Faucet - Damage to Finish
Situation:
Bathroom and kitchen faucets come in a variety of different shapes and finishes. Prior to applying a finish or coating to the product, the manufacturer may investigate the coating’s resistance to abrasion by conducting a Taber Rotary Abraser test on a flat panel. While this test is useful to ensure the finish satisfies the company’s quality requirements, it does not allow the manufacturer to simulate real world damage that might occur from a consumer attempting to clean the product. For this, another approach must be used.
Analysis:
A European faucet producer contacted an authorized Taber distributor for a method to evaluate wear generated during normal “everyday” cleaning. The distributor secured sample faucets and submitted them to Taber for evaluation using the “TABER-Test” Program.
Faucets have irregular shapes, which makes the Taber Linear Abraser an ideal instrument for testing their surface finish. And as numerous options of cleaning chemicals and supplies are available to consumers, Linear Abraser optional test attachments can be selected to simulate “everyday, real-life” cleaning. After examining the parts, Taber wear experts confirmed the Linear Abraser was the appropriate instrument and performed a series of tests to evaluate the samples.
Initial experiments were conducted dry, with no cleaning solution or chemicals, utilizing the Scotch Brite® Abrasive Pad Kit. Marring occurred on the surface finish in a relatively short period of time suggesting the consumer might easily damage the finish without much effort if they were to clean their faucet using a ScotchBrite pad. Given the manufacturer’s desire to differentiate themselves from their competition, this quick study proved useful in presenting the potential of the Linear Abraser as a tool to evaluate their present coating formulations.
To simulate other means of cleaning, Taber recommended two other attachments. The CS-5 Jumbo Felt Wearaser to evaluate rubbing resistance with cleaning solutions. And the 45° Multi-Mar Scratch Attachment to simulate scratching that may occur from jewelry or other items contacting the faucet.
Benefit:
While there is no standardized approach to cleaning bathroom or kitchen faucets, this manufacturer realized the Linear Abraser provides an instrumented approach that can be incorporated into their own internal testing requirements. Whether a consumer is using a product like a Scotch Brite Pad to remove hard water deposits or using harsh household chemicals, the Linear Abraser offers a scientific approach to help evaluate coating formulations.
