Adhesion devices - quickly and easily evaluate the quality of coatings

Checking the surface properties of coated materials is necessary in many scenarios. With the help of special adhesion devices, this can be done quickly, easily and cost-effectively. Such adhesion devices are primarily used in quality and production control. The devices are designed to check coatings applied to metal, plastic, wood, plaster and similar materials. All tests are carried out locally on a small area. The compact devices, which weigh less than one kilogram, are mobile. No power source is required for operation.

Adhesion testers are operated manually. They have a scale on which the result can be read or a template that enables a comparison to be made. There are essentially two types of testers. These are the tensile adhesion testers and the cross-cut adhesion testers. Both types are suitable for paint and varnish coatings. Thanks to the fast and cost-effective measurement technology, these testers are equally suitable for industry and trade. With the help of a tester, a reliable statement can be made about the adhesion of the coating. In this way, quality can be checked or standards established. The adhesion testers are also suitable for comparative measurements. Different coatings are compared with each other so that an optimum coating can be found for a specific substrate.

Testing coatings with cross-cut adhesion testers

For the surface test with a cross-cut adhesion tester, a small area measuring 150 x 100 mm is selected. This is scored with the device. The corresponding test adhesive tape is then applied to the surface. Removing the adhesive tape shows whether the coating continues to adhere or can be removed. The supplied template can be used to compare how well the coating adheres. A classification in degrees is possible here. A magnifying glass is also included in the scope of delivery. This helps with the exact assessment of the test result.

The cross-cut adhesion testers also include several blades. These are quickly interchangeable, making it possible to test different types of coatings. The blades with a cutting depth of one millimeter are designed for hard substrates and thin coatings. For example, they are used for painted metal parts with a maximum paint layer thickness of 60 micrometers. Blades with a cutting depth of two or three millimetres are available for soft substrates and thicker coatings. These are suitable for processing coatings with a thickness of between 61 and 250 micrometers. This makes the cross-cut adhesion testers very versatile tools that can be quickly adapted to individual requirements.

Tensile adhesion testers in practice

This type of adhesion tester tests the adhesion of the coating using tensile forces. Various special adhesives are available for these testers. The measuring head is glued directly to the coating with this adhesive. By pulling manually, the scale then shows directly which adhesive forces the coating can withstand. Scales of up to ten megapascals are available for the tensile adhesion testers. The measuring head is also interchangeable. The diameter of the measuring head is 15.1 or 19.5 mm. A wide variety of surfaces and materials can be tested thanks to the different combinations of adhesives and measuring heads. Both rough and smooth coatings can be easily checked with this type of adhesion tester.