Taber 710 Operating Instructions Manual

Multi-Finger

Scratch/Mar Tester

Model 710

Operating Instructions

INDUSTRIES

9001:2000ISO CERTIFIED

WARRANTY

Any product or part which, under normal operat­ing conditions in the facility of the original pur­chaser, proves defective in material or workman­ship within one year from the date of shipment by
the company, as determined by an inspection by
Taber

®

Industries, will be repaired or replaced
free of charge provided you promptly return the
defective material. All claims must be sent to
Taber Industries with transportation charges pre­paid, notice of the defect and verification the
product has been properly installed, maintained
and operated within the limits of rated and normal
usage.

Replacement parts will be shipped FOB our
plant. The terms of this warranty do not in any
way extend to any product or part thereof that
has a life, under normal usage, inherently short­er than the one-year indicated above. Said war­ranty in respect of replacement of defective parts
and any such additional warranty or representa­tion expressly made, are in lieu of all other war­ranties expressed or implied, including any
implied warranty of merchantability, or fitness for
any particular purpose.

Taber Industries reserves the right to make
changes without notice at any time in colors,
material, specifications, and models, and to dis­continue models.

CLAIMS FOR SHORTAGES

We use extreme care in selection, checking, and
packing to eliminate the possibility of error. If a
shipping error is discovered:

1. Carefully examine the packing materials and

ensure nothing was inadvertently overlooked
when the shipment was unpacked.

2. Notify the company you purchased the prod-

uct from and immediately report the shortage.
The materials are packed at the factory, and
should be complete if the box has not been
opened.

3. Claims should be filed within 30 days from

shipment.

CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES

Claims for loss or damage in transit should be
made promptly and directly to the transportation
company.

CONTENTS

Contents of the shipping container should include
the following:

• Multi-Finger Scratch / Mar Tester

• Spline Shaft Finger Assembly (5 each)

• Scratch Tip, 1.0mm Diameter Hemisphere (5

each)

• Mar Tip, 7.0mm Diameter Hemisphere (5
each)

• 9 Piece Weight Set - 2N, 3N, 4.5N, 5N, 6N,
7N, 10N, 15N, 20N

• Electronic Timer with Digital Display

• Specimen Clamp with T-Slot Nut, Stud and

Thumb Nut (set of 2)

• Quick Disconnect Socket for Air Supply, with
female ¼" NPT thread

• 3/32" Hex Wrench

• Operating Instructions

1 710 Operating Instructions ver 1.1

tion such that the scratch pin does not contact
the specimen during testing.

Individual weights of varying loads mount to the
top of each spline-shaft finger to exert a standard
force on the surface of the test material. The
standard 9-piece weight set includes loads that
range from 2N to 20N. Optional weights are
available to test up to 25N.

After lowering the scratch tips onto the specimen
surface, compressed air drives the platform
under the scratch tips to generate the damage on
the specimen surface.

Interchangeable scratch tips include a precision
tungsten carbide ball mounted to the contact end.
The tips are 1.0mm diameter hemisphere for
scratch testing and 7.0mm diameter hemisphere
for mar testing. An optional holder permit s testing
with a conical diamond scratch tool.

The distance between the bottom of the gantry
and specimen table permits testing of flat speci­mens up to 22mm in thickness. Or, the 'free-float­ing' feature of the spline-shaft fingers enables you
to evaluate slightly contoured specimens provided
they are rigid or adequately supported. A spring­loaded specimen holder is standard and can be
mounted to the end or side of the moveable plat­form. For narrow and odd shaped parts,
adjustable hold-down clamps are available.

INSTRUMENT SET-UP

Remove all contents from the shipping container
and verify that you have all the components.

1. Set the instrument on a flat, level surface.
Four suction cup feet will secure the instru­ment to the surface.

2. Install the appropriate tips (scratch or mar)
into the end of each spline-shaft finger. Do
not over-tighten.

3. Insert the spline-shaft fingers into the guide
bearings, by matching the pattern on the shaft
and bearing. Each bearing has been pre­adjusted at the factory. If a shaft DOES NOT
slide easily through the bearings, see MAINTE­NANCE - Spline Shaft Finger Adjustment.

