Abrasion resistance is a desirable and sometimes critical property of printed materials. Abrasion damage can occur during shipment, storage, handling, and end use. The result is a significant decrease in product appearance and legibility of product information. The amount of abrasion damage to a printed substrate is dependent on shipping conditions, possibly temperature and humidity, time, and many other variables. This practice provides a way of comparing abrasion resistance of printed materials under laboratory conditions.

This practice also can be used to evaluate the relative abrasion resistance of printed inks, coatings, laminates, and substrates.

This practice can be modified to measure the effects of the product (detergent powder, food, beverages, etc.) on abrasion resistance, as may occur in spillage or leakage in transit.

This practice can provide a reasonably simple procedure that can be used by both the buyer and the seller of printed materials to determine if the product offered for sale meets some predetermined standard for abrasion or scuff resistance.

1.1 This practice covers a procedure for determining the abrasion resistance of printed materials using the Sutherland Rub Tester, or its equivalent, equipped with full-width rubber pads and using standardized receptors.

1.2 This practice is applicable to labels, folding cartons, corrugated boxes, inserts, circulars, and other packaging materials having applied graphics on a flat substrate.

This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.