Paint & Coating Testing
Micom Laboratories offers paint and coating testing services over a wide range of materials and products. Whether your products are intended for the aerospace, automotive, or any other industry, Micom offers you the necessary coating testing services to satisfy your needs and those of your customers. Whether it is for temperature and humidity cycling, ultraviolet exposure, corrosion testing, or mechanical properties, our experts will be happy to help you put together a meaningful test plan that will address your needs and give you real answers.
What Is Coating and Why It Is Used?
Surface coating measures various coating properties against challenging environmental conditions to occur where the final product is used. Different factors influence the choice of coating; environment, material compatibility, size, cost, and more. The principal use of coating is to help protect the material it is applied to by extending its life with various substrates, for example, concrete or steel.
How to test the durability of the coating?
Accelerated aging is the best way to test the durability of the product. Many tests often need to be done to ensure that all aspects of a coating’s aging resistance are covered. Depending on your specific needs, not all these tests are a must; please feel free to contact our experts, they will be happy to discuss your needs and suggest what tests you ought to consider.
6 Popular Tests to Do for Validating the Quality of the Coating
Outdoor conditions are often the most adverse aging phenomenon coatings will encounter. Corrosion, UV exposure, abrasion, impacts, and scratches are the prime offenders although many other parameters can come into play. Many aging factors can be tested/evaluated using different test methods, therefore, allowing for a better simulation.
The six most common test parameters for coating evaluation are:
- Corrosion Resistance Salt Spray – ASTM B117, GM 4298P, ISO 7253
- UV testing – ASTM G154, ASTM G155, ASTM D5894
- Abrasion Resistance – ASTM D4060
- Coefficient of Friction -ASTM D1894
- Hardness – ASTM D2240
- Adhesion – ASTM D3359
Why Test Your Coating at Micom Laboratories?
- We are a third-party lab that operates independently and without corporate pressure. Our primary focus is on testing.
- We hold ISO 17025 accreditation for a wide range of coatings-related tests, including accelerated aging.
- We offer fast turnaround times.
- Our team of experts is more than just a lab. We listen to your needs and provide recommendations for the most suitable test plan to deliver accurate answers.
- We assist you in making the best decisions for your company based on our test results.
- We help increase customer satisfaction.
- We contribute to increased revenues through improved product performance.
Surface Coating Testing “à la carte”
- Salt Spray – ASTM B117, GM 4298P, ISO 7253
- Conical Mandrel – ASTM D522
- Specular Gloss – ASTM D523
- Moisture absorption – ASTM D570
- Coating Film thickness – ASTM D1196
- Friction Coefficient – ASTM D1894
- Hardness – ASTM D2240
- Color Measurement – ASTM D2244
- Impact – ASTM D2794
- Adhesion – ASTM D3359
- Scratch Resistance – ASTM D3363
- Abrasion Resistance – ASTM D4060
- AATCC 16.3
- Falling Abrasive Resistance – ASTM D968
- Fluorescent Light Exposure – ASTM G154
- Xenon Arc Exposure – ASTM G155, ASTM D7869
- Salt Spray – Acidic ASTM G85
- Combined corrosion and UV – ASTM D5894
- Pull-off strength of coatings ASTM D4541
- Indoor UV Exposure SAE J2412
- Outdoor UV Exposure SAE J2527
- SAE J14563
- MIL STD 202
- MIL STD 810
- MIL STD 883
- AATCC 169
Other Related Test Methods
For additional test methods related to surface coatings; please see Polymer Testing, Accelerated Aging or ASTM.
We invite you to download our PDF below on true color measurement as well as our brochure on our paint, coating and polymer testing services.
A free eBook to help you better safeguard your products from UV damage.