Information on the most widely used ASTM standards within the materials testing industry
ASTM D1044 Standard | Surface Abrasion Resistance Test Machine for Transparent Plastic Sheets & Films | UnitedTest
UnitedTest is a professional manufacturer supplying fully ASTM D1044-compliant Taber rotary abrasion testing machines paired with matching haze meters for transparent plastic factories, optical material labs, packaging QC departments and third-party compliance testing institutions worldwide.
ASTM D1044 Standard Test Method for Resistance of Transparent Plastics to Surface Abrasion is the leading American industrial specification for evaluating scratch and wear performance of clear plastic substrates. Unlike outdated abrasion testing protocols that rely on mass loss or volume loss metrics (known for poor repeatability across different laboratories), ASTM D1044 adopts optical haze variation as its exclusive core evaluation standard to quantify surface abrasion damage on transparent plastics.
This standardized test workflow calculates haze difference (Δhaze) — the numerical gap between the haze reading of an untouched, unabraded sample and the haze value of the same specimen after controlled rotary abrasion cycles. The Δhaze index directly reflects surface micro-scratches, light scattering and clarity degradation caused by friction wear, delivering consistent, reproducible optical abrasion data that eliminates inter-lab result deviation from weight-loss measurement methods.
Our UnitedTest integrated ASTM D1044 testing system combines a precision Taber abraser and ASTM D1003 certified haze measuring instrument. The complete setup fully complies with all specimen preparation, grinding wheel load control, rotation cycle settings and optical haze calculation rules defined in ASTM D1044. It delivers accurate Δhaze abrasion resistance data for transparent rigid plastics, optical sheets, transparent packaging films and coated clear plastic panels to support raw material screening, finished product quality inspection and export certification verification.
Core Test Principle
Abrasion creates micro-scratches on plastic surfaces, which scatter transmitted visible light and raise haze value. The test principle relies on ASTM D1003 haze measurement rules:
Measure initial haze of intact transparent specimens (unabraded baseline).
Apply controlled rotary surface abrasion via Taber Abraser with CS-10F abrasive wheels under fixed load and cycles.
Clean the worn specimen and test final haze over the abraded track.
Calculate ΔHaze = Final Haze − Initial Haze.
Rule: Lower ΔHaze means better surface abrasion resistance, less optical clarity loss after wear.
Optical definition of haze in this standard: Only light deviating over 0.044 rad (2.5°) from incident beam is counted as scattered haze; narrow-angle light scattering from Taber scratch tracks requires specially modified hazemeter aperture to ensure accurate readings.
Test Specimen Requirements
Shape & dimension: Transparent flat disk (≈100 mm diameter) or square plate (≈100 mm × 100 mm); thickness ≤12.7 mm; central drilled 6.3 mm mounting hole.
Surface requirement: Both sides flat, parallel, clean, free of scratches, dust or protective film residues.
Sample quantity: Minimum 3 replicates per material; 10 replicates for inter-laboratory round-robin or official material specification certification.

Test Equipment Required for ASTM D1044 Taber Abrasion (Haze) Resistance Test of Transparent Plastics
| Taber Rotary Platform Abrase | UnitedTest Taber Abrasion Tester Horizontal turntable with rubber pad, clamp and fixing nut for specimens. Motor speed: 72±2 r/min (110V/60Hz) or 60±2 r/min (230V/50Hz). Dual pivoted arms with adjustable auxiliary weights; base load per wheel = 250 gf without extra masses; optional total loads: 500 gf / 1000 gf per wheel. Adjustable vacuum suction nozzle (standard modified opening diameter 11 mm, vacuum pressure ≥137 mbar) to remove abrasive debris during testing. Cycle counter to record turntable revolutions. |
Transmission and Haze testing machine (Haze Meter) | UnitedTest Transmission and Haze testing machine Integrating sphere photoelectric hazemeter with mandatory modification: Central diaphragm limits light beam diameter to 7±1 mm at specimen surface. Unobstructed exit beam forms a 0.023±0.002 rad (1.3±0.1°) dark annular gap to match ASTM D1003 optical geometry, critical for repeatable abrasion haze data. Specimen holder to align abraded track centered under light beam. |
| Abrasive Consumables | CS-10F abrasive wheels: New wheel size 12.7±0.3 mm width, outer diameter 51.9±0.5 mm; discard when OD below 44.4 mm or expired stamped date. ST-11 refacing stone: For wheel surface conditioning; fine side only (post-July 2012 stones have dual fine sides); service life limited to 7500 total refacing cycles. |
Mandatory Test Parameters
| Parameter | Standard Default Value | Adjustable Alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Abrasive wheel | CS-10F | No substitution allowed |
| Standard load per wheel | 500 gf | 1000 gf (custom specification) |
| Default abrasion cycles | 100 cycles under 500 gf load | 10/25/50/500/1000 cycles for abrasion curve plotting |
| Turntable rotation speed | 60±2 / 72±2 r/min (per voltage) | Fixed, non-adjustable |
| Wheel refacing cycles pre-test | 25 cycles on ST-11 stone | Mandatory for every single specimen |
| Max interval between refacing & abrasion | ≤2 minutes | Exceeding invalidates results |
| Vacuum nozzle height above specimen | 0.8–1.6 mm | Fixed range |
Standard Test Procedures ASTM D1044 Taber Abrasion (Haze) Resistance Test of Transparent Plastics:
Step 1 Specimen Pre-treatment & Initial Haze Test
Remove protective masking film; handle specimens only by edges to avoid surface contamination.
