ASTM D1894-14 Coefficient of Friction of Plastic Film

ASTM D1894 is a test method to determine static and kinetic coefficients of friction of plastic film and sheeting.   The film under test is secured on a flat surface and a sled of known weight is wrapped in the same material.  Using the crosshead's motion to drag the sled along the film being tested, the force measured is used to determine both the static and kinetic coefficients of friction.  Instron's 2810-005 coefficient of friction fixture is fully compliant with the requirements of ASTM D1894.

The challenges of testing to this standard are:

• Low force measurement
• Data rate used to capture peaks and troughs
• Reporting calculations in compliance with the standard

Instron's Solution:

• Low force measurement – Instron’s 5900 controller is able to measure forces down to 0.1% (1/1000th) of the 2580 series load cell's capacity, enabling the accurate measurement of very low forces, potentially eliminating the need for multiple load cells
• Data rate used to capture peaks and troughs – Instron’s 5900 series frames are capable of data capture up to 2.5 kHz to ensure that all fast changing test events are captured.  Too low of a bandwidth may “dull” the system and lead to missed peaks and troughs, resulting in lower average strength values
• Reporting calculations in compliance with the standard – Instron Bluehill^® Universal testing software has advance pre-built methods available with pre-configured plastic specific calculations helping to ensure compliance

It is important to review ASTM D1894-14 in order to fully understand the test setup, procedure, and results requirements.