Taber® Shear / Scratch Tester – Model 550 / 551

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Taber® Shear / Scratch Tester – Model 550 / 551
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Taber® Shear / Scratch Tester – Model 550 / 551

The Taber® Shear / Scratch Tester is a precision instrument designed to evaluate resistance to scratching, shearing, gouging, marring, scraping, and engraving on flat, rigid specimens. With adjustable loads, interchangeable tools, and a motorized rotating platform, it is ideal for assessing surface durability, coating adhesion, and material homogeneity in quality control and R&D environments.

The Taber Shear / Scratch Tester is referenced by international standards for evaluating scratch resistance, shear resistance, surface durability, and coating adhesion on decorative laminates, furniture surfaces, floor coverings, sanitary ware, automotive interior components, and construction materials.

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Description

The Taber Shear / Scratch Tester is specifically designed to measure surface damage that is not classified as ordinary wear. Using a motor-driven rotating turntable and a calibrated scale beam, the instrument applies a controlled and repeatable load through a selected scratch or shear tool while the specimen rotates beneath it. This controlled motion allows accurate evaluation of surface resistance to scratching, shearing, gouging, scraping, and engraving.

A removable scale beam is mounted on a pivotal shaft projecting from an adjustable gage block. The height of the pivotal shaft can be raised or lowered to accommodate specimen thicknesses up to 12.7 mm (0.5 in), ensuring the scale beam remains level with respect to the specimen surface. The integrated bearing design allows the beam to be tilted into a rest position for easy specimen mounting and removal.

Load is applied through a calibrated sliding weight, adjustable from 0 to 500 grams. By adding a second calibrated weight, the load range is extended to 500–1000 grams. Optional accessories further expand the testing range, including low-load configurations down to 0–50 grams, high-load testing up to 1500 grams, and a 15 N load option to meet specific European standards.

The Shear / Scratch Tester is widely used to evaluate surface finishes, coatings, plastics, laminates, metals, glass, flooring materials, and printed or decorative surfaces, making it a valuable tool for both laboratory testing and product development.

Key Features

  • Measures scratching, shearing, gouging, marring, scraping, and engraving resistance

  • Motorized turntable with constant rotational speed

  • Balanced, calibrated scale beam with engraved graduations

  • Adjustable load range from 0 to 1000 g (expandable with accessories)

  • Adjustable gage block for specimens up to 12.7 mm thick

  • Interchangeable scratch and shear tools

  • Scale beam can tilt to rest position for easy specimen handling

  • Compact, benchtop design for laboratory use

Specifications

  • Test Principle: Rotating platform with controlled scratch/shear load

  • Specimen Thickness: Up to 12.7 mm (0.5 in)

  • Load Range (Standard): 0–1000 g

  • Graduation Resolution: 10 g per division

  • Optional Load Ranges:

    • 0–50 g (modified weight set)

    • Up to 1500 g (fixed weight)

    • 15 N (EN compliance option)

  • Turntable Rotation: Constant speed, reversible (conversion available)

  • Measurement Tools: 10× measuring magnifier included

Models

Shear / Scratch Tester – Model 550

  • Power supply: 115 V, 60 Hz

  • Turntable speed: 0.5–0.6 rpm

  • Includes conical diamond tool (90°, 3 mil radius)

Shear / Scratch Tester – Model 551

  • Power supply: 230 V, 50 Hz

  • Turntable speed: 5 rpm

  • Includes conical diamond tool (90°, 3.5 mil radius)

  • Meets ISO, DIN, EN and other European test standards

Scratch & Shear Tool Options

  • Conical Diamond Scratch Tools (3 mil / 3.5 mil radius) – standard scratch testing     

  • Diamond Scratch Tool (Cube Point) – for very hard materials 

  • 1.0 mm Hemispherical Scratch Tip – for fragile or soft surfaces

  • Carbide Scratch Tip (45°, R0.25 mm) – for resilient floor coverings

  • S-20 Tungsten Carbide Contour Shear Tool – standard shear testing 

  • S-20-3 / S-20-4 Tungsten Carbide Tools – alternative shear geometries

Applications

  • Surface finish evaluation

  • Scratch and gouge resistance testing

  • Coating and paint adhesion assessment

  • Plastics, laminates, and composites

  • Glass and ceramics

  • Anodized and coated metals

  • Flooring materials and resilient surfaces

  • Printed graphics and decorative finishes

  • Material homogeneity and aging studies

Accessories & Options

  • Additional scratch and shear tools

  • Modified low-load weight sets (0–50 g)

  • Fixed weights for loads up to 1500 g

  • 15 N weight for EN 13310 compliance

  • Scale beam height extension kit

  • Diamond standardization plates

  • Optical measurement tools (recommended for precision analysis)

STANDARDS

ASTM Standards

  • ASTM C217 / C217M – Weather Resistance of Slate
    Determines depth of softening using shear/scratch or hand scraping methods.

ISO Standards

  • ISO 4586-2 – High-Pressure Decorative Laminates (Scratch Resistance)

  • ISO 15695 – Vitreous and Porcelain Enamels (Scratch Resistance)

  • ISO 19322 (Annex A) – Resilient Floor Coverings (Scratch Appearance Assessment)

EN (European) Standards

  • EN 438-2 – Decorative High-Pressure Laminates (Scratch Resistance)

  • EN 13310 – Kitchen Sinks (Functional & Scratch Testing Requirements)

  • EN 14323 – Melamine Faced Boards (Interior Use Test Methods)

  • EN 14565 – Resilient Floor Coverings (Thermoplastic Polymers)

  • EN 14688 – Sanitary Appliances – Wash Basins

DIN Standards

  • DIN 68 861-4 – Furniture Surfaces – Scratch Resistance Classification

  • DIN 53 799 – Decorative Laminated Sheets (Withdrawn)

JIS Standards

  • JIS K 6902 – Laminated Thermosetting Decorative Sheets (Scratch Testing)

NEMA Standards

  • NEMA LD-3 – High-Pressure Decorative Laminates (Surface Durability)

UNI Standards

  • UNI 9428 – Furniture Surface Finishes – Resistance to Scratching

Automotive Manufacturer Standards

  • Honda 0096Z-SEC-A000 – Interior Resin Coating Quality

  • Honda 7710Z-SCC-9000 – Instrument Panel Components

  • Toyota TSL 2105G – Seat Fabric Strength & Durability

  • Toyota TSL 3610G – Molded Head Lining Cover Materials

Flooring & Construction Specifications

  • Terrazzo 90322-9E-1 – Conductive Synthetic Latex Terrazzo Flooring

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