Overview
ISO 23122:2025 specifies a standardized laboratory procedure for producing and assessing changes in appearance (surface, structure and colour) of all types of textile floor coverings using a hexapod tumbler tester. It defines the apparatus, specimen preparation, environmental conditioning and test procedure to generate reproducible wear/fatigue effects for evaluation. The standard excludes pilling and colour changes caused by actions other than the hexapod tumbling.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Apparatus
- Hexapod tumbler drum: internal diameter (305 ± 1) mm, internal depth (210 ± 1) mm; rotation speed (35 ± 2) r/min with reversal every 15 min.
- Hexapod: 50 mm mild-steel cube with six polyurethane studs; total mass with studs (3.8 ± 0.1) kg.
- Stud dimensions and properties: diameter (40 ± 1) mm, height (15 ± 1) mm, edge radius (15 ± 1) mm, steel backing thickness (3 ± 0.25) mm, polyurethane shore A hardness approx. 92.5 ± 7.5 (ISO 48‑4).
- Polyethylene backing sheet (nom. 950 × 215 mm, 2 mm thick), double-sided tape, rectangular cleaning frame and vacuum cleaner (upright with rotating brush/beater bar).
- Environment
- Conditioning and testing atmosphere: (20 ± 2) °C and relative humidity (65 ± 4) % (per ISO 139).
- Specimen selection & preparation
- Specimen size: 470 mm (direction of manufacture) × 200 mm wide; mount on backing sheet with 5–10 mm gaps to line the drum circumference.
- Use-surface uppermost, pile lay alignment, vacuum cleaning before and during the test.
- Procedure
- Verify hexapod movement, preset revolution counter (example: 2 000 revolutions ≈ 1 h), reverse direction every 15 min, vacuum clean every 2 000 revolutions until loose fibres are removed, and condition specimens 24 h before final assessment.
- Reporting
- Include sample ID, material characteristics (ISO 2424), standard used, underlay details (if any), vacuum cleaner type, results per assessment method, deviations and test date.
Applications and users
- Practical uses: quality control, product development, comparative durability testing, supplier/contractor specification verification, and claims substantiation for appearance retention.
- Typical users: textile floor‑covering manufacturers, independent testing laboratories, product engineers, flooring specifiers, procurement teams, and certification bodies.
- Note: results apply only to the specific floor covering and underlay combination tested.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 23122:2025, hexapod tumbler tester, textile floor coverings, appearance testing, specimen preparation, durability testing, appearance retention.
Open preview (PDF)Textile floor coverings — Production of changes in appearance by means of a hexapod tumbler tester
