Qualisteelcoat Technical Specifications V3.0

Transcription

1 Qualisteelcoat Technical Specifications V3.0 1

2 Table of Contents I. GENERAL INFORMATION SCOPE DEFINITIONS LIABILITY DISCLAIMER... 4 II. LICENSE FOR COATING APPLICATORS APPLICATION FOR A QUALISTEELCOAT LICENSE FIRST INSPECTION FINAL ASSESSMENT FOR GRANTING THE LICENSE INSPECTIONS OF LICENSEES CHANGE OF CHEMISTRY USE OF THE LOGO BY COATING APPLICATORS COMPANY STATUS CHANGE... 7 III. QUALITY ASSURANCE BY THE COATING APPLICATOR IN-HOUSE CONTROL PROCEDURES COMPANY LABORATORY THE REGISTER STORAGE... 8 IV. SURFACE PREPARATION SOME INFORMATION ON SUBSTRATES REMOVAL OF CONTAMINATION PRETREATMENT FOR POWDER AND LIQUID COATING SYSTEMS... 9 A. QUALITY CONTROL FOR SURFACE PREPARATION BY BLASTING In-house control Laboratory and inspection equipment for Blasting Surface Preparation B. QUALITY CONTROL FOR CHEMICAL PRETREATMENT Procedures Laboratory and inspection equipment for chemical pretreatment V. FINISHED PRODUCTS QUALITY CONTROL TEST PANELS PROCEDURES LABORATORY AND INSPECTION EQUIPMENT FOR FINISHED PRODUCTS VI. APPROVAL OF COATINGS SCOPE OF THE APPROVAL EXAMPLES OF COATING SYSTEMS PROCEDURE A. APPROVAL OF POWDER COATING SYSTEMS Powder coating systems (Quick Guide) Test panels Required tests B. APPROVAL OF LIQUID COATING SYSTEMS Liquid coating systems Test panels Required tests for the Initial approval

3 VII. ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON TESTING PROCEDURES COATABILITY OF PARTS DETERMINATION OF PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION DETERMINATION OF SURFACE ROUGHNESS ASSESSMENT OF THE ZINC COATING AFTER SWEEP BLASTING INSPECTION OF SURFACE CLEANLINESS AFTER BLASTING DETERMINATION OF THE CONDUCTIVITY OF DRIPPING WATER EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PICKLING BATH ASSESSMENT OF THE CONVERSION COATING THE DRYING TEMPERATURE FOR LIQUID COATINGS ADHESION DIRECT IMPACT RESISTANCE TEST DETERMINATION OF DRY FILM THICKNESS GLOSS DETERMINATION OF DEW POINT STOVING CONDITIONS APPEARANCE TEST BOILING TEST VIII. ENVIRONMENTAL TESTS ON FINISHED PRODUCTS RESISTANCE TO MORTAR NEUTRAL SALT SPRAY TEST RESISTANCE TO HUMIDITY CHEMICAL RESISTANCE TEST RESISTANCE TO HUMID ATMOSPHERE CONTAINING SULFUR DIOXIDE ACCELERATED WEATHERING TEST NATURAL WEATHERING List of Annexes Annex 1 Annex 2 Annex 3 Annex 4 Annex 5 Annex 6 Admissible E* for RAL numbers after Florida exposure List of abbreviations used in the Tables Powder Coatings Interior Systems Powder Coatings Exterior Systems Powder Coatings Thermoplastic Systems List of applicable standards 3

4 I. General Information 1. Scope a. Qualisteelcoat is an international quality label for coated steel, specifically developed to sustain the quality of coating applications on new steel constructions or equipment, erected or used in more or less corrosive conditions as detailed in ISO Both powder coatings and liquid coatings are feasible protective coating systems. Powder coatings may be thermoset or thermoplastic in nature. Liquid coatings may be one component, but generally will be two component systems. b. Qualisteelcoat considers as substrates carbon steel, low-alloy and non-alloy, but also hot dip galvanized steel, continuous hot dip galvanized steel, electrogalvanized steel, sherardized steel or steel covered with a thermal spray coating, and finally steel covered with a primer coat or electrocoating. These substrates, electrocoating excluded, are either chemically pretreated or blasted. c. The Qualisteelcoat specifications establish the quality level with which pretreatments as well as coating systems must comply to obtain a Qualisteelcoat label. They also determine the procedures imposed to the coater committed to the Qualisteelcoat label. d. The license attributed to a coater or an approval for a coating system is related to the corrosivity of the environment as detailed in ISO Only protective coatings presenting high durability properties will be considered. To every corrosivity category corresponds a testing level, for example a number of hours of corrosion tests. Both a coating system and a coater can obtain a label for a certain corrosivity category. A label is also valid and may be used for lower corrosivity categories. The inspected system is indicated on the certificate. The label is however not valid for higher corrosion categories. 2. Definitions a. License: Quality Label Qualisteelcoat granted to a coating applicator fulfilling the requirements of the present specifications. b. Approval: Quality Label Qualisteelcoat granted to a coating system fulfilling the requirements of the present specifications. c. General Licensee: A National Association authorized to administrate the label in its country. No General Licensee can be simultaneously a Testing Laboratory, since an obvious conflict of interests will arise. d. Testing Laboratory: An independent laboratory capable of and approved by both the national General Licensee and Qualisteelcoat to carry out all the assessments necessary for the Qualisteelcoat quality label, both for coating systems and for coaters. The Laboratory has to be accredited according ISO/IEC General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories 3. Liability disclaimer Qualisteelcoat stands for a quality label, and attributes its label based on a annual report issued by a qualified laboratory. This report states on the quality level of either a coating applicator or a coating product at the moment of testing. 4

