Surface Cleanliness

Evaluating the Performance Characteristics of Abrasive Media

Abrasive blast cleaning is the process by which an abrasive media is propelled through hoses and a blast nozzle by means of compressed air. The abrasive exits the nozzle at a high rate of speed (velocities approaching 650 – 1,700 feet per second) and as it impacts the surface removes existing materials and imparts a roughness (surface profile). The abrasive used

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DUst Free Featured Image

What is a “Dust-Free Surface?” ISO Method Versus Practical Evaluation

When a coating system fails prematurely, it is rarely because of the coating itself. Either the surface preparation was inadequate, the surface was contaminated, or the coating was mixed or applied incorrectly. As the old adage goes, a house is only as strong as the foundation it is built on. When it comes to coatings,

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failure paint to hot dip galvanizing

Preparing Hot Dip Galvanizing for Painting – It’s not Overly Complicated

Bare galvanizing provides excellent corrosion protection at a pH between 7 and 13, but corrosion of the zinc increases as the pH becomes more acidic (less than 7), or more alkaline (greater than 13).  When galvanizing is exposed to the lower or higher pH ranges, it should be painted.  Paint should also be applied when

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surface soluble salts

Surface Soluble Salt Measurement – Conductivity Verses Ion-specific Methods of Analysis

Chemical contaminants on a surface can include chlorides, ferrous ions, sulfates and nitrates, among other types of soluble salts. Chloride may come from deicing materials or marine/coastal environments, ferrous ions are a by-product of corrosion, sulfates can be airborne, particularly in industrial environments (e.g., coal-fired power plants) and nitrates may come from the soil (e.g.,

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