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ASTM D4214 standard now offered at Micom Laboratories

Micom laboratories is proud to announce that it now offers the ASTM D4214 standard as part of its paint testing services. This method details four test procedures that may be used to assess the degree of chalking of exterior paint films through a comparison with the photographic standard provided by this practice or by the quantification of the reflectance of the residue collected by an adhesive tape. Lastly, this standard does not supply a conditioning procedure for the specimen.

ASTM D4214 test

The objective of ASTM D4214 is to characterize the degree of chalking through a visual inspection or by measuring the reflectance value of the residue collected with an adhesive tape. More specifically, the visual inspection consists of comparing the chalk transferred to a fabric, a fingertip or onto a tape with the photographic references supplied by this practice in order to assign a rating through the identification of the standard that best represents the observed chalking. On the other hand, it is also possible to determine the chalk rating of the specimen by appraising its reflectance measurements, because this test protocol provides a table which shows the correspondence between those two attributes. On another vein, it is important to state that the degree of chalking is a property that varies over a given area. Hence, it is primordial to assess a median section of the coating for smaller surfaces and to execute multiple readings for large areas. Lastly, this method may be paired with an accelerated aging test as a means to evaluate the stability of the paint over the course of time.

Micom offers polymer testing services for a wide selection of material and products. For more information about the ASTM D4214 test, we invite you to contact our material testing laboratory today. It will be our pleasure to answer your questions about either of those tests.

Micom Laboratories is a third party industrial material testing laboratory accredited by the Standards Council of Canada, CGSB, ISTA and many other organizations.


Disclaimer

All of the information and opinions contained in this blog are made with the information, and the understanding that we have reviewed at the time of publishing. However, despite our efforts, we do not offer any guarantee of their accuracy, thoroughness of our investigation or validity. The author of this blog is not liable for any inaccuracies or any losses or damages that may result from the use of the information or data contained herein. This blog has not been reviewed or verified for its accuracy by any peer group associates prior to publication.

Michel Comtois

Michel Comtois is an accomplished founder and CEO of Micom Laboratories Inc., an ISO/IEC 17025 (2017) A2LA-accredited independent laboratory specializing in product and material testing services. Before establishing Micom Laboratories in 1999, Michel, who also holds a Master’s degree in Physical Chemistry, gained extensive experience over a 14-year tenure managing departments spanning physical chemistry, physics, mechanical and material testing in research and contract laboratories. This exposure granted him a profound understanding of the intricacies of development and material testing processes.

In addition to his practical experience, Michel has played influential roles on various voluntary technical committees. He notably, served as the chairperson for CAN/CGSB 44.227 and the Head of the Canadian Delegation for ISO TC 136. He also contributed to the following technical committees: CAN/CGSB 44.229, CAN/CGSB 44.232, ANSI/BIFMA X5.1, ANSI/BIFMA X5.5, ANSI/BIFMA X5.6, ANSI/BIFMA X 5.9 ANSI/BIFMA X5.11, ISTA Certification Council.

Leveraging his unique expertise, he has led Micom Laboratories to become a renowned name in its niche, now operating out of a 16,000-square-foot test facility in Montreal, Canada, and serving a diverse customer base with an array of material and product testing services. Follow Michel on LinkedIn

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