Paint testing: A survey of some modern techniques

Abstract

The requirement to test paint arises at every stage in the development and manufacture of coatings though the exact nature of the test procedure varies widely. For example, in the development of a formulation it will be necessary to evaluate changes in the decorative and protective properties of the coating on its substrate, whilst once the product is in production quality control testing will be required. This typically involves rapid evaluation of liquid and dried paint samples to check for conformation to preset limits. A very wide range of techniques are used in these forms of testing though, in general, the equipment and procedures involved are familiar to all paint technologists and include apparatus such as viscometers, glossmeters, colorimeters, hardness testers and artificial weathering machines.