5 Qualisteelcoat cannot be liable for any consequences or damages whatsoever, directly or indirectly imposed to persons or materials, companies, products or organizations, nor can it be held responsible for any material or other damages caused by a holder of the label in the execution of his coating activities, or by any product detaining a Qualisteelcoat label. II. License for Coating Applicators 1. Application for a Qualisteelcoat license Any coater of steel constructions or steel equipment can apply for a Qualisteelcoat license. A letter of intent expressing the company s engagement to obtain a Qualisteelcoat license must be addressed at the General Licensee responsible in the country where the company is situated. If there is no General Licensee in the country the coater is located in, the letter can be sent to Qualisteelcoat - c/o AC-Fiduciaire SA, P.O. Box 1507, CH-8027 Zürich, Switzerland. This letter of intent must also define the corrosion category the coater wishes to apply for, and mention in detail the coating system the license will be applying to. 2. First Inspection a. After reception of this letter of intent, the General Licensee will start up the procedure and notify the Testing Laboratory, which will contact the coater for an appointment. During the first inspection the coater must be coating objects that are intended for the corrosion category he is requesting the license for. b. The inspector from the Testing Laboratory will check the following points. (1) Coatings The inspector will check that the coating applicator uses coatings approved by Qualisteelcoat on the parts that will be tested. (2) Laboratory equipment The required testing equipment must be available and functional, together with the relevant documents. (3) The coating process Both the pretreatment and the actual coating process will be monitored. All the equipment used at the production lines should be properly functioning and will be checked. (4) Inspection of pretreated and coated products Only parts and test panels that have been released by the quality control of the coating applicator will be tested. The tests are listed in Chapters IV A & B (surface preparation) and Chapter V (Finished Products Quality Assurance). (5) In-house control and registers The inspector will check that in-house control has been carried out and that the coating plant maintains the required registers. The results recorded in the register must be coherent with the results obtained on the test panels. Test panels must be kept and held at the inspector s disposal for one year, and the register must be conserved for five years. 5

6 (6) Training Personnel involved in pretreatment or coating operations shall be qualified on the basis of proper education, training or experience. Appropriate records of training shall be established and maintained. Furthermore, training needs shall be identified and provided for, and shall also be documented. 3. Final assessment for granting the license The inspector submits the inspection report to the general licensee and a copy must be send to Qualisteelcoat in Zürich where it will be stored. If the result of the inspection meets the requirements, a license to use the Qualisteelcoat label will be granted. If the result of the inspection does not meet the requirements due to an administrative matter, like a missing document, this must be resolved or the document transmitted within 60 days, or the procedure is suspended. If the result of the inspection does not meet the requirements but meets those for a lower corrosivity class, then a license for this lower corrosivity class can be attributed. Alternatively, the coater can ask for another inspection that must then be made within 60 calendar days. If this second inspection does not lift the unsatisfactory requirement, the coating applicator will be informed in a letter explaining the grounds for the momentary refusal, and the license for the lower corrosivity class is granted. He must wait at least three months before making a new license application for the higher corrosivity class. 4. Inspections of licensees After a plant has been granted a license to use the Qualisteelcoat label, it will be inspected every year; on appointment to evaluate the level of the license, and the same tests as for granting the license will be performed;. The inspector submits the inspection report to the general licensee. If no general licensee is available the report will be sent to Qualisteelcoat in Zürich. If the result of the inspection meets the requirements, authorization to use the quality label will continue. If the result of the inspection does not meet the requirements, but meets those for a lower corrosivity class, then a license for this lower corrosivity class can be attributed. Alternatively, the coater can ask for another inspection that must then be made within 60 calendar days. If this second inspection does not lift the unsatisfactory requirement, the coating applicator will be informed in a letter explaining the grounds for the momentary refusal, and the license for the lower corrosivity class is granted. The coating plant must wait at least three months before making a new license application for the higher corrosivity class. 5. Change of chemistry When the coater modifies in an important way his pretreatment chemistry or introduces a new pretreatment chemistry, he must notify the General Licensee, and apply for a new Qualisteelcoat license. 6. Use of the logo by coating applicators The use of the logo must comply with the Regulations for the use of the QUALISTEELCOAT quality label (see ). 6