INTRODUCTION

The Taber®Multi-Finger Scratch /Mar Tester is
used to measure the relative resistance or sus­ceptibility of a material surface to scratching,
marring, gouging, scraping and other similar
physical damage not classified as ordinary wear.

Useful in quality control, materials development
and product development, applications for this
instrument are diverse. They include plastics;
rigid organic materials; paints and coatings; soft
metals; linoleum, plus many others. The most
common usage has been in the automotive
industry, including smooth or grained plastics
used in ornamentation or trim.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The design of the Multi-Finger Scratch / Mar
Tester is based on the five-finger (five-arm)
scratching device described in popular automo­tive test methods.

The instrument includes a pneumatically driven,
moveable platform to which the test sample is
mounted. The platform moves in a linear fashion
and is operated by a control knob, for one or mul­tiple pass testing. An electronic timer displays
the rate of speed, which is controlled by reducing
or increasing air pressure.

A gantry supports five independent spline-shaft
fingers, which provide a constant, vertical load on
interchangeable scratch tips (1.0mm or 7.0mm
diameter hemisphere). Offering a stable platform
to ensure the rigidity for the scratch tips, the
gantry system includes a handle to raise and
lower the spline-shaft fingers. In addition, five
support rests are incorporated to allow one or
more fingers to be moved to an upright, rest posi-

2 710 Operating Instructions ver 1.1

Mar Tip Scratch Tip

4. Select the weights to be used for testing, and
mount to the top of the spline-shaft finger.
Align so there is not any contact with the adja­cent weight(s) and tighten in place using the
hex wrench. Weights should be mounted
from lowest to highest load, to permit ease of
evaluation.

X WARNING: To prevent damage to the
scratch tips, turn the handle to raise the
spline-shaft fingers after the weights are
assembled.

5. Attach the quick disconnect socket (sleeve­lock, with female ¼" NPT thread) to the air
supply hose, using Teflon tape to seal the
threads. If a local air supply is not available,
it is acceptable to use a compressor that pro­vides 80 to 100 PSI pressure and has at least
a 2 gallon tank capacity. Fasten the hose to
the Multi-Finger Scratch / Mar Tester air
intake.

6. Connect the electronic
timer, matching the green
and black cables to their
respective sockets (the red
socket is not utilized). Insert
one AAbattery , ensuring the
correct polarity.

SPECIMEN SIZE

To provide for an accurate assessment, speci­mens should be flat panel or regions cut from a
sufficiently flat part. The recommended speci­men size is 125mm x 300mm, with a thickness
no greater than 22mm. If taken from finished
parts, smaller or slightly contoured samples may
be used.

To test specimens that exceed the 22mm thick­ness, spacer blocks may be inserted into the
support arms of the gantry.

OPERATING PROCEDURES

Prior to testing, it is recommended that all sam­ples be preconditioned in a controlled atmos­phere (such as 23 ±2° C and 50 ±5% relative
humidity) for not less than 24 hours. Samples
should be tested under the same conditions.

Conducting a Test

• Using the handle, raise the 'fingers' to the

upright position.

• Place a sample on the platform so the surface
to be tested is facing upward and is located
under the spline-shaft fingers. Taking care
not to deform the specimen, secure it using
the spring clamp or other specimen clamps.

X WARNING: To prevent movement of the
specimen during testing, ensure the specimen
contacts a 'stop plate'. The spring clamp can
serve this purpose when mounted on the end
of the platform. The stop plate should be locat­ed on the opposite side of travel.

• If not already done, install the appropriate
scratch (mar) tips and weights.

• Using the red button reset the electronic timer.

• Lower the scratch (mar) tips onto the speci-

men surface and actuate the moveable plat­form by turning the control knob in the direc­tion the table will travel. If one or more
scratch fingers are not required, a rest block
is provided to raise the finger out of position.

