Glossary
CSIRO Coefficient of Friction – COF
This is the measure of traction provided by the surface of the mat. It is a measurement of force that must be exerted before an object slips. Therefore, the higher the number, the better the traction. OSHA recommends a COF of 0.5 in dry areas and 0.25 in wet. CSIRO reports are available on request.
Compression Deflection
This is one way of measuring the softness or comfort level of a sponge mat. It measures how much a person’s foot sinks into the mat – the higher the reading, the softer the mat. The results are affected by the thickness of the sponge backing and the flexibility of the surface material. We consider 0.20 - 0.5 the ideal range. The test is ASTM D575.
Customisation
Refers to extra wide, extra long and customer specific mat configurations. Most of our entrance and anti-fatigue mats can be customised to conform to any size or shape.
Durometer
The measure of hardness/softness of moulded rubber and moulded PVC mats. As a general rule, the lower the durometer, the softer the mat. Most of our mats range between 45-70 durometer. We consider 45-65 ideal range for moulded rubber mats. The test is ASTM D2240.
ESD
This stands for Electro-Static Discharge. When static builds up on a person’s body and they touch another object, that charge is passed onto the object. This discharge can harm sensitive equipment and is drained off when the person steps on or touches a Conductive or Static Dissipative mat.
Extruded and Moulded PVC
Many PVC mats are injection moulded or extruded. These durable vinyl mats provide good anti-fatigue properties and resistance to chemicals and industrial greases and oils. (Always request a small sample of the mat to test.)
GritWorks!®
This is our line of abrasive-coated, moulded rubber mats. They are the only gritted, moulded rubber anti-fatigue mats on the market. The grit system provides an exceptionally high level of traction and is featured on all of our abrasive coated mats including 24 Seven™ No. 574/No.576.
HACCP - Food Safety Endorsement
A range of GMC matting has been endorsed in accordance with the Standards of HACCP Australia Food Safety Accreditation Systems. These reports are available on request.
Life Expectancy
The life expectancy of a mat can vary dramatically depending on a multitude of factors such as: number of shifts per day, amount of foot traffic, exposure to oils, caustic chemicals or fluids, excessive temperatures, cleaning and maintenance schedule, compound, etc.
Moulded Natural Rubber
Natural rubber is characterized by its flexibility and resilience. It performs best in dry areas and when exposed to water.
Moulded Nitrile Rubber
This is a resilient rubber compound containing 50% nitrile. It has better chemical resistance than natural rubber and holds up well to most greases and oils. (Always request a small sample of the mat to test.)
Natural Rubber Sponge
This is an off-white open-cell natural rubber sponge. It is used as the underside sponge for SpongeCote® mats having a rubber top surface. It has quick recovery, remarkable life expectancy and offers incomparable resilience.
Nitricell® Sponge
This is a black, closed cell sponge compounded of a unique blend of PVC and rubber. It is used as the underside sponge for SpongeCote® mats having a vinyl top surface. Considered by many customers as our softest and most comfortable sponge, it has exceptional resilience, far exceeding that of typical PVC sponge bases.
Ohm
A measure of resistance. The higher an ohm reading on a conductive mat, the more difficult it is for the static electric charge to go through the mat and out the ground. Therefore, the lower the ohm reading, the more conductive the material.
Range: Conductive = 1 x 103 ohms to 1 x 106 ohms
Static Dissipative = > 1 x 106 ohms to 1 x 1010 ohms
PVC Sponge
Also referred to as blown vinyl sponge, it is a vinyl (PVC) compound that is expanded into a sponge with a blowing agent. PVC sponge mats provide modest comfort and durability at an economical price.
SpongeCote®
Our most popular category of ergonomic mats. Each SpongeCote® mat is constructed of a durable top surface permanently bonded to a superbly comfortable, longwearing sponge base. They offer the highest degree of comfort and longevity for dry work areas.
Tabor Abrasion
This test determines how well the surface of a mat will hold up to heavy use. The less weight the sample loses, the more durable the product tends to be.
Tensile Strength
One measure of the tear strength of a material. The higher the psi, the stronger the mat.
Ultraviolet Light - Rubber Protection
The need to protect rubber against UV damage is why tyres are black. For this purpose, a common type of UV stabiliser called a "competitive absorber" is used. Competitive absorbers work by capturing and absorbing harmful UV light wave energy (instead of the adjacent molecule of tyre Polymer... that's why it is called "competitive"). Competitive absorbers have the added abililty to convert harmful UV light wave energy into heat so it can dissipate harmlessly.
All tyre manufacturers use the same competitive absorber, known as carbon black... All other UV stabilisers are prohibitively expensive. This is why tyres are black and why tyres are not available in designer colours.
All UV stabilisers are sacrificial, meaning that they are gradually being "used up" over a period of time dependant on locality to where they can no longer protect against UV damage. As carbon black loses the ability to do its job it turns grey. This is why rubber greys as it ages.