Essentials Martindale LI

Martindale at 80

As the first major instrument of its kind, this year the Martindale abrasion and pilling tester turns 80.

Read on to learn the fascinating history behind its invention.

In this article James Heal's Managing Director Neil Pryke and Technical Specialist Peter Goodwin, talk through the Martindale's surprising origins and critical milestones, as we celebrate its 80th anniversary

Origin of the Martindale abrasion and wear tester

“It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention, and wartime tends to bring focus on necessity”, begins Peter. “One problem which caused a conundrum during WW2 was the production of carbon-impregnated fabric, intended to protect against gas attack. As part of his work at the Wool Industries Research Association (WIRA), Dr James Graham Martindale was asked to devise a machine to test the wearing properties of this carbon-impregnated fabric. What happened next, was something of a coincidence, but one that would change the course of abrasion testing forever.”
 
Dr Martindale came across a yarn spinning machine with two opposing motions and realised it was generating a Lissajous figure and subsequently designed a wear tester around the idea. He engaged with Stanley Dilworth, the head of the WIRA workshop, who constructed the first Martindale Abrasion Tester in 1942.
 
“Thankfully, the carbon-impregnated fabric was never used as the gas attacks ultimately didn't happen on British soil, so the fabric was used to mask the malodourous nature of the infected wounds of the troops,” says Peter. “WIRA did not patent the new device, made no money from its invention, and probably had no idea just how crucial this instrument would become in the future of textiles testing.”

What is a Lissajous? 

Lissajous is a figure created by a movement which changes from a circle to gradually narrowing ellipses until it becomes a Lissajous Figurestraight line, from which progressively widening ellipses develop in a diagonally opposite direction before the pattern is repeated.

It is named after Jules A. Lissajous, a French physicist who lived between 1822 – 1880.

The shape of a Lissajous is characteristic of the relative phases and frequencies of the motion.

 

Visit our Timeline to see photos and more from the archive!

Full contents:

James Heal & Martindale: key milestones

1950s 

James Heal began to develop its own Martindale, it is believed with the collaboration of Dr Martindale. This version had an added feature of a pre-determined electric counter, which stopped the machine automatically when a pre-set number of rubs was reached. Click here to see an original sales leaflet of Model No. 103.

1960s and 1970s

The Martindale 103 model continues to evolve with regular improvements in design and functionality over two decades.

1980s 

At the 1987 ITMA Exhibition in Paris, James Heal was one of only a small number of companies exhibiting the Martindale.   

1990s

The early 1990s saw a redesign of the instrument introducing the innovative 6-station Martindale 403, launched in 1992 with quick locking clamp rings and a hinged top plate.

Launched at the 1999 ITMA exhibition in Paris, the 406 set a new benchmark in design and functionality with a clear LCD screen and auto restart function.

2003

Our next model, Martindale 864, offered more choices with 4, 6 or 8 stations and an ergonomic top plate design for easy access and optional variable speeds.

2010 

This was the year that James Heal took its brand to a whole new level. Working with the Design Council, James Heal rebranded as a company whilst significantly changing the look of the instrument range to sleek black and stainless steel, with distinctive blue LED lighting. Inspired by over 60 years of accumulated knowledge and expertise, the 900 Series was focused on our core values of innovation, quality and precision.

2014 
The 1300 Series was launched in 2014 and introduced a hinged top plate to allow easy access to every station from the front to reduce the time to load and unload.

 

Take a look at our timeline to see how the Martindale has evolved over time through the images and documents from our archive, including the original test method published in 1942.
Martindale 103 Drawing
Technical drawing from the early days of the 1950s Martindale 103 model

Martindale 1600 Series

By 2016 the 1600 Series was developed, this time introducing digital touch-screen technology. Integrated TestWise software provided ease of use and available in multiple language options.

Learn about the features and benefits on our Martindale web page where you can also download the latest brochure giving details of the full range include 2-, 5- and 9-station models.

Some of the most common test types include: 

  • Textiles 
  • Coated upholstery
  • Military apparel
  • Carpets
  • Edges, e.g. shirt cuffs 
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Leather
  • Wood and laminates

There are many Standards relating to these tests, which can also be found on our website, together with Martindale Test Materials.

 
1609 Martindale_lid-down_25pc
Martindale Test Materials
We produce and supply a wide range of test materials for use on the Martindale

Innovation and advance to wet testing

Responding to shifts in consumer expectations and trends towards athleisure and performance wear, James Heal developed AquAbrasion - a wet abrasion tester. The first of its kind, AquAbrasion was launched as part of the Performance Range at ITMA Barcelona in 2019.
 
Based on the traditional Martindale instrument, the AquAbrasion is an accurate and repeatable way of conducting wet abrasion testing, which has proven to be a crucial step in establishing the durability of outdoor and performance wear in relation to real life situations. 
Landing-Page-AquAbrasion
Further developments include the AquAbrasion for wet testing

2022 and beyond: continuing our pedigree in abrasion testing

“Today, there are many more companies making the Martindale device,” explains Neil. “However, James Heal has built on its pedigree and continues to innovate, developing a range of Martindale abrasion and pilling testers with the adaptability to test a wide range of applications from textiles, to wood and most recently, wet abrasion testing. The AquAbrasion can be used to test the effects of rainwater, perspiration or chlorinated water on textiles, leather and other materials, as well as liquids such as sunscreen or hand sanitiser.

“Since our involvement in the creation of the early models of the Martindale, we have continued to listen to what users and customers need; responding to consumer trends and market demand to develop and improve our flagship instrument. We have sold thousands of Martindale testers over the decades, underpinning our position as a leading supplier and innovator in precision testing instruments. Our Martindale series continues to evolve, keeping our product innovation team very busy. Look out for exciting announcements on further new developments to this classic instrument!” concludes Neil.

Discover the James Heal Performance Testing Range

The Performance Range is designed specifically for testing performance and technical textiles. Built for a range applications instruments include an air permeability tester, dry rate tester, hydrostatic head tester, water permeability tester and moisture wicking tester. also known as a moisture management tester. Learn more about the new performance testing range, here: performance.jamesheal.com 

 
AquAbrasion webinar image
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AquAbrasion is just one instrument from our comprehensive Performance Range

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