3 710 Operating Instructions ver 1.1

SUGGESTION: For soft materials, it is recom­mended to test within 3 seconds after lowering the
scratch pins onto the specimen surface.

• Mark the direction of movement of the
scratching device on the panels, taking care
not to mark the surface just tested.

• To remove the specimen, raise the spline­shaft fingers using the handle and release the
clamping.

• Evaluate the extent of the damage on the
sample.

Speed Adjustment

Prior to conducting any tests, you will need to
adjust the speed of the platform. A sliding veloc­ity of approximately 100mm per second (± 10) is
normally recommended.

• Turn the knob on the air regulator/lubricator to
an air pressure between 80 - 100 psi. To
increase air pressure, turn the knob clockwise
(to decrease turn counterclockwise).

• Using the handle, raise the 'fingers' to the
upright position.

• Press the red button to reset the electronic timer.

• Actuate the moveable platform by turning the

control knob in the direction the table will trav­el. The number displayed on the timer, indi­cates the time in seconds it takes the platform
to travel 100mm.

• To adjust platform speed, turn the flow control
valves found on the right hand side of the
instrument. Turning the valve counter-clock­wise will increase the speed, while turning it
clockwise will decrease the speed. If you are
testing in both directions, ensure the platform
travels at the same rate. The valve toward
the front of the instrument controls the speed
when the platform is moving to the left. The
valve toward the back, controls the speed
when the platform is moving to the right.

• After adjusting the flow control valve, lock in
place by tightening the lock thumbnut.

• Lower the scratch (mar) tips onto a ‘dummy’ test
specimen, and verify the speed adjustment.

To calculate the platform speed, divide 100mm
by the time shown on the display

X WARNING: It is possible for the speed of
the platform to exceed the capacity of the
automatic Start/Stop of the electronic timer.
Should this occur, disconnect the timer and
operate electronic timer by hand using the
Green button to Start and Stop.

Weight Adjustment

If you are not following a test method that indi­cates which weights are required, start with 3N,
5N, 7N, 10N, and 15N. Loads can be increased
or decreased accordingly.

CALCULATION OF RESULTS

Depending on the type of material under evalua­tion, the visual appearance of a scratch normally
involves changes in surface topography, color, or
brightness. Three methods are normally used:

Method A - Visual Evaluation:

Using a controlled light source, hold the sample
such that the scratch lines are in a horizontal posi­tion to the observer. The scratch line caused by
the highest weight should be at the upper position.

Rotate the sample, so the angle of observation
changes. The observer should be checking each
scratch line individually, and noting the point at
which the scratch lines emerge at the clearest vis­ibility. Do not use the starting and ending point of
the scratch lines (approx. 10mm) in this evaluation.

Examine all scratch lines and rate according to a
Rating Scale 1 to 5 (1 = no scratch line at all; 5 =
severe scratch line). For plastic materials, indi­cate if the line exhibits signs of whitening.

Report the tip diameter, stylus loading level, and
Rating Number for each line on the surface of the
sample.

SUGGESTION:

A lightbooth with North Sky
Daylight (D65) has been recommend as a lighting
source for automotive specifications.

4 710 Operating Instructions ver 1.1

Method B - Width/Depth:

Measure the width or depth of the scratch
(grooves) using an optical measuring device.

Method C - Image Analysis:

The scratch mark intensity may also be evaluat­ed by using Image Analysis techniques.

NOTE: Detailed descriptions are recommended
when depicting scratch or mar damage. Items
that might be described include surface topogra­phy, material deformation, material removal, and
color changes. The following examples have
been used to describe damage in plastics:

- scratch is shallow (or deep)

- scratch is smooth, with a well defined shape

(or rough and deformed)

- scratch includes plastic flow of the material (or
cutting, tearing, cracking, chipping, crazing)

- scratch includes visible ripple marks at the
bottom (i.e. chevron or parabolic shaped)

- strain whitening is visible (or no change in
color)

INFLUENCES ON RESULTS

For comparable and reproducible tests, it is rec­ommended the operations be performed under
conditions covered by an established test proce­dure. The following factors are known to affect
the scratch resistance of materials, and could
potentially impact your test results:

