Key Test Requirements for Insole Water‑Absorption Test under EN ISO 20344 & ISO 22649

Following our recent shipment of the UP‑4021 Insole Insock Water Absorption and Desorption Tester to a laboratory client in Russia to previous shipment news, the core technical requirements defined in EN ISO 20344 Clause 7.2 and ISO 22649 for safety footwear insole performance evaluation.
These two international standards specify test methods to measure water‑absorbing (WA) and water‑desorption (WD) properties of shoe insoles. The test simulates repeated flexing deformation of insoles while walking under damp conditions, which is critical for assessing wearing comfort and durability of PPE safety footwear.

Core Test Conditions Specified in Standards:
To obtain repeatable and comparable test results, the hardware parameters and test procedure must strictly comply with standard requirements:
1. Test Specimen
Specimen dimension: 110±1 mm × 40±1 mm. Samples shall be cut from original insole materials without surface damage. Record the initial weight with precision of 0.001 g before testing.
2. Mechanical Hardware Parameters
- Brass drum diameter: 120±1 mm, width: 50±1 mm
- Test frequency: 20±1 cycles per minute
- Rolling amplitude: 50±2 mm
- Continuous water supply flow rate: 7.5±2.5 ml/min
3. Two Available Test Modes
- Timer Mode: Run continuous flexing test for 4 hours as the standard‑specified duration. The instrument will automatically cut off water supply and stop testing.
- Counting Mode: Set target cycle counts for customized research‑oriented tests, widely used for material R&D comparison.
4. Post‑test Calculation Procedure
- After completing the flexing test, weigh the saturated specimen to calculate Water‑Absorbing property (WA, unit: mg/cm²).
- Suspend the specimen under controlled ambient conditions for 24‑hour reconditioning. Weigh again to calculate Water‑Desorption property (WD).
- Saturation judgment: The material reaches full saturation when weight difference between two 15‑minute interval measurements does not exceed 20 mg.

Practical Tips for Equipment Selection:
When sourcing an insole water absorption tester for compliance testing against EN ISO 20344 Clause7.2 and ISO 22649, please focus on these key points:
- Verify drum dimension, rolling amplitude and test frequency match standard tolerance; non‑conform hardware will lead to deviated test data.
- Confirm stable adjustable water supply system to maintain required flow rate during long‑duration 4‑hour testing.
- Dual operating modes: both timer mode and counting mode shall be supported to cover routine QC and material development work.
- Reliable sample fixture design: stationary and movable clamps shall keep specimens stretched flat without slipping during reciprocating flexing.

The UP‑4021 water absorption tester is fully configured to meet all above‑mentioned standard parameters, widely deployed in third‑party footwear laboratories, safety‑shoe manufacturers and material R&D institutes across Eurasian markets.
If you require technical datasheet, test procedure document or quotation of UP‑4021 insole water absorption tester, please contact our sales team for further support.