The £80,000 SATRA Pedatron Test Machine STM 528 uses a mechanical foot to replicate the action of walking on a section of flooring. The machine enables flooring manufacturers to quickly compare new materials to existing products and also to determine ageing characteristics and wear patterns.

The STM 528 is used to carry out the 'floor covering durability test' which typically simulates one million walking cycles. During testing, manufacturers can also test for slip resistance every 250,000 cycles using the SATRA Slip Resistance Testing Machine STM 603.