 Test methodology
 Test conditions (i.e. temperature or humidity)
 Scratching speed
 Geometry and condition of scratch tip or

indenter tool

 Applied load
 Material (i.e. filler type; additives; lubricant;

polymer type)

 Surface roughness and grain direction
 Type and thickness of surface treatment
 Elastic properties of the specimen

 Method of scratch assessment
 Length of time between scratch and evaluation

Plastics

The properties of plastic materials can greatly
influence the evaluation of scratch and mar
resistance. It is important to be aware of the fol­lowing factors and take them into consideration:

1. Many plastics have elastic recovery upon
removal of applied stress.

2. Many plastics have visco-elastic properties
and the stresses in the plastics may relax dur­ing loading.

3. Plastics may change structure during material
flow, which can also change the mechanical
properties of plastics.

Irregular Surfaces

The existence of 'chatter' in a scratch path may
indicate a non-uniform composition or the pres­ence of surface irregularities. An irregular sur­face may also cause a scratch pin to 'bounce' on
the specimen surface, resulting in additional
impact force at landing points and additional
damage to the surface.

MAINTENANCE

Taber recommends annual factory calibration at
which time the unit will be thoroughly checked.

Care of the Scratch Tips

The precision cutting edge of the scratch (mar)
tips is fragile, and must be handled with care.
Depending on the material being tested, tips can
provide months of satisfactory service.

» Do not scrape the cutting edge of the scratch

tip against a hard surface, such as steel.
Doing so may prematurely dull the tool.

» The spline-shaft fingers must not be allowed

to drop against the specimen or platform.
Carefully lower them against the specimen
just prior to making a test.

The scratch tip will eventually become dull
through use. It is recommended that several
spare tips be kept on hand for replacement and
standardization purposes.

5 710 Operating Instructions ver 1.1

Spline Shaft Finger - Adjustment

The following procedure describes the correct
way to adjust the spline-shaft fingers.

1. Using hex wrench supplied, loosen set screw
and remove weight from spline-shaft finger.

2. If upper bearing (#5) is assembled tightly in
gantry and locked with bottom set screw (#4),
continue with step 3. Otherwise,

a. Remove spline shaft (#1) from bearing

assembly.

b. Hand-tighten upper bearing (#5) and

lock with bottom set screw (#4A).

c. Adjust lower bearing (#2) into beam until

shoulder of bearing is in contact with gantry .

d. Slide spline shaft (#1) into upper bearing

until shaft stops against lower bearing.
Lightly twist lower bearing clockwise until
spline grooves align into lower bearing
and slide freely.

3. Loosen two adjustment set screws (#4B & C)
approximately ½ to ¾ turn.

4. Apply light tension between spline shaft and
lower bearing by slightly twisting lower bear­ing counter-clockwise.

5. Using hex wrench, apply a light tightening force
to top set screw (#4B) locking lower bearing
into place. WARNING, DO NOT OVER
TIGHTEN SET SCREW. Spline shaft will no
longer move freely through bearings.

6. Tighten set screw (#4C) on the opposite side
of the gantry until spline shaft moves freely.

7. Re-attach weight and tighten set screws.

Load on Specimen Surface

To check the loading forces, measure directly
under the scratch (mar) tip, using a spring bal­ance or equivalent. If necessary, adjust the
weight(s) to meet the required scratch force(s) on
the surface of the sample.

Lubricator / Regulator

The maximum inlet pressures and temperatures
are as follows:

150 psig (10.3 bar)
125° F (51.7° C)

Given normal operating conditions this unit will
be trouble-free. It is recommended that you serv­ice the unit at least every six months.

CLEANING:
To clean bowl assembly:
a. Depressurize unit.
b. Remove bowl and bowl guard assembly by

turning counterclockwise.

c. Inspect bowl daily for damaged or deteriorat-

ed seals. Replace with original manufacturers
approved seals and bowls.

d. If bowl becomes dirty, replace it or clean it by

wiping the bowl with a soft dry cloth or a mild
detergent.

e. Before returning to service, ensure that all

seals have been reinstalled or replaced.

