Method and apparatus for abrading

An abrading apparatus for abrading tire tread compounds has a plurality of test stations (14) and a drive module (16) coupled to the test stations. Each test station (14) has a grindstone (20) and a sample wheel (24), both of which are rotatably driven by the drive module (16). Each sample wheel (24) has an outer layer made of the tire tread compound to be abraded. The sample wheels (24) are engageable with the grindstones (20) to abrade the tire tread compounds against the grindstones. Each test station (14) also has a dust transfer wheel (40) engageable with the sample wheel (24), and a chalk member (44) engageable with the dust transfer wheel (40). The chalk member (44) transfers chalk dust to the dust transfer wheel (40) which, in turn, transfers chalk dust to the sample wheel (24), to dust the interface between the sample wheel (24) and the grindstone (20). The drive module (16) has a gear assembly (78, 88, 90, 92, 94, 98) to change the velocity of the sample wheels (24) relative to the velocity of the grindstones (20), to adjust the slip value and, therefore, the degree of abrasion of the sample wheels (24). The abrading apparatus can be employed to abrade tire tread compounds at different levels of abrasion severity, to predict the irregular wear resistance of the compounds.