Ball Rebound Tester – Resilience Testing for Polymeric Foams
The Ball Rebound Tester is designed to evaluate the resilience, or rebound elasticity, of flexible cellular materials such as polymeric foams, polyurethane foams, memory foam, and other similar materials.
This type of testing is widely used for quality control and product development, particularly in mattress manufacturing and in the footwear industry, where the elastic response of foams used in soles and midsoles must be accurately measured.
The test determines the rebound height of a ball after impact on the sample. This value allows the resilience of the material to be calculated and provides an indication of its ability to absorb and return energy after deformation.
The instrument complies with the following international standards:
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ISO 8307:2018 – Flexible cellular polymeric materials — Determination of resilience by ball rebound
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ASTM D3574-17 – Standard test methods for flexible cellular materials — Slab, bonded and molded urethane foams
Operating principle
The test follows the procedure defined in ISO 8307:
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A magnetic steel ball Ø 16 mm is held in position by a magnetic support.
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The ball is released manually.
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It falls freely from a height of 500 mm onto the test specimen.
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After impact, the ball rebounds.
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The rebound height is detected electronically using high-precision sensors.
The measured value is expressed as a percentage of resilience (%), indicating the elastic recovery of the tested material.
In the mattress industry, it ensures the correct support and “springback” of hybrid and memory foams. In footwear manufacturing, it allows for the precise measurement of the energy return of PU or EVA soles, which is vital for ergonomic design and athletic performance.
The device uses a controlled procedure: a 16 mm magnetic steel ball falls freely from a height of 500 mm onto the sample. After impact, high-precision electronic sensors automatically detect the rebound height, providing an immediate and objective resilience percentage (%) via the digital interface.
This instrument is designed to meet the requirements of ISO 8307:2018 (Flexible cellular polymeric materials — Determination of resilience by ball rebound) and ASTM D3574-17 (Standard test methods for slab, bonded, and molded urethane foams).
The Ball Rebound Tester is used to evaluate the resilience (rebound elasticity) of flexible cellular materials, including polymeric foams, polyurethane, and memory foam. It quantifies how much energy a material returns after impact, which is a key indicator of quality and comfort.
