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Read it carefully, falling-sand abrasion test isn't comparable to traditional S42 Taber test.

 From traditional SPC/LVT
to
digitally printed/textured SPC/LVT

Switching from a well established process which leads to a successful product like traditional SPC/LVT isn't obvious. Very often people are focused more on the printing side because digital is fascinating and it's new, instead of looking at the whole process.

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Even if the processes looks relatively similar with respect to the layers, there is a huge difference between them. One of the main issue is the Liquid UV wear layer as UV coatings are shrinking after curing causing core bending. In addition, the Liquid UV wear must be abrasion resistant and the anti-abrasive filler (aluminum oxide) makes it even worse.

In order to solve the above issue, in Europe, coating and flooring manufacturers developed a norm (EN 16511) which is using free flowing abrasive, called FALLING-SAND instead of traditional ABRASIVE PAPER used for S42 Taber testing. Flexible UV coatings which pass  falling sand test wouldn't pass the standard S42 Taber test

Unfortunately abrasion class is defined in the same way, using "AC 1/2/3/4/5" and this creates even more uncertainty  as performance of AC4 standard S42 Taber test and AC4 falling sand test are very different in performance. You can make a quick test, take a sharp object and check how easy is to damage the AC4 falling sand flooring compared to the AC4 S42 Taber test.

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How could be this related to traditional PVC wear layer? As everyone knows, traditional SPC/LVT floorings aren't specified by abrasion resistance but as Wear Layer thickness. As you can imagine, this leads to potential confusion as values can't be compared. In the following table we harmonised the results and test for easier comparison.

It's easy to see that only S42 Taber test shows results which are comparable to the traditional PVC wear layer.

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digilogico for SPC
digital printing and digital texturing

We developed the best technology (patent pending) to reproduce wood and stone like never before while meeting the most severe norms regarding abrasion and scratch resistance, delivering true emboss-in-register at competitive cost. 

The combination of digital printing, optically clear Liquid Wear Layer with natural digital texturing in register with the image creates the look and feel of a real wood product. Unlike other applications the texture is made into the wear layer with a wear performance that can meet or exceed a 20 mil wear film