There are many manufacturers who for reasons of quality assurance and competitive engineering standards find it useful to measure the characteristics of production materials placed under particular stresses which are similar to those that their product might encounter in the possession of the consumer.
Such measurement allows for engineers to ensure selection of higher quality production inputs which are suited to the application they are needed to fulfill. Scientists and engineers have developed different variations of rub testing to enable appropriation of materials suitable for the production process and the market.
Firms that produce textiles often use data from a rub test machine to determine the durability of certain materials, this process can help determine the transfer of colors or dyes from one type of textile to another. Producers of textile products have to be able to determine how well one type of production input can hold up to contact with not only the shipping process and their eventual use in the real world, but they need to ensure that their inputs can be safely and effectively used on their available manufacturing equipment as well.
Manufacturers of packaging and shipping materials need to know that their products are safe for use in the transporting of potentially sensitive materials or items throughout the mailing and delivery process without any significant deterioration. The print media manufacturers are being faced with the question of how to compete with digital media in terms of permanence and ease of access.
The gradual, or sometimes not so gradual wear of printed products poses a serious threat to their ability to stay competitive with an easily accessed, relatively incorruptible digital alternative. This problem represents the need for rub tested materials prior to their selection for the production process.
Automotive industries use rub testing to select materials for the construction of vehicle interiors and heavy duty carpets. For an industry that produces products which people physically interact with every day, it’s very important to have good data about what these firms’ products can withstand.
Variants of a rub test machine have been developed for the electrical wire production process, specifically for the testing of insulation for susceptibility to rub through due to contact with foreign objects. The test runs an electrical current through the conductor while the apparatus applies a calculated rub test to the insulation, when the insulation wears through the electrical signal is shorted, effectively recording the data necessary to calculate the material’s characteristics. It is also necessary for electronic magnet card companies to rub test the magnetic strips used for credit and debit cards, rewards programs, access cards, hotel keys, time-cards, and so on.
This type of testing offers a great advantage to firms who want to strike a profitable balance of quality in their products. This not only allows them to offer better products for their customers, but it enables a firm to calculate costs related to warranty replacement, customer satisfaction, and production losses. When firms invest in information about the inputs they use for producing their products, the benefits are felt everywhere in the market, including their own profitability and reputation.
Whether testing plastics for wearing and marring, plastic scratch pads for abrasion and resilience, or glass products for smartphone screen protectors, rub testing is extremely useful for gathering information that can enable one’s business to gain a competitive edge. Selecting appropriate inputs for any product is necessary to its success. For many products, rub testing data can offer the information necessary to boost a products profitability, and secure its success in the market.
