Plastic packaging is the most integrated part of every industry nowadays. It is the initial and very basic layer of the package used to protect the product packed inside. Most verticals use these plastic films for final packaging and then transfer the packed product to transportation or storage. During bot the conditions due to low friction of the films it can slip over each other and cause serious damages to the products. Hence, a little factor like friction must also be taken care of. There is numerous standards testing method for evaluation of friction in the films, among which this blog discuss the ASTM D618 standard of the test using Co-efficient of friction tester.
About the test
Co-efficient of friction testing as per ASTM D618 is done in poly film packing industry to assess their stacking capacity. Plastic film has very low friction due to which there are ample chances of slippage. The coefficient of friction testing is done to determine the easiness with which two facades when placed in contact with each other are able to slide on one another. The coefficient of friction testing helps to determine two values, i.e. Static friction and Kinetic Friction. Static friction contributes to determining the energy required to start the motion between two surfaces while the kinetic friction contributes to determining the resistance to sliding once both the facades are in relative motion.
The COF can be measured in two ways by means of Static friction and Kinetic Friction:
- Kinetic Coefficient of Friction – Once static friction is achieved, kinetic friction initiated. Kinetic COF is the strength that controls the regular motion.
- Static Coefficient of friction – Static friction or static COF is the force that clutches a motionless object to the initial point from where it starts to move.
The Testing Apparatus
Co-efficient of friction tester is mostly used to evaluate the coefficient of starting and sliding friction of plastic sheets, papers, films, and pipes. It measures the kinetic and static friction of the test specimen when it slides over substance in a specified test situation. The test is done to evaluate the stackability of plastic sheets and films.
Highlighting features are as follows:
- Microprocessor based display for accurate test results
- Display for Dynamic and Kinetic Friction
- Memory to hold up to 9 test reading
- Highly accurate test results under sliding friction.
- Steel with Glass Mounting as Sample Mounting Surface
- Slider Block for performing tests – Sample to Sample, glass or metal
- No slippage in case specimen is tightened uniformly using fly screws without any loops.
- Bright LED display
- Feather touch controls
