MAP04 Martindale Abrasion and Pilling Tester
The MAP04 Martindale Abrasion and Pilling Tester is a four-station instrument designed for wear-resistance and grinding tests on a broad range of textile and leather materials — including woven fabrics, wool-blend fabrics, knitted goods, leather, and non-woven fabric. It subjects circular fabric specimens to a Lissajous (figure-of-eight) rubbing motion against a standard abradent under a controlled test pressure, enabling precise measurement of abrasion resistance expressed as the number of rub cycles to specimen breakdown or predetermined mass loss. The same instrument with appropriate accessories also performs pilling assessment tests.
The MAP04 is controlled by a PLC with a high-resolution colour touch screen that provides a clear, intuitive interface for test setup and monitoring. A key operational advantage is that all four work-stations are independently controllable — each station can be switched on or off individually, allowing different fabrics at different test stages to run simultaneously on the same instrument without interrupting each other. The six-digit counter (0 to 999999) provides automatic stop and alarm at the pre-set number of rub cycles, and the instrument supports user-configurable interval inspection times for intermediate specimen assessment during long abrasion tests.
Two test pressures are supported — 595±7g (9kPa) for fabrics and 795±7g (12kPa) for coated fabrics and technical textiles — with separate weight sets included as standard accessories for both. A dedicated emergency stop immediately halts all station motion to protect both the operator and the instrument. The MAP04 complies with an extensive list of international abrasion and pilling standards including ISO 12947, ASTM D4966/4970, BS EN 388/530, JIS L1096, DIN 53863/53865, and SATRA TM31.
Specifications
Work-Station Numbers
4 Nos.
Control
PLC Touch Screen
Counter
0 – 999999 (automatic stop and alarm on reaching pre-set rub cycles)
Abrading Table Diameter
Φ120mm
Weight of Load Hammer
2.5 ± 0.5 kg, diameter 120 ± 10mm
Testing Pressure
595 ± 7g (9 kPa) for fabrics | 795 ± 7g (12 kPa) for coated fabrics and technical textiles
Power
220V ± 10%, 50/60 Hz
Weight
55 kg
Dimensions (L × W × H)
480 × 500 × 360 mm
Standard Accessories
Main body; pin shaft ×4; load hammer ×1; Lissajous trace pen ×1; weights ×4 for 595±7g (9kPa); weights ×4 for 795±7g (12kPa); specimen clamp fixtures ×4 for Ø38mm specimens
Optional Accessories
SDC Felt Disc (Ø140mm, 24 pcs/pack); SDC Wool Abradent SM25 (160cm wide, 5m length); SDC Polyetherurethane foam sheet (25cm×20cm, 25 pcs/pack); sample cutter for Ø38mm abradent/foam; sample cutter for Ø140mm specimen; pilling accessories set
Key Features
Advanced colour touch screen control system with high resolution and fast response — provides clear real-time display of rub cycle count, interval settings, and station status for all four positions simultaneously
Each of the four work-stations is independently controlled and can be switched on or off individually — allowing multiple fabric samples at different test stages to run concurrently on a single instrument without mutual interference
User-configurable interval inspection times allow the operator to programme automatic pauses at set rub cycle intervals — enabling intermediate specimen assessment, specimen weighing, or visual grading without manual monitoring throughout the test
Emergency stop button immediately halts all station motion — protects both the operator and the instrument in the event of an unexpected situation during testing
PLC control delivers consistent, reliable motion sequencing and station management — ensuring the test cycle parameters are executed precisely and repeatably across all four stations
Test Standards
ISO 12947
ISO 5470
ISO 12945-2
ISO 17076-2
ISO 17079-2
ISO 17704
ISO 20344
ASTM D4966
ASTM D4970
BS EN 388
BS EN 530
BS 3424
BS 5690
DIN 53863
DIN 53865
JIS L1096
IWS TM112/196
SATRA TM31
Key Highlights
4 Independent Stations with Separate On/Off Control
Unlike instruments where all stations share a single drive and must run or stop together, the MAP04 allows each of its four work-stations to be switched on or off individually via the touch screen. This means a laboratory can run up to four different fabric samples simultaneously, each at a different stage of its abrasion test cycle — one specimen may be near the end of its 50,000-cycle test while a new specimen is loaded on another station — maximising instrument utilisation and significantly increasing testing throughput.
PLC Touch Screen with 0–999,999 Counter and Auto Stop
The MAP04's PLC controller and colour touch screen provide a six-digit rub cycle counter (0 to 999,999) with an automatic stop and alarm when the pre-set target is reached — eliminating the risk of over-testing that can occur with manual monitoring. User-configurable interval inspection settings allow the instrument to pause automatically at intermediate cycle counts, so the operator can assess the specimen without interrupting the controlled test environment. The high-resolution touch screen gives a clear view of all four station counters and status indicators simultaneously.
