Testcoatings Blog

Bresle path method: Our best selling salt contamination meter kits are the ones that measure salt levels. Salt constitutes such as sulfates, nitrates and chlorides add to the conductivity of the solution. We offer a few different conductivity measuring kits, including our latest digital Elcometer 130 Salt Contamination Meter, with the Bresle path method. Elcometer …

Paint surfaces can be contaminated in many different ways. How to detect it? 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 Read More »

Why Delta T measurement is so important By far the most important parameter 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 is generally accepted within …

Preparing outdoor surfaces for painting – 7 crucial weather factors Read More »

The Elcometer line of digital thickness gauges has been carefully crafted to give scientifically exact, dependable and repeatable covering thickness estimations on practically any surface, be it ferrous or non-ferrous Elcometer offers a large variety of advanced thickness gauges like the new Elcometer 456 – accessible with incorporated or separate probes, the Elcometer 415 Paint …

Inspect dry film thickness in half the time! Read More »

Diagnose the early onset of surface corrosion and paint defects due to faulty coating, having cracks, insufficient or excessive thickness. In the protective and industrial coatings industry, there are a number of flaws to be aware of. Problems with surfaces prior to coting include: Runny and soggy coating: gravity pulls coating creating uneven thickness Cissing: …

What causes paint to rust? Holiday detectors identify micro gaps in painted surfaces Read More »

Guarantee good adhesion of the coating, and long life of the resulting surface If the texture profile is too large, the coating amount must increase to avoid the danger of leaving the ‘peak’ texture elements being uncoated, causing eventual rusting. If the texture profile is too low, adhesion may suffer, resulting in bubbles or cracks …

Surface roughness testing methods Read More »

Taking a reading couldn’t be easier – using a small amount of ultrasonic couplant, press the dual-element transducer flat against the surface. When the transducer is placed correctly on the material, the reading stability indicator shows how strong the ultrasonic signal is – a full bar means a strong signal; ensuring accurate, reliable measurements. With …

How to measure the thickness of a pipe, a storage tank, or any material when you only have access to only one side? Read More »

How to test wet and dry film thickness? Excess coating negatively affects the longevity and the finish of the product Too much of wet film can result in cracks when dry; too little film increases the risk of insufficient protection and rust spots. For powder coatings, the right thickness of applied powder is just as …

Wet Film & Powder Thickness Measurement Read More »

1. CROSSHATCH TESTERS such as the Elcometer 107 or 1542, where a cutter with 6 or 11 blades is used to cut two sets of lines at right angles – the resultant debris is removed using either adhesive tape, a brush, or compressed air, and the results determined by the use of tables. 1. PUSH-OFF …

What is an adhesion test and why it’s so important Read More »