7 7. Company status change The Qualisteelcoat label is not transferable and not attachable. However, if a company holding a Qualisteelcoat license is subject of a fusion or taken over by another company, then the license is transferred to the new owner. If for whatever reason the company stops its activities as a coating applicator, the Qualisteelcoat label granted to this company will cease to be valid. III. Quality Assurance by the coating applicator The inspector from the Testing Laboratory will evaluate the quality assurance system set up by the coater by assessing the following points. 1. In-house control Procedures The coating applicator shall have a quality control system set up, including a test plan in accordance with the present Specifications. Both the production methods and the coated products must be monitored and tested. A test plan consists of the parameter or property that will be tested, the test frequency, and where in the process it will be tested. A test plan also needs an estimation of the duration of the test, and a statement on any required resources. The suppliers instructions must be followed, both for pretreatment products and for the coatings, and proof thereof must be recorded. The in-house tests that must be executed are listed below, for a mechanical or blasting surface preparation in Chapter IV.A and for chemical surface preparation in Chapter IV.B. Assessment of finished products is described in Chapter V. 2. Company Laboratory The applicator must dispose of a laboratory facility that is separated from the production facilities. The laboratory must be equipped to assess the quality of both the pretreatment and the coated parts. Technical information and the instruction manuals of every testing device, showing the identification number and proof of calibration, must be available. The Technical Data Sheets (TDS) and the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) of all the products must be available to the laboratory responsible, as well as the applicable standards or clear working instructions describing the test procedures. 3. The register The results of the in-house control must be recorded and readily accessible to the inspector. This control register with numbered pages or a computer record must be maintained by the laboratory supervisor and must comprehend all the measurement results and laboratory tests. The control register must show the nominal values, maximum values not to be exceeded and the measured values. Any corrective measures, when required or implemented, must be noted in the register. The register must be kept for a period of five years. The register must contain the following information: The customer's name and the order or lot identification Corrosivity category of the environment in which the product will be used 7

8 Gloss, Color or RAL number and visual reference of the color (color card or model piece) References on the blasting media with dates of their exchange or addition The references of the used coating: product name and manufacturer; batch numbers; for liquid coatings both of the base and the curing agent and eventually the thinner The temperature difference between the part and the dew point in the coating booth prior to coating application The application date of the different coating layers Thickness of the different layers of the coating system Results of all the performed tests 4. Storage a. Storage of Coating Materials The storage of coating materials must comply with the applicable safety requirements. Only the coating used during the application, and in case of liquid coating the additional thinner, may be present in the coating application area. All coating materials must be stored in a dry room, protected against freezing or too hot conditions (see Technical Data Sheet for temperature range), isolated from the production facilities and protected from any contamination. b. Every lot of parts must be labeled. c. Storage of pretreated parts Pretreated parts should preferably be coated immediately after pretreatment. They must not be stored for more time than mentioned in the table below, and never in a dusty or otherwise detrimental atmosphere. The storage conditions must not allow condensation onto the parts. All workers handling pretreated parts must wear clean textile gloves to avoid contamination of the surface. C4-C5 C1-C3 Blasted hot dip galvanized steel 8 hours 24 hours 4 hours d. Storage of Coated Materials The coated products must be stored in a suitable area. The parts must be packed for transport as soon as possible. Parts not accepted by quality control must be clearly labeled and kept separated from the accepted parts. 8

9 IV. Surface Preparation 1. Some information on Substrates For surface preparation, a coater is equipped with either a blasting booth or a chemical pretreatment or both. Detailed information on types of surfaces and surface preparation can be found in ISO Some substrates will however require a supplementary treatment. a. Laser cut steel Unless nitrogen gas or alike is used during the cutting, the cutting edge will be oxidized. This oxide must be removed, either mechanically by brushing or sanding or any other suitable method, or by pickling with an acid. b. Various metal combinations Preliminary testing of such combinations is mandatory. 2. Removal of Contamination A surface can be contaminated with oil and grease, marks with chalk or paint or other, dirt or oxidation. Stickers may be present. Prior to the surface preparation and the application of a coating system, any such surface contamination must be removed by suitable means. 3. Pretreatment for Powder and Liquid coating systems The purpose of the pretreatment is to prepare the substrate for the application of the protective coating system, and consists in sandblasting or in a chemical treatment, or both. Every surface treatment must be done in the plant. Only hot dip galvanizing, continuous hot dip galvanizing or electro-galvanizing, and also the application of an electrophoretic coating can be subcontracted. A. Quality Control for Surface Preparation by Blasting 1. In-house control The coating applicator must check his production methods and products according to the following methods and frequency. Evaluated Property Coatability of parts Particle distribution of abrasives Blast cleanliness and dust removal Surface roughness Assessment of the zinc coating after blasting Difference between dew point and surface temperature C1 C2 Every lot N/A C3 C4 C5(M) C5(I) Twice per year by supplier Random testing twice per day N/A Once per day Once per shift Twice per day morning & late afternoon Every lot of parts suspected of too low temperature 9

10 If the blasting is followed by a conversion treatment, the following is also checked when it applies. Evaluated Property Assessment of the conversion coating The temperature of conversion and rinsing baths Conductivity of rinsing water 1) Drying temperature after conversion C1 C2 N/A C3 C4 C5(M) C5(I) Visual inspection Chemical assessment 4 times a year by supplier Once per day Once per shift Once per week if applicable 1) One measurement in the bath before conversion and one in the drippings after final rinse The results of the tests in the table must be entered in the register. 2. Laboratory and inspection equipment for Blasting Surface Preparation Instruments Roughness measurement device Thermometer & Dew Point device Equipment and chemicals for testing the conversion coating (if applicable) Conductivity meter for the conversion bath and the rinsing Temperature pads for the drying oven (if applicable) Thickness measurement gauge 3. Additional explanations of the test procedures and test results can be found in Chapter VII (normative) and Chapter VIII (normative). B. Quality Control for Chemical pretreatment 1. Procedures The coating applicator must check his production methods and products according to the following frequency. Evaluated Property Coatability of Parts C1 C2 Every lot Concentration of pretreatment baths 1) N/A Once per day Assessment of ph value of baths 1) Once per day C3 C4 C5(M) C5(I) Once per shift Conductivity of rinsing water 1) 3) N/A Once per shift Temperature of baths 1) Zn and Al content Drying temperature 1) 2) Once per day N/A Once per shift Once per day 10

11 Evaluated Property Assessment of the loss of zinc by pickling C1 C2 C3 C4 C5(M) C5(I) Once per shift Assessment of conversion coating 1) Weight of the conversion layer 1) Surface preparation N/A N/A Visual once per shift, and chrome free once per month Once per month Visual 1) According to the chemicals supplier s instructions. 2) If using a combined zinc and aluminum bath. 3) One measure in the bath before conversion and one measure in the drippings after final rinse The results of the tests in the table must be entered in the register. 2. Laboratory and inspection equipment for chemical pretreatment For Corrosivity Category C1 & C2, only the ph meter and the thermometer are needed. Laboratory Instruments for C3-C5 (if applicable) Thickness measurement gauge Conductivity meter ph meter and thermometer Chemicals to determine the bath concentrations Test solutions for Zn and Al content, when such bath is used Test solutions and equipment to test the chemical conversion coating according to the chemicals supplier s instructions Temperature pads for drying oven 3. Additional explanations of the test procedures and test results can be found in Chapter VII (normative) and Chapter VIII (normative). V. Finished Products Quality Control 1. Test panels Whenever possible, tests should be conducted on Parts from the production. This may eventually require a supplementary number of parts from the client. When test panels are used, these shall match the production parts and be covered with a corresponding metallic layer or primer, and the coating system (See Approval of Coatings Panels for Powder Coatings Liquid Coatings). 2. Procedures The coating applicator must check his production methods and coated products according to the following methods and frequency. 11

12 Tested Property Film Thickness Cross-cut Adhesion 1) or Pull-off test Direct Impact test 2) Gloss measurement Difference between dew point and surface temperature Measurement of curing (P & TPP) or forced drying (L) temperature Appearance assessment Pressure cooker test 1) 3) Coating C3 C4 C1 C2 (*) C5(M) C5(I) All Every order according to Every order according to the sampling plan the sampling plan TSP Once per shift on test Once per shift on test panel panel TPP N/A X-cut on parts or test panel LC Thickness < 250 µm: cross-cut Thickness > 250 µm: pull-off test TSP N/A Once per day TPP N/A By supplier LC N/A N/A TSP Twice per shift and per Twice per shift and per color color TPP N/A N/A LC N/A N/A TSP N/A If applicable, before starting the application TPP N/A Not for fluidized bed LC Twice per day: morning & late afternoon Every lot of parts suspected of too low temperature TSP & TPP LC Actual oven temperature once per day. Once per month a 4 point measurement Surface temperature twice per day All Every order Every order TSP N/A Every order LC N/A N/A TPP N/A N/A Actual oven temperature twice per day. Once per week a 4 point measurement Surface temperature twice per day (*) TSP = Thermosetting Powder Coatings TPP = Thermoplastic Powder Coatings LC = Liquid Coatings 1) On test panels 2) On thin test panels 0.6 to 0.8 mm 3) Not on a thermal sprayed coating nor on hot dip galvanized steel The results of the tests in the table must be entered in the register. 3. Laboratory and inspection equipment for finished products Laboratory Instruments (if applicable) Cross-cut tester or Pull-off tester for adhesion Impact tester Film Thickness gauge Gloss meter 60º Thermometer & dew point device and a device for substrate temperature Recording instrument for object temperature and curing time with 4 measuring points 12

13 Equipment to conduct the boiling test 4. Additional explanations of the test procedures and test results can be found in Chapter VII (normative) and Chapter VIII (normative). VI. APPROVAL OF COATINGS 1. Scope of the approval A coating applicator can only use approved coating systems for those applications where the Qualisteelcoat label is involved. Therefore an approval procedure for such coating systems is necessary. A list of approved coating systems can be found on the website However, since for the moment there are no approved liquid coating systems available, the coating supplier shall perform a salt spray test on steel test panels prepared by the coater, to demonstrate the coating systems ability to withstand the imposed hours of salt spray. For a metallic zinc coating, the coating supplier shall perform a condensation test. Both tests must be performed by a Qualisteelcoat approved laboratory. These obligations for liquid coating suppliers end on January 1 st, 2016, and from that moment on, only approved coatings systems shall be used. A request for a Qualisteelcoat approval of a coating system includes: The Corrosivity Category it is intended for; The eventual presence and type of metallic layer; The type of surface pretreatment: mechanical or chemical or both the applied chemical product must be mentioned; The number and type of organic coating layers; For powder coatings also the nature of the finish (gloss, satin, matt or texture). 2. Examples of coating systems Examples of thermoset powder coating systems are given in Annex 3 & 4. Examples of thermoplastic powder coating systems are given in Annex 5. Examples of liquid coating systems can be found in ISO Procedure a. Any company may submit a coating system for approval. In general however, a Qualisteelcoat approval for a coating system will be attributed to a coating manufacturer, or to any company that defines, partially or completely, the composition of the coating, but relies for the manufacturing on a third party. b. The company addresses a letter of intent expressing its engagement to obtain a Qualisteelcoat approval to the General Licensee responsible for the country the company is located in. If there is no General Licensee in the country the applicant is located in, the letter can be sent to Qualisteelcoat - c/o AC-Fiduciaire SA, P.O. Box 1507, CH-8027 Zürich, Switzerland. This letter of intent must describe in detail the coating system the license will be applying to, and also define the corrosion category the coating system is intended for. c. After reception of this letter of intent, the General Licensee will start up the procedure and notify the Testing Laboratory. The coating manufacturer from a 13

14 country without a General Licensee may submit his products to be tested to one of the approved Qualisteelcoat Testing Laboratories. The Laboratory will contact the manufacturer and the necessary quantities of coating products and/or test panels will be handed over to the Laboratory. If possible, the laboratory will prepare the test panels, but for an eventual zinc layer or chemical pretreatment, relying on a subcontractor may be necessary and is therefore allowed. Hot Dip Galvanized panels may also be purchased. d. The submitting company provides all the necessary information on his coating system to the Laboratory, including details on the successive coating layers to apply and the film thickness of every layer. All the concerned product data sheets must also be transmitted. e. All the tests will be executed on a complete system as defined above, unless otherwise specified. The Testing Laboratory will allow the coating system to cure properly according to the manufacturers instructions before starting the tests. f. Final assessment for granting the initial approval The Testing Laboratory submits the inspection report to the General Licensee or directly to Qualisteelcoat in countries where there is no General Licensee. If the test results meet the requirements, a Qualisteelcoat approval for the coating system will be granted. If the test results do not meet the requirements, the applicant will be informed with a letter explaining the grounds for the momentary refusal. The applicant must wait at least three months before making a new application for an approval. g. The Qualisteelcoat approval for a coating system is of course valid for the licensed company, but indeed also for all its production sites where the approved coating is manufactured. For every production site however, an individual document must be established by the coating manufacturer, stating that the composition of the produced coating is identical to the approved coating. h. Procedure of renewal (1) The Qualisteelcoat approval for a coating system remains valid for 2 years. The coating manufacturer supplies the laboratory with the necessary coating products and test panels for the renewal application. The tests requested for the renewal application are the same as for the initial application. (2) Every two years, the Technical Committee defines the color that shall be submitted to the testing for the next two years. A rotation between RAL 9005 RAL 7016 RAL 6005 will be effective. Applicants which have Qualicoat approvals for their final coats, identified by a Qualicoat P-number, shall make a rotation of the different P-numbers. (3) The test report must be submitted through the General Licensee to the Technical Committee. The Committee decides on renewal or withdrawal of the approval. If the test results meet the requirements, the approval is renewed. In case of noncompliance, the tests that failed are repeated on samples taken from another batch. If this second series of tests does not lead to satisfactory results, but corresponds to a lower corrosivity category, the approval is decreased to this lower category. The supplier of the tested product can submit a new application for approval for the higher level. 14

15 i. Any change in the formula of the coating product implies however that it must be considered a new product, which consequently requires a new Qualisteelcoat approval. j. For powder coating systems, the Qualicoat approval of a final coat remains valid, and it must not be retested as part of a Qualisteelcoat coating system. Also test results for artificial weathering and outdoor exposure tests from approved laboratories, collected to obtain other quality labels, may be used as test results for the Qualisteelcoat approval, provided that the conducted tests comply with these specifications and the test report is approved by the Technical Committee. A. Approval of powder coating systems 1. Powder coating systems (Quick Guide) The powder coating supplier can only request an approval for a Coating System Type of High Durability, defined in the table below (yellow fields). Substrate Steel Continuous hot dip galvanizing Hot Dip Galvanized Thermal Spray Electrophoretic primer System Number Coating Layers ST1 1 ST2 2 ST3 3 SZ1 1 SZ2 2 SZ3 3 HD1 1 HD2 2 HD3 3 MS1 1 MS2 2 EC1 1 EC2 2 Pretreatment Mechanical Chemical Mechanical Chemical Mechanical Chemical Mechanical Chemical Mechanical Chemical Mechanical Chemical Mechanical Chemical Mechanical Chemical Mechanical Chemical Corrosivity Category C2 C3 C4 C5 The applicant shall define his coating system, he shall transmit for each approval his unique system name, which includes the Coating System Number (examples: ST2, HD1, MS2, ), the manufacturer, for multi-layer systems the primer, and describe in detail the process to be used to coat the test panels. 15

16 2. Test panels a. Different Types Type Purpose Substrate Application Dimensions A B Mechanical tests Corrosion tests Test panels + Coating Systems Substrate + Surface Preparation + Coating Systems C Florida EN AW Coating Systems Applied by the laboratory (*) Applied by the powder supplier or by the laboratory Applied by the laboratory (*) 105 x 190 x 0,75 mm³ (ref. GB26S/W/OC Etalon) Bare steel + zinc phosphate 140 x 70 mm² Type mm thick 300 x 100 mm² 1 mm thick (*) at lowest curing conditions (lowest temperature, shortest corresponding time according to the TDS) b. Number of test panels Type B for the laboratory Adhesion 3 Direct impact 1 (substrate thickness < 0.5 mm) Resistance to boiling water (Pressure Cooker Test) 3 (not for thermal sprayed or hot dip galvanized panels) Resistance to mortar 3 (not for Qualicoat approved topcoat) Neutral Salt Spray test 6 for C5H, 5 for C4H, 4 for C3H Resistance to continuous 3 (for all categories) condensation Resistance to humid atmosphere 3 (only for C5I) containing sulfur dioxide Resistance to liquids 9 (only for C5I) Thickness of metallic layer 1 (with metallic layer only) c. Total number of necessary test panels System Number Substrate + Metallic coating Coating Layers Corrosivity Category C2 C3 C4 C5M C5I ST1 1 Layer 16 Steel ST2 & ST3 Multi-layer SZ1 Continuous hot 1 Layer SZ2 & SZ3 dip galvanizing Multi-layer HD1 1 Layer HD2 & HD3 HDG Multi-layer MS1 1 Layer Thermal spray MS2 Multi-layer EC1 1 Layer Electrophoretic EC2 Multi-layer

17 3. Required tests a. Initial approval For the initial approval the following color will be tested: RAL 9010 white. Additional explanations of the test procedures and test results can be found in Chapter VII (normative) and Chapter VIII (normative). Test Panel Standard Adhesion B ISO ISO 2409 Direct Impact Test A, B ISO Nm Film Thickness A, B, C ISO 2808 ISO According to system description ISO Gloss A ISO 2813 Resistance to boiling water B EN (Pressure Cooker Test) Resistance to mortar (*) B EN Neutral Salt Spray Test 1) B ISO 9227 Resistance to Continuous B ISO 6270 Condensation 2) Resistance to Liquids B ISO Only for C5 I Kesternich B ISO 3231 Only for C5 I 30 cycles Accelerated Weathering (*) A ISO Natural Weathering (*) C ISO ) Only for steel substrates without a metallic zinc coating a scribe is made 2) For substrates both with and without metallic zinc coating no scribe is made *) See VI A 3 b Additional extensions (3) b. Additional extensions (1) For systems with one organic layer, the Qualisteelcoat approval is only valid for the gloss category and the textured or smooth finish that was tested. (2) For multiple organic layers, the Qualisteelcoat approval can be valid for different topcoats of the same supplier, but these topcoats must all be Qualicoat approved. (3) (*) These tests must not be executed for topcoats with Qualicoat approval or for interior approval. For the topcoats without Qualicoatapproval, the tests with (*) shall be executed on RAL 9010, RAL 7016 and RAL 6005 for the initial approval. The powder supplier provide the necessary coating material and data.. B. Approval of liquid coating systems 1. Liquid coating systems Any liquid coating system can be submitted for an approval for the corrosion class and substrate it corresponds to in ISO A deviation from the proposed coating systems in ISO for a particular Corrosivity Category, either in number of coats or in layer thicknesses, must be based on strong field evidence. 17

18 Such a system will only be allowed with an authorization from the Technical Committee. 2. Test panels The Testing Laboratory will prepare test panels with the dimensions the laboratory is used to work with, or alternatively use panels of approximately 150x70 mm², with a thickness between 0.5 and 2 mm. For every coating system entered for qualification, fifteen panels shall be handed over to the Testing Laboratory. Steel panels of cold rolled steel are prepared to a degree of cleanliness Sa 2 ½ or Sa 3, according to ISO The roughness Rz must be between 50 µm and 100 µm. Blasted panels are dedusted prior to the application of the primer coat. Hot dip galvanized or continuous hot dip galvanized panels of the same dimensions may be bought or prepared by a subcontractor. The former panels are sweep blasted prior to the application of the primer coat; the latter panels may be sweep blasted prior to the application of the primer coat, according to the instructions of the coating manufacturer. The panels can eventually also be chemically pretreated. Thermal sprayed or electrogalvanized panels of the same dimensions may be prepared by a subcontractor. Only the latter are eventually sweep blasted prior to the application of the primer coat, according to the instructions of the coating manufacturer. 3. Required tests for the Initial approval The following tests will be conducted by the Testing Laboratory: Test Standard Requirement Film Thickness ISO 2808 ISO ISO Adhesion ISO Cross-cut or X-cut test ISO 2409 Pull-off test ISO ISO 4624 Neutral Salt Spray Test 1) ISO 9227 Resistance to Continuous ISO 6270 In agreement with the system description 0 1 > 3 MPa Condensation 2) Resistance to Liquids ISO Only for C5 I Kesternich ISO 3231 Only for C5 I 30 cycles Accelerated Weathering ISO Natural Weathering ISO ) Only for steel substrates without a metallic zinc coating a scribe is made 2) For substrates both with and without metallic zinc coating no scribe is made 18

19 VII. Additional details on testing procedures 1. Coatability of parts The following questions should be considered to evaluate the suitability of an object for the application of a coating system: (1) Is the pretreatment adapted to the piece? (2) Can the coating system be applied to this substrate? (3) Is the paint system suitable for the corrosivity category? Doubts about the suitability of the object for the application of the considered coating system must be discussed with the client. A written agreement must then be available. Sharp edges must be rounded see EN 1090 p180 F.6.1 and ISO Annex D/Fig D5. Structures with an expected life of the corrosion protection above 5 years with a C3H and higher corrosivity category shall have rounded or chamfered edges in accordance with EN ISO For a liquid coating system, the edges shall be protected by a stripe coat extending across approximately 25 mm on both sides of the edge and applied to a nominal thickness appropriate to the coating system. 2. Determination of particle size distribution The particle size distribution test is conducted according to ISO for metallic blast-cleaning abrasives and ISO for nonmetallic blast-cleaning abrasives. Determine the mean mass value of two tests and report the result to the nearest 1%. The particle size distribution must correspond to the distribution necessary to achieve the required surface roughness. 3. Determination of Surface Roughness The roughness of the substrate after blasting must be assessed. As a parameter, the maximum height is considered, which is the distance between the highest and lowest points in the evaluation length/area. The coater has the choice of the method. The assessment of the roughness is conducted in accordance with ISO for ISO surface profile comparators, for the use of a stylus instrument, and for replica tape. The surface roughness must be equal or higher than the value stated by the coating manufacturer in the Technical Data Sheet. 4. Assessment of the zinc coating after sweep blasting A zinc coating must be made ready to be coated, and dross particles, droplets and sharp points, zinc ashes, zinc flakes, flux residues, and the like must be removed. Additional sweeping may be necessary. This must be done with a fine grade nonmetallic abrasive at low pressure at an angle to the surface. The remaining film thickness of the zinc coating after sweep blasting must comply with ISO 1461 Table 3, and is function of the steel thickness. Thickness measurements must be done for each project involving hot dip galvanized surfaces. 19

20 5. Inspection of Surface Cleanliness after Blasting The surface must be very thoroughly blast cleaned (Sa 2 ½) according to ISO Prior to an eventual chemical pretreatment and prior to the primer application, the surface must be dedusted. The remaining dust quantity and size must be evaluated according to ISO Both dust quantity and dust size must not exceed Class Determination of the conductivity of Dripping Water The final rinse preceding the conversion bath must be done with deionized water. The conductivity must comply with the supplier s instructions. If not otherwise prescribed by the chemicals supplier, the conductivity of dripping water shall not exceed 30 μs/cm at 20 C. 7. Effectiveness of the pickling bath Pickling of a zinc coating is done in an acid or alkaline bath, or eventually both of them in different steps. The film thickness of the zinc coating after the pickling bath must comply with ISO 1461 Table 3, and is function of the steel thickness. Thickness measurements must be done for each project involving metallic zinc coatings. 8. Assessment of the Conversion Coating The quality of the conversion coating can be visually assessed for traditional conversion coatings. However, for chrome free conversion coatings, visual assessment proves to be difficult or impossible. The chemical supplier's recommendations about the test method must be applied. The weight of the conversion layer must be determined according to the instructions of the chemicals supplier, and may even be executed by the chemicals supplier. 9. The drying temperature for liquid coatings The substrate must be heated to the maximum temperature allowed by the coating manufacturer. If such a value is not available, it shall be heated to (60±5) C. 10. Adhesion The adhesion of the coating system onto the substrate is measured according to ISO (Cross-cut testing and X-cut testing). Alternatively and certainly for film thicknesses exceeding 250 µm, ISO (Pull-off testing) will be used. The expected results shall be: DFT (µm) Results C1 C2 C3 C5 < < < > > 3 MPa For each color shade, gloss category and supplier, the adhesion properties must be tested on sample panels. 20

21 11. Direct Impact Resistance Test The direct impact resistance is determined according to ISO using a 20 mm diameter spherical indenter dropped under standard conditions. For powder coatings, the test panels must have the thickness of the parts they are linked to. For powder coatings with a thickness d 60 µm, a mass of one kilo that falls from a height of 25 cm must be used. Coating systems should not show any cracking or any detachment of the coating from the substrate. 12. Determination of Dry Film Thickness The dry film thickness of the individual layers in the system and the total dry film thickness shall be measured according to ISO with a method specified in ISO The measurements must be representative of the inspected area. According to ISO 19840, the total coated surface can be used to determine the number of necessary measurements. The sampling plan consists of this number of measurements to be taken in an inspection area, and is as follows: Area/length of the inspected area (m 2 or m) Minimum number of measurements Maximum number of measurements allowed to be repeated up to above 1 to above 3 to above 10 to above 30 to above 100 add 10 for every additional 100 m 2 or 100 m or part thereof 20 % of the minimum number of measurements Areas above 1000 m2 or m should be divided into smaller inspection areas. According to ISO 19840, the dry film thickness is accepted when: (1) The arithmetic mean of all the individual dry film thicknesses is equal to or greater than the nominal dry film thickness (NDFT); (2) All individual dry film thicknesses are equal to or above 80 % of the NDFT; (3) Individual dry film thicknesses between 80 % of the NDFT and the NDFT are acceptable provided that the number of these measurements is less than 20 % of the total number of individual measurements taken The NDFT is the dry film thickness specified for each layer or for the whole paint system. The dry film thickness cannot exceed the maximum imposed by the coating manufacturer, or in absence of such a value may be three times the nominal dry film thickness. 13. Gloss Gloss is measured according to ISO 2813, using incident light at an angle of

22 RESULT: Note: if the significant surface is too small or unsuitable for gloss to be measured with the gloss meter, the gloss should be compared visually with a reference sample, both observed under the same viewing angle. 14. Determination of Dew Point Low Gloss : (0 30) ± 5 units Semi-gloss : (31 70) ± 7 units High Gloss : (71 100) ± 10 units The substrate temperature must be at least 3 C above the dew point. 15. Stoving Conditions The temperature in the curing oven and also the object temperature must be measured with a 4-point measuring device. Three detectors must be attached to the top, middle and lower parts of the oven and one to a reference panel mounted on the traverse amidst the parts. For forced drying, the temperature of the substrate in the drying oven must be measured. This may be done by means of a 4-point measuring device, using temperature probes attached to the substrate. The thickest part of the steel must reach the maximum temperature allowed by the coating manufacturer. 16. Appearance Test Any visual inspection of coated parts should be done at a distance of 3 m for an interior setting and 5 m for an exterior setting, and with a normal unaided vision. At these distances and in diffuse daylight, the coating must not show any wrinkles, runs, sags, craters, blisters and other surface irregularities. Irregularities that are an image of the steel surface or the hot dip galvanized zinc, visible through the coating, must be disregarded. Color and gloss may be measured if agreed upon between customer and coater. 17. Boiling Test The objective of this test is to determine the resistance of the coating system to cracking and loss of adhesion, or both, after accelerated aging by boiling water. The test must be performed according to EN 13438, A Procedure Fill a pressure cooker with (25 ± 3) mm de-ionized water with a maximum conductivity of 30 µs/cm at 20 C. Partially immerse the coated test panel in the water so that a minimum length of 25 mm is immersed and secure the lid of the pressure cooker. Apply heat to the pressure cooker until steam is emitted from the valve. Insert a weighted needle valve to give a pressure of 100kPa and continue heating for two hours from the time the steam was first emitted. Cool the apparatus with care. Remove the sample and allow it to cool down to room temperature. Examine the test piece for signs of blistering. Apply an 18 mm wide strip of Scotch 610, Permacel 99 or equivalent adhesive tape to the surface, ensuring that no air is trapped. After one minute, remove the tape at an angle of 45 with a sharp and even pull. 22

23 VIII. There shall be neither defects nor any loss of adhesion. Some color change is however acceptable. Environmental tests on Finished Products 1. Resistance to Mortar This test is only applicable to powder coatings, and must be performed according to EN Procedure The mortar is a mixture of sand, lime and water. The mortar must be prepared by mixing 15 g of hydrated lime, 41 g of cement and 224 g of sand with sufficient tap water to make a soft paste. Apply four portions of the mortar, approximately 15 mm in diameter and 6 mm thick, to the test panel. Place the test panel horizontally at 38 ± 3ºC and 95 ± 5% relative humidity for 24 hours. Then manually remove the mortar from the coated surface and remove any residue with a damp cloth. Allow the panel to dry, and examine the coating with normal or corrected vision. The mortar must be easily removable without leaving any residue. Any mechanical damage to the coating caused by grains of sand must be disregarded. The panel should not show any change in appearance or in color after the test. 2. Neutral Salt Spray Test The objective of this test is to evaluate the corrosion resistance of the coating system, and the test results will give an indication of the durability of the coating system. All coating systems, powder coatings and liquid coatings, will be tested according to ISO The exposure times are: Test Panel Preparation Corrosivity Category High durability 1 N/A h h h 5I 1440 h 5M 1440 h Three test panels shall be prepared, type B (Chapter VI A. 2) according to the technical specifications of chemical and coating suppliers.. Liquid coatings must be allowed to cure for 21 days in an environment 23/50 or 20/65 according to ISO 554 before being submitted to the NSS. Test panels without a metallic zinc layer must be scratched; panels with a metallic zinc layer shall not be scratched. The scratch shall expose the substrate. According to ISO 17872, the form of the scribe shall be a cross and shall have a length of at least 50 mm. Intersection will 23

24 be located in the middle of the panel. Diagonals will cross at an angle between 50 and 70. The scribe shall not be within 20 mm of the edge of the panel or of any eventual holes in the panel. Assessment of the coated panels i. Calculate M according to: M = C W 2 C= mean overall width of the zone of corrosion (mm) W= width of the scribe (mm) ii. iii. iv. Assessment: M 1 mm Asses blistering, cracking and flaking immediately after the test Standard Coating defect Assessment EN ISO Blistering 0 (S0) EN ISO Rusting Ri 0 EN ISO Cracking 0 (S0) EN ISO Flaking 0 (S0) Determine the ranking of the coating system: Category # Panels OK # Panels NOK A 3 0 B 2 1 C 1 2 D 0 3 Determine the status of the license Category Approval License A OK Granted or continued B OK Granted or continued but results will be submitted to the coating company C NOK Momentarily not granted. Salt spray test must be repeated license granted only if the second test results in A or B D NOK Not granted, the whole qualification procedure must be restarted. The corrosivity category must eventually be verified with the coating company 3. Resistance to Humidity This resistance of paint films to conditions of high humidity is evaluated according to ISO The test is not applicable to corrosivity category C1. The exposure time for the other corrosivity categories can be found in ISO , but is different for steel substrates and steel with a metallic zinc layer. 24