Slip Testers

The dry floor friction tester (FFT) is a portable battery-operated machine commonly referred to as “dry FFT” or “Tortus” (Figure (a)). The dry FFT measures the coefficient of friction of the specimen by determining the dynamic friction between the specimen and a slider moving at a constant speed of 1 ± 0.1 m/min. across the surface. Figure (b) shows a wet pendulum slip tester. This pendulum device is portable and consists of a weighted foot with a test slider that swings down and slides across the specimen surface wetted with water. More of these tests are discussed in the chapter on Common Areas.
Common applications include the monitoring of the friction offered by a floor surface (wet or dry) when a foot comes into contact with it, and is applicable for:
– product assessment for frictional resistance
– maintenance and repair
– inspection and diagnostic
– quality control during formulation and manufacturing
– prediction of service life