Printed labels, tags, and packaging are essential components of many industrial products, as they provide important information, instructions, warnings, and branding. However, these printed materials face damage from various environmental and mechanical factors, such as abrasion, scuffing, rubbing, scratching, or fading. Such damage can reduce the printed products’ readability, functionality, and aesthetic appeal and potentially lead to customer dissatisfaction, product returns, or legal liabilities. Therefore, industrial manufacturers and printers must ensure the durability and quality of their printed products by conducting rub testing for print.
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What is Rub Testing?
Rub testing simulates real-world use’s effects on printed materials by applying controlled friction or pressure on their surfaces. Testing for print can help evaluate the resistance of printed materials to wear and tear and identify the optimal printing methods, inks, coatings, and substrates for different applications.
Therefore, industrial manufacturers and printers must ensure the durability and quality of their printed products by conducting rub testing. The Testing simulates real-world use’s effects on printed materials by applying controlled friction or pressure on their surfaces. It can help evaluate the resistance of printed materials to wear and tear and identify the optimal printing methods, inks, coatings, and substrates for different applications.
Methods of Rub Testing
Various rub testing for print methods and equipment are available for different purposes and standards. Some of the most common ones are:
Smithers Rub Tester:
This device rubs two printed surfaces against each other in a circular motion at a constant speed and pressure. It measures the rub resistance of labels, general printed matter, and color transfer from one surface to another.
The Smithers Rub Tester conforms to British Standard BS 31101
Sutherland Rub Tester:
With a configurable speed and pressure, this gadget reciprocally rubs two printed surfaces against one another. It gauges the scuff or abrasion damage caused by printed packaging’s handling, storage, or transit.
The Sutherland Rub Tester conforms to Standard Practise for Printed Materials’ Abrasion Resistance, ASTM D5264.
Taber Abraser:
This device rubs two abrasive wheels on a rotating printed surface at a specified load and speed. It can measure the resistance of printed surfaces to scratching abrasion.
The Taber Abraser conforms to ASTM D1003 – Standard Test Procedure for Transparent Plastics’ Haze and Luminous Transmittance.
Benefits of Rub Testing
Rub Testing offers various benefits for industrial manufacturers and printers, such as:
● Ensuring printed products’ durability and quality can increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention.
● Reducing the risk of product returns, complaints, or legal liabilities due to damaged or unreadable printed materials.
● Optimizing the printing methods, inks, coatings, and substrates for different applications can improve the performance and appearance of printed products.
● Saving costs and resources by avoiding waste, rework, or overprinting printed materials.
● Enhancing the reputation and credibility of industrial manufacturers and printers by demonstrating their commitment to quality standards and customer expectations.
Conclusion
By performing rub testing for print, industrial manufacturers and printers can ensure that their printed products meet their customer’s and end-users’ specifications and expectations. Rub testing can also help them improve their production efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance their reputation in the market. It can also help them improve their production efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance their importance in the market.
