GMW 14130 Scratch and Abrasion Resistance

The “GMW 14130 Scratch or Abrasion Resistance” standard, developed by General Motors Worldwide (GMW), is a test procedure used to evaluate how well automotive interior surfaces resist visible damage from friction or contact with relatively hard objects. This standard is particularly applicable to plastic films, vinyl, leather, coated textiles, foils, and other materials used in automotive interior trim.

The primary purpose of the GMW 14130 standard is to determine the resistance of a material or finished surface to scratching and abrasion. This standard distinguishes between two types of damage:

• Wear: Abrasion is a visible change on a surface caused by wear, contact, or friction. The following can occur on the surface:
  • Brightness changes
  • Light or dark colored marks
  • Surface deformation
  • Tissue loss
  • Local color change
  • Visible friction marks
• Friction: Friction marks are generally related to rubbing or sliding contact that causes a visible mark or deformation on the surface. For example, an interior trim panel can be scratched when a passenger's shoe repeatedly makes contact with it while entering or exiting the vehicle.

Therefore, the GMW 14130 standard essentially deals with whether normal mechanical contact causes unacceptable visual damage to the automotive surface.

This distinction is important because a material can remain structurally sound while still developing an unacceptable visual defect.

The GMW 14130 standard primarily relates to automotive interior trim surface testing. The materials for which its applicability has been determined are as follows:

• plastic films
• vinyl
• Skin
• Coated textiles
• Plastic roll products
• Foils
• Plastics
• elastomers
• Leather fiber sheets

Testing laboratories list the GMW 14130 standard, particularly for surface property and scratch resistance testing of automotive interior trim materials. Typical applications may include:

• instrument panels
• Door trims
• Center consoles
• Armrests
• Interior decorative panels
• Coated plastic components
• Flexible inner films
• Other visible floor surfaces

The GMW 14130 standard, in principle, uses a controlled abrasion process to determine whether a surface has been unacceptably scratched. A commonly described application uses a paperclip as the abrasive element and applies a linear, unidirectional motion against the sample. This method essentially questions whether the surface can withstand contact and abrasion without developing unacceptable permanent or visible damage. After the test, the resulting surface mark on the sample is examined, and the nature and severity of the damage are assessed. Therefore, it differs from conventional wear tests that simulate prolonged friction over many cycles. The GMW 14130 standard focuses more on localized surface damage resulting from abrasion/contact.

To understand the difference between surface damage and wear, it is necessary to correctly interpret the GMW 14130 standard:

Features Surface Damage Wear

• Surface appearance:
  • Visible marks or grooves from friction.
  • More serious visible damage from wear and tear.
• Coating penetration:
  • Penetration does not normally occur through friction.
  • It can crack or puncture the coating due to wear.
• Top layer:
  • It remains largely intact under friction.
  • It may be damaged or removed due to wear and tear.
• Permanence:
  • Friction can be temporary or permanent.
  • Wear and tear is generally considered permanent.
• Typical concern:
  • Cosmetic appearance is affected by friction.
  • Cosmetic appearance and coating integrity are affected by wear.

Automotive interior components are frequently in contact with objects such as the following:

• Keys
• Writing Instruments
• quotes
• apparatus
• Buckles
• Personal items
• Cleaning equipment
• Other interior components

A surface that looks attractive when new can quickly become unacceptable if it is easily scratched, stained, or worn. Therefore, the GMW 14130 standard helps manufacturers assess the surface durability and cosmetic quality of a material before it enters production.

This test is particularly important for modern automotive interiors because many components utilize decorative coatings, textured plastics, soft-touch finishes, films, and other surface treatments that can make their appearance more susceptible to localized damage.

In general, the testing procedure follows these steps:

• Sample preparation: Representative samples are prepared from the material or component being evaluated.
• Conditioning: Samples can be conditioned according to the requirements of the material and program.
• Test procedure: A specific grinding element and test setup are used to apply the required mechanical stress to the surface.
• Review: The area under test is examined from the following perspectives:
  • Visible scratches
  • Friction marks
  • Coating damage
  • Surface penetration
  • Changes in appearance
  • Permanence of permission
  • Evaluation
• The resulting damage is compared against the applicable acceptance criteria.

The GMW 14130 standard should not be confused with every automotive scratch or wear test. For example,

• The GMW 14130 standard focuses on resistance to wear or tear.
• GMW 14698 standard relates to scratch and abrasion resistance.
• The GMW 14132 standard, on the other hand, relates to resistance to adhesion.
• Friction tests evaluate color transfer due to friction.
• Taber-type wear tests evaluate wear typically resulting from repeated abrasive contact.

The GMW 14130 standard can be used in various stages of automotive product development:

• Material selection: Different coatings, plastics, films, and leather surfaces are comparable in terms of resistance to visible damage.
• Supplier qualification: A material supplier can demonstrate that their product meets the specified General Motors surface performance requirements.
• Product development: Engineers can determine whether a proposed surface treatment provides sufficient durability.
• Production quality control: Tests can help identify variations in coating formulation, processing, texture, or material quality.
• Failure inspection: If an internal component develops visible marks during use, scratch/wear testing can help investigate whether the material has insufficient surface resistance.

The importance of the GMW 14130 standard for automotive interior design is not limited to simply preventing scratches. Automotive interiors are extremely sensitive products in terms of appearance. A component can continue to function perfectly while appearing defective due to a single noticeable surface mark. Consequently, scratch and abrasion resistance contributes to:

• Long-term visual quality
• Customer perception
• Perceived vehicle quality
• Durability of decorative coatings
• Consistency between production batches
• Reducing warranty and appearance complaints.

These features are especially important for premium interiors, as relatively minor cosmetic flaws can be noticed by passengers.

Ultimately, the GMW 14130 standard's value lies in addressing a very practical automotive problem: a component may remain functional but become visually unacceptable due to daily contact and friction. For suppliers of plastics, vinyl, leather, coated textiles, films, foils, and other interior trim materials, the GMW 14130 standard provides a standardized way to assess this aspect of surface durability and support General Motors' material and component qualifications.

For many years, our organization, with its competent and experienced staff, has been understanding the needs of its clients, providing the advanced testing services they require, and assisting them in the establishment, implementation, and improvement of management systems. Within this framework, we also provide testing services in accordance with the GMW 14130 standard.