Water Uptake Tester

When any game is conducted on a wet field or under rain, the surface of the ball used for the game undergoes some changes. One of these changes is in its weight while the other change is in its circumference. Also, repeated usage of a ball under wet conditions may also reduce its useful life.

The effect of moisture on these three parameters is checked by subjecting a football inflated to a pressure of one bar and placed it in a shallow water trough containing a two centimetre high column of water to a simulated test. In this test the ball is rotated within the trough to enable it to get wet symmetrically over whole of its surface. The ball is simultaneously pressed down into the water trough. The increase in its weight and circumference are checked after a specified number of pressing operations to evaluate the effect of soaking wet conditions after a full game.

The PROLIFIC Water Uptake Tester for footballs consists of a water trough in which the ball is kept for wetting, a pneumatically operated arrangement to press down the ball repeatedly after a pre-set time interval, two adjustable rotating cylindrical nylon discs for supporting the ball on two side at right angles to each other, and two synchro-set motors positioned at right angle to each other to rotate the ball when it is not being pressed, alternately in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions.