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[October 2003]
Affordable Assessment of Wear
A novel approach to wear testing has been explored using PC scanners as affordable technology for the measurement of craters. Wear is measured optically after the ball crater test is complete by measuring the size of the resulting scars.
It has been found that although the maximum resolution that could be obtained today from digital scanning is only marginally satisfactory, if area rather than linear measurements are used then very accurate measurements can be achieved.
The research was carried out as part of an ongoing EU project, CRATER, which aims to assist European industry to acquire validated and robust measurement methods for the evaluation of coatings' wear and friction performance. This will be accomplished by validating a draft European Standard for the ball cratering method, otherwise known as micro-abrasion testing.
For more information, e-mail Mark Gee at: mark.gee@npl.co.uk
ENDS