Abrasion & Pilling Testing on Fabrics, Leather & Nonwovens
The MAP04 tests abrasion resistance across a wide material range — woven fabrics, wool-blend fabrics, knitted goods, leather, and nonwovens — at two test pressures (9kPa and 12kPa) covering both standard and heavy-duty applications. With the optional pilling accessories set, the same instrument performs pilling assessment per ISO 12945-2, making it a dual-function instrument that eliminates the need for a separate pilling tester. The broad standards compliance — including ISO 12947, ASTM D4966/4970, BS EN 388, JIS L1096, and SATRA TM31 — supports testing for apparel, footwear, protective clothing, and technical textile markets.
The MAP04 is designed for wear-resistance and abrasion testing of woven fabrics, wool-blend fabrics, knitted goods, leather, and non-woven fabrics. The Martindale test method is the international standard approach for assessing abrasion resistance of apparel and upholstery fabrics, protective clothing materials, footwear components, and technical textiles. With the optional pilling accessories, it also performs pilling resistance tests on the same range of fabric types. The two test pressures — 9kPa (595g) and 12kPa (795g) — correspond to the pressure ranges specified for different material categories in the relevant test standards.
The MAP04 supports two standard Martindale test pressures: 595±7g corresponding to 9kPa, and 795±7g corresponding to 12kPa. The 9kPa pressure is the standard test pressure for apparel fabrics and upholstery textiles as specified by ISO 12947, ASTM D4966, and related standards. The 12kPa pressure is used for coated fabrics, technical textiles, and materials tested per standards such as BS EN 388 (protective glove materials) and ISO 5470 (rubber- or plastic-coated fabrics). Both weight sets are included in the standard accessories, so the instrument can be configured for either pressure level without additional equipment.
Many Martindale test methods require the operator to assess the specimen at intermediate rub cycle counts — for example, ISO 12947-2 requires visual assessment at specified intervals to determine the cycle count at which the first thread breaks or a defined change in appearance occurs. The MAP04's interval inspection feature allows the operator to pre-programme these intermediate stop points via the touch screen. When the counter reaches the set interval count, the instrument pauses automatically and alerts the operator — who can then assess or weigh the specimen, record the result, and restart the test for the next interval without manually watching the cycle counter throughout a long test.
The MAP04 complies with a comprehensive list of international abrasion and pilling test standards: ISO 12947 (fabric abrasion, all parts), ISO 5470 (coated fabrics), ISO 12945-2 (pilling), ISO 17076-2, ISO 17079-2, ISO 17704, ISO 20344 (footwear), ASTM D4966 (abrasion), ASTM D4970 (pilling), BS EN 388/530, BS 3424/5690, DIN 53863/53865, JIS L1096 (Japanese standard), IWS TM112/196 (International Wool Secretariat), and SATRA TM31. This wide standards coverage supports testing for apparel, upholstery, footwear, protective textiles, and wool fabrics for global markets.
In Martindale abrasion testing, the fabric specimen is rubbed against a standard wool abradent or abrasive material (typically SIC paper for leather or felt/wool for fabrics) and the result is expressed as the number of rub cycles to specimen breakdown, a defined mass loss, or a specified change in appearance. In pilling testing, the specimen is rubbed against itself or a standard pilling material under a lighter pressure using the pilling accessories kit, and the result is a visual pilling grade (typically a rating of 1–5 compared to reference photographs). The MAP04 performs both test types on the same instrument — abrasion testing in standard configuration and pilling testing with the optional pilling accessories set.
The MAP04 standard package includes: the main instrument body; 4 pin shafts; 1 load hammer; 1 Lissajous trace pen for verifying the figure-of-eight motion pattern; 4 weight sets for the 595±7g (9kPa) test pressure; 4 weight sets for the 795±7g (12kPa) test pressure; and 4 specimen clamp fixtures for holding Ø38mm specimens. An accessories box is also included. This complete standard package means the instrument is immediately ready for both 9kPa and 12kPa abrasion tests across all four stations without requiring any additional purchases for standard test configurations.
The following optional accessories are available for the MAP04: SDC Felt Disc (Ø140mm, 24 pcs/pack) used as the standard backing felt; SDC Wool Abradent SM25 (160cm wide, 5m length) as the standard abrasive rubbing material for fabric tests; SDC Polyetherurethane foam sheet (25cm×20cm, 25 pcs/pack) used as backing foam under the abradent; sample cutters for Ø38mm and Ø140mm specimens; and a pilling accessories set for converting the instrument to perform pilling resistance tests per ISO 12945-2 and ASTM D4970. SDC consumables should be ordered separately and replenished based on test volume.
The MAP04 operates on 220V ± 10% at 50/60Hz. The instrument weighs 55 kg and has compact bench-top dimensions of 480mm (L) × 500mm (W) × 360mm (H), making it suitable for a standard laboratory bench without a dedicated floor installation. No compressed air or special utilities are required. The instrument should be positioned on a stable, level surface free from excessive vibration, as external vibration can affect the specimen holder motion and introduce variability into the test result. The bench surface should be capable of supporting at least 60 kg to provide an adequate safety margin.
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