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Physical

Durometer testing is a physical test method that provides information on the hardness of rubber and plastic materials.

There are several scales of Durometer, used for materials with different properties. The two most common scales, using slightly different measurement systems, are the A and D scales. The A scale is for softer plastics, while the D scale is for harder ones. However, the ASTM D2240 testing standard calls for a total of 12 scales, depending on the intended use with higher values indicating a harder material. 

Approaches

SGS Polymer Solutions (SGS PSI) routinely uses the following durometer types:

  • Shore A (softer plastics and most rubbers)
  • Shore D (most plastics and harder rubbers)
  • Shore M (microhardness for small samples)
  • Shore O (highly elastic samples)
Physical testing performed using a Durometer

Sample Considerations

The sample considerations will vary depending upon which Shore Scale is being tested. All samples need to be solids.  Common samples are:

  • O-Rings
  • Disks
  • Bars of Materials
  • Finished Products, like injection molded parts

Contact us with your specific sample consideration questions.

Experience

Durometer work we’ve done:

  • Specification testing
  • Material comparison
  • Change in properties with exposure to application conditions
  • Material selection