Mount unabraded sample on hazemeter; measure haze at minimum four evenly spaced non-abraded positions, average as initial haze value.
Pre-condition all specimens under standard lab atmosphere for ≥40 h before testing.
Step 2 Abraser Wheel Preparation
Install CS-10F wheels without touching abrasive surfaces, mount specified load weight.
Secure ST-11 refacing stone on turntable, adjust vacuum nozzle height 0.8–1.6 mm above stone, set vacuum power to full.
Lower abraser arms, run 25 refacing cycles; brush wheel surface with anti-static brush upon completion. Complete specimen abrasion within 2 minutes.
Step 3 Controlled Surface Abrasion
Mount specimen on turntable at a 45° angle from machine front to eliminate initial sliding scratch damage during startup; fasten with clamp nut.
Adjust vacuum nozzle height 0.8–1.6 mm above sample surface, zero cycle counter.
Lower weighted wheels onto specimen, start turntable and run specified cycles (100 cycles as default). Vacuum continuously removes abrasive debris during rotation.
Step 4 Post-Abrasion Specimen Cleaning
Brush loose abrasive dust off surface with anti-static brush.
Wipe both sides linearly with IPA saturated lint-free cloth (vertical then horizontal wiping), finally clean specimen edges.
Replace IPA with detergent water solution if alcohol damages material; rinse with DI water, blow dry with clean air/nitrogen, inspect for residues.
Step 5 Final Haze Measurement & Calculation
Place cleaned specimen on hazemeter, align abraded track centered under light beam (light beam ≥1 mm away from track inner/outer edges).
Measure haze at four evenly spaced points along the worn track, average to get final haze.
Compute abrasion-induced haze increase: ΔHaze = Average Final Haze − Average Initial Haze.
Step 6 Result Recording & Report
Document all required test parameters, replicate count, ΔHaze average, equipment model, cleaning solvent, wheel maintenance records, and environmental conditions as specified in Clause 12 of the standard.
Related Standard:
| ASTM D1044 | Standard Test Method for Resistance of Transparent Plastics to Surface Abrasion by the Taber Abraser |
| ASTM G195 | Standard Guide for Conducting Wear Tests Using a Rotary Platform Abraser |
| ISO 9352 | Plastics — Determination of resistance to wear by abrasive wheels |
| GB/T 5478 | Plastics-Test method for wear by rolling |
| PN C89426 | Plastics. Determination of resistance to wear by abrasive wheels |
| ISO 5470-1 | Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics - Determination of abrasion resistance - Part 1: Taber abrader |
| ASTM D4060 | Taber abrasion test for organic coatings, uses CS-10/CS-17 aggressive wheels and weight loss as indicator |
| ANSI/SAE Z26.1 Test 17 | Automotive transparent plastic glazing abrasion test, adopts Taber abrasion + haze measurement |
| ISO 15082 | Rigid Plastic Automotive Safety Glazing: Section 11 abrasion test equivalent to ASTM D1044 haze evaluation only. |
| ISO 3537 | Road Vehicles Safety Glazing Materials: Section 8 abrasion test shares identical haze quantification logic with ASTM D1044. |
| ASTM D1003 | Standard Test Method for Haze and Luminous Transmittance of Transparent Plastics |
| ISO 13468-1 | Plastics – Total luminous transmittance of transparent materials |
| ISO 14782 | Plastics – Haze measurement of transparent materials |
Keywords: UnitedTest ASTM D1044 abrasion tester, ASTM D1044 transparent plastic surface scratch resistance test machine, Taber abrasion Δhaze haze difference testing equipment, optical wear test bench for clear plastic sheet film, transparent plastic abrasion test via haze change, Δhaze surface wear measurement ASTM D1044, mass volume loss abandoned abrasion standard, inter-laboratory repeatable optical abrasion inspection, ASTM D1044 Taber abraser matched hazemeter system
Related products and device
Related Standard
ISO 5470-1: Rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics -- Determination of abrasion resistance -- Part 1: Taber abrader.
