Testcoatings Blog

The new edition of Elcomaster keeps all of its original features while opening new horizons of collaboration and task management. It offers innovative ways of taking notes in the field, versatile automated functions to help save time, easy filing system to manage and record complicated test procedures, and much more. New & improved features: 1. …

New Elcomaster software makes all Elcometer digital gauges work together Read More »

Surface contamination from soluble salts such as chloride, sulphate, or nitrate ions can cause premature failure of steel and other coating That’s why we measure the concentration of soluble salts. But how clean is clean? That depends on your coating, the standard you are working to, or a combination of the two. The Elcometer 130 …

Surface contamination from soluble salts scanned as a 3d map! Read More »

Which probe to choose? 1. The band brush probe Comes standard with the Elcometer 236 / Elcometer 266 gauges, ideal for most applications, and works especially well in small areas or on complex surfaces. 2. Using Elcometer wire brush probes and conductive rubber probes Designed for larger surface areas, they are available in a range …

Get the right probe for a pipeline inspection / Elcometer 266, 280, 236 Read More »

Elcometer 270 and the Wet Sponge Method Use the low voltage pinhole method to test pinholes on thin coatings, powder coatings and other surfaces where you do not wish to damage the coating. This is a quick and simple method for surfaces – 500 microns (20 mils). A low voltage no bigger than 90 volts …

Non-destructive testing of powder coatings with the low-voltage method Read More »

What climatic conditions do we measure?   Key climatic parameters for Delta T include: – Surface temperature (Ts)– Air temperature (Ta)– % Relative Humidity (RH), the amount of vapour in the air compared tomaximum possible.– Wet bulb temperature (Twb), the air temperature around water-soaked fabric over which air is passed;– Dry bulb temperature (Tdb), the …

How to measure dewpoint before coating any surface – professional climatic surface testing Read More »

To  perform this measurement, you would need a whirling hygrometer (sling pyschrometer) such as Elcometer 116. Use it to establish the wet bulb and dry bulb temperature, and then calculate humidity and dewpoint temperature. You can use a conversion tables, such as ones supplied with the Elcometer 116. Alternatively, you can follow this easy procedure …

Calculating dew point from relative humidity and temperature Read More »

Bresle path method: This method determines the concentration of soluble salts on metal surfaces before applying paint or other coating. Our best-selling salt contamination kits perform this task with ease and remarkable precision. We offer a few different conductivity measuring kits, including our latest digital Elcometer 130 Salt Contamination Meter, that works using the Bresle …

Detecting salt contamination on a surface to be painted Read More »

From the biggest infrastructure projects to our daily consumer gadgets, most manufactured surfaces feature anti-rust, decorative or other coatings. The smallest imperfection of this protective layer could trigger long term problems and drive up repair costs. Preventing this damage using Elcometer adhesion testers will protect your investment in the long term. Quality tests of the …

Coating Inspection & paint quality control using Elcometer adhesion testers Read More »

Why Delta T measurement is so important By far the most important parameter in surface preparedness evaluation of all is the Delta T, as it tells you the difference between the surface temperature and the dewpoint temperature. The smaller the difference, the more likely that moisture (or dew) will have condensed on the surface. It …

Preparing outdoor surfaces for painting – crucial weather factors Read More »

Get scientifically exact estimations on practically any surface, ferrous or non-ferrous. Dry film thickness (DFT) evaluates the expected life of a coating & determines if it has been applied correctly per standards. Knowing the thickness of dry film is paramount It gives key data with regards to the longevity of the substrate, the item’s readiness …

How to inspect dry film thickness in half the time using Elcometer 456 Read More »