6 710 Operating Instructions ver 1.1

f. Reinstall bowl and bowl guard assembly and

rotate bowl guard clockwise to securely lock
in place. Align arrow on bowl guard with
arrow on lubricator body.

Occasionally, liquid water will get trapped in the
lubricator bowl. Since water is denser than oil,
the water will migrate to the bottom of the bowl.
Periodically clean bowl to remove the liquid
water.

ADDING OIL

: Use clean oil, preferably SAE 10 or
lighter. Do not use phosphate ester or diestor
based fluids in lubricators.

The lubricator can be filled under pressure by
removing the fill-plug slowly, allowing the pres­sure in the bowl to vent to atmosphere. After the
pressure is bled off, the fill plug may be removed
completely and oil poured into the fill port. When
the fill plug is removed, a small amount of air will
be venting from the fill port. This is to serve as
an audible signal denoting that the unit is in fact
under pressure. If faster filling is desired, slowly
remove the fill plug to vent the bowl pressure to
atmosphere. Then remove the bowl and bowl
guard assembly by turning counterclockwise. Fill
the bowl, reposition the bowl o-ring seal and rein­stall the bowl into the body and turn clockwise to
securely lock in place. Reinstall the fill plug. The
unit is ready for use.

ADJUSTING DELIVER

Y RATE: The oil delivery
rate will change automatically to deliver more oil
during increase airflow demand and less oil for
airflow lower than the original setting. To adjust
and set oil delivery rate, the unit must be pressur­ized and flowing air. Turn the transparent sight
dome counter-clockwise to initiate/increase oil
delivery. Turn the sight dome clockwise to
decrease/stop oil delivery.

If the oil delivery rate should drop, the lubricator
should be inspected and cleaned to remove con­taminates.

Electronic Timer

The electronic timer has been designed to offer
accurate time measurement over a long period
provided the following cautionary steps are main­tained,

• It should not be used in environments, which

are very hot or humid.

• Do not use abrasive or corrosive substances

to clean.

• It should not be dropped or shaken vigorously.

FACTORY SERVICE

Should your Multi-Finger Scratch / Mar Tester
require repair or adjustment, carefully pack it in a
rugged container with plenty of cushioning mate­rial. After obtaining a return authorization num­ber from the factory, the unit should be shipped,
transportation charges prepaid, to:

TABER Industries

455 Bryant Street
North Tonawanda, New York 14120
USA

7 710 Operating Instructions ver 1.1

CONSUMABLES / ACCESSORIES

Description Model Number Part Number

Scratch Tip, 1.0 mm diameter hemisphere (each) 132347
Scratch Tip, 1.0 mm diameter hemisphere (set of 5) 132532
Mar Tip, 7.0 mm diameter hemisphere (each) 132348
Mar Tip, 7.0 mm diameter hemisphere (set of 5) 132533
Diamond Tool Holder, includes 121006 conical diamond tool

w/90° 3 mil (0.003”) radius point 132892
Diamond Tool Holder, includes 121006-1 conical diamond tool

w/90° 3.5 mil (0.0035”) radius point 132891
Conical Diamond Tool, with 90° 3 mil (0.003”) 139-55 121006
Conical Diamond Tool, with 90° 3.5 mil (0.0035”) 139-56 121006-1
Precision Weight Kit (Used to achieve 0.6N) 132740
Optional Weight Set (8N, 13N, 18N) 132401
Optional Weight (25N) 132352-5
Standard Specimen Hold-Down Clamp Kit (each) 132455
Oversized 'EZY' Specimen Hold-Down Clamp (each) 132399
Specimen Platform Protective Guard, Replacement 132451
3/32" Hex Wrench, Replacement 130808

TABER®Industries
455 Bryant Street
North Tonawanda, New York 14120
USA

Toll-Free: 800.333.5300
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
WebSite: www.TaberIndustries.com

www.OrderTaber.com

8 710 Operating Instructions ver 1.1

NOTES: