Consumers have an expectation of product performance.  Regardless of whether an item is purchased for home or commercial use, one key consideration involves quality and durability.  How long a product lasts before it wears out is an essential part of this perceived quality.

Why is this important?  Most consumers are willing to pay a premium for a product that delivers higher quality.  In fact, product durability offers a competitive advantage that many brand images are built on.  Utilizing benchmarking techniques, manufacturers are able to adjust formulations to improve and maximize performance.  Often, this is at a fraction of the cost for associated warranty claims.

What if the product does not deliver as expected?  Typically, consumer satisfaction drops and they look for other alternatives.  This is important to note, because in today’s competitive environment most manufacturers put significant efforts into minimizing production costs to remain competitive.  These efforts might involve changing material suppliers or specifying a different type of protective coating.  Unfortunately, changes are often made with little consideration given to how they affect product performance.  Accelerated wear testing is a critical factor that is often overlooked when these decisions are made.

If you have ever asked yourself any of the following questions, Taber Industries can help you.  

• How can we maintain a high quality product finish without spending a fortune?
• If we change coatings, will our product be as durable as it once was? 
• Supplier 'XYZ' has a lower cost, does it perform as well?

		The TABER® Rotary Platform Abraser (Abrader) was introduced in the 1930's, and rapidly became the world standard for evaluating abrasion resistance. Since it's inception, the Taber Abraser has been used to test a wide spectrum of materials and is referenced in numerous standards and specifications.	> learn more
		The TABER® Linear Abraser offers the greatest versatility of any Taber instrument. Designed to test virtually any size or shape specimen, the Linear Abraser is ideal for material properties of contoured surfaces and finished products.	> learn more
		The TABER® Reciprocating Abraser offers testing versatility similar to the Linear Abraser and works with many of the same test attachments.  Developed to satisfy test method GMW 14125, this instrument includes is ideal for evaluating flat surfaces.	> learn more
		When used with the TABER Abraser (Abrader), the Grit Feeder provides a unique method to evaluate 3-body abrasion resistance on a variety of materials. Aluminum Oxide grit particles are evenly distributed onto the specimen wear path, and pass under a pair of leather wheels. This loose grit acts as an abradant and aids in the rolling action that contributes to the physical breakdown of materials. The Abraser Vacuum is attached to the grit feeder, and continuously removes both abraded material and used grit.	> learn more
		The TABER® Oscillating Abrasion Tester is also known as an “oscillating sand tester”. Described in ASTM F735, the oscillating sand tester is used to measure the resistance of a material to surface abrasion and scratching. It’s primary application is for transparent materials and coatings utilized in windows and lenses, but it can also be used to evaluate organic coatings, plastics, metals and other materials.	> learn more

Stop and think, how long should your product last?  You only have one chance to make an initial impression!