ease of operation. The machine will also accept voltages from 100-240 volts at 50-60 Hz.

Maintenance has been designed to be straightforward, although from time to time it is necessary to replace minor parts that have become worn after excessive use. SATRA provides a maintenance pack together with full fitting instructions. However, for users who prefer to return the machine to SATRA for this work, we provide a fast and responsive maintenance and repair service.

The SATRA STM 633 Martindale abrasion tester is supported by a global calibration service. In addition, a number of specimen holders and a wide range of SATRA quality consumables are available to meet the requirements of the various Martindale abrasion test methods.

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Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 18 of the November 2017 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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