5.1 This test guide provides a means to quantify the abrasion resistance of material surfaces, and may be related to end-use performance, or used to comparatively rank material performance, or both. The resistance of material surfaces to abrasion, as measured on a testing machine in the laboratory, is generally only one of several factors contributing to wear performance as experienced in the actual use of the material. Other factors may need to be considered in any calculation of predicted life from specific abrasion data.

5.2 The resistance of material surfaces to abrasion may be affected by factors including test conditions; type of abradant; pressure between the specimen and abradant; mounting or tension of the specimen; and type, kind, or amount of finishing materials.

5.3 Abrasion tests utilizing the rotary platform abraser may be subject to variation due to changes in the abradant during the course of specific tests. Depending on abradant type and test specimen, the abrading wheel surface may change (i.e. become clogged) due to the pick-up of finishing or other materials from test specimens. To reduce this variation, the abrading wheels should be resurfaced at regularly defined intervals. See Appendix X2.

5.4 The measurement of the relative amount of abrasion may be affected by the method of evaluation and influenced by the judgment of the operator.