ISO 5470-1 specifies a method for determining the abrasion resistance of rubber- or plastics-coated fabrics using the Taber abrader apparatus. This test simulates wear under controlled conditions to evaluate a material's durability.
ASTM D1003 Standard Test Method for Haze and Luminous Transmittance of Transparent Plastics
ASTM D1003 covers the evaluation of specific light-transmitting and wide-angle-light-scattering properties of planar sections of materials such as essentially transparent plastic. It defines how to quantify two key optical properties of planar, essentially transparent plastic sheets or films.
ISO 13468-1 Plastics – Determination of the total luminous transmittance of transparent materials – Part 1: Single-beam instrument
ISO 13468-1 specifies a method for measuring total luminous transmittance (τₜ) in the visible region of planar, transparent and substantially colourless plastics, using a single‑beam photometer with a specified CIE standard light source and photodetector. Application for planar, nearly colourless transparent plastic films, sheets and moulded parts ≤10 mm thick; faintly tinted plastics are permitted.
ISO 14782 Plastics – Determination of haze for transparent material
ISO 14782 specifies a method for measuring haze — an optical property arising from wide‑angle scattering of light — in transparent and substantially colourless plastics. Quantifies haze (wide-angle light scattering) of flat, substantially colourless transparent plastics, with a valid measurement range of haze below 40%.
ASTM D1044 Taber Abrasion (Haze) Resistance Test of Transparent Plastics
Q1: What exactly is ASTM D1044 test used for?
A1: ASTM D1044-13 is a standardized Taber rotary abrasion test exclusively for transparent plastics and transparent hard coatings. It evaluates surface scratch/abrasion resistance by measuring the haze difference (ΔHaze) between un-abraded and abraded samples, rather than mass or volume loss. It simulates mild daily friction, wiping, and cleaning wear for transparent optical components.
Q2: Why is ASTM D1044 test important for transparent plastic materials?
A2: Simulate real service wear scenarios: Transparent plastics in daily use undergo constant wiping, cleaning and minor friction; surface micro-scratches degrade visibility and appearance. This test replicates mild uniform rotary abrasion to predict real-world optical performance loss after long-term service.
Quantifiable, comparable abrasion resistance grading: Subjective visual scratch judgment is inconsistent; ΔHaze provides numerical, repeatable data to rank uncoated plastics or hard-coating formulations objectively. Lower haze rise indicates superior anti-scratch performance for product development and material selection.
Critical for optical function retention: For automotive glazing, lenses and display covers, excessive haze increase causes light scattering, blurry vision, glare and safety hazards. The test sets standardized acceptance thresholds to guarantee end-product optical safety.
Standardized global specification benchmark: Automotive, electronics and construction industries universally reference D1044 for material procurement and product certification, enabling consistent quality communication between suppliers, manufacturers and testing labs worldwide.
Support coating R&D optimization: Hard-coat, anti-scratch coating formulations on polycarbonate/PMMA rely on D1044 haze change data to optimize coating thickness, curing process and raw material formula, improving surface durability without sacrificing transparency.
Control production quality stability: Mass production quality inspection uses D1044 as a unified test method to screen defective batches with poor surface abrasion resistance, reducing post-sale customer complaints about foggy, scratched transparent surfaces.
Q3: What materials does ASTM D1044 apply to? What materials are excluded?
A3: Applicable: Flat transparent plastics (PC, PMMA, transparent ABS, PET), transparent hard coatings on plastic substrates, automotive safety glazing panels, optical display covers, plastic lenses, transparent packaging.
Excluded: Opaque materials, thin flexible films (non-flat), fully inorganic glass (glass uses separate evaluation criteria), and materials where weight loss is the primary abrasion metric (use ASTM D4060 instead).
Q4: What is haze defined as in D1044, different from general ASTM D1003 haze?
A4: Per ASTM D1044, only light deviating over 0.044 rad (2.5°) from incident beam counts as haze. Abrasion tracks produce narrow-angle light scattering; standard hazemeters must install a 7±1 mm diaphragm to capture this narrow-angle scatter accurately, otherwise haze readings will be falsely low and inter-lab data incomparable.
Q5: Why is ST-11 refacing stone required, and what are its usage limits?
A5: CS-10F wheels clog with plastic coating debris during testing, altering abrasion intensity. ST-11 stone reconditions wheel surfaces to keep consistent abrasiveness.
Mandatory: 25 refacing cycles on ST-11 before every specimen test.
Service life limit: Max 7500 total refacing cycles; replace stone after reaching this limit.
Q6: What size and quantity of test specimens are required?
A6: Shape: ~100 mm diameter disk or 100 mm square flat plate, thickness ≤12.7 mm, central 6.3 mm mounting hole, both surfaces flat and parallel.
Quantity: Minimum 3 replicates per material for routine QC; 10 replicates for inter-laboratory round-robin or official certification tests.
Q7: Why must specimens be mounted at a 45° angle on the Taber turntable?
A7: At machine startup, abrasive wheels may slide and create unintended extra scratches on the sample surface. Mounting at 45° eliminates this initial sliding damage, ensuring measured haze only comes from standardized rotary abrasion cycles, not artificial startup scuffs.
Q8: What is the maximum allowed time gap between wheel refacing and abrasion testing? Why?
A8: Max 2 minutes. Refaced wheel surfaces cool and oxidize quickly beyond this window, changing abrasive performance and introducing test variability; all abrasion must start within 2 minutes after 25-cycle refacing on ST-11 stone.
Q9: How do I interpret ΔHaze test results?
A9: ΔHaze = Average final haze − Average initial haze.
Lower ΔHaze = better surface abrasion resistance (less light scattering, clearer surface after wear).
Higher ΔHaze = poor scratch resistance, severe surface micro-scratches, visible fogging in end use.
For coated plastics, a sharp jump in ΔHaze often indicates full penetration/removal of the protective hard coat after abrasion cycles.
Q10: What is the difference between ASTM D1044 and ASTM D4060 (both Taber abrasion tests)?
A10: ASTM D1044: For transparent plastics; uses CS-10F wheels; evaluation index = haze change (ΔHaze); simulates mild wiping/cleaning abrasion.
D4060: For organic coatings (opaque/transparent); uses more aggressive CS-10/CS-17 wheels; evaluation index = mass weight loss; simulates heavy industrial wear.
Test results cannot be directly converted or compared between the two standards.
Q11: Why do my D1044 test results show high variability between replicates?
A11: Common root causes:
Wheels not refaced for 25 cycles before each sample, or test starts over 2 minutes post-refacing;
Wheel surfaces clogged with coating debris and not brushed clean;
Hazemeter missing the required 7 mm diaphragm, incorrect optical geometry;
Specimens not fully pre-conditioned or lab humidity below 45%;
Vacuum nozzle height not set to 0.8–1.6 mm, debris left on abrasion track;
New wheels without 100-cycle ST-11 break-in run before formal testing.
Q12: Which industries widely adopt ASTM D1044 as a mandatory test standard?
A12: ASTM D1044 targets transparent plastic products that retain optical clarity after repeated wiping, cleaning and minor surface friction:
Automotive safety glazing: Polycarbonate window shields, transparent instrument panels, vehicle lamp lenses (matches ANSI/SAE Z26.1 automotive glazing standard requirements).
Optical & electronic transparent components: PMMA, PC touch panel covers, protective viewing windows, instrument lenses, display anti-scratch coatings.
Construction transparent plastics: Transparent roof panels, safety barrier sheets, greenhouse transparent plates.
Consumer goods: Eyeglass plastic lenses, transparent food containers, cosmetic transparent packaging, sports visors.
Aerospace & equipment safety enclosures: Transparent protective sight shields, equipment transparent guards.
This test is widely used for material grade sorting, coating performance comparison, incoming raw material quality inspection, and product specification acceptance criteria formulation.
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