Process Improvement Tips for Avoiding Coating Failure 

Coating failure may be defined as the reduction or complete loss of the bond strength between the coat and its substrate. After making a significant investment on equipment and facilities, most of the business owners are extremely serious about preserving their investment. The longevity of any equipment or facility can be improved considerably by using the right kind of protective coating. Selection of the right coating requires a thorough analysis of the hazards and challenges presented by the end-use environment of the substrate.   

Made of a complex mixture of raw materials, coatings are applied to various types of substrates to protect them from heat, moisture, cold, wind, oxidation, humidity, UV rays, and other destructive elements.  

Some key benefits of industrial coatings include  

  • Corrosion resistance 
  • Waterproofing and water resistance  
  • Flame retardance and heat resistance 
  • Weather resistance 
  • Static and electrostatic discharge (ESD) control 

Why Do Coatings Fail? 

There are four common causes that may lead to coating failure.  

  • Surface Preparation: Proper surface preparation is a must for creating a strong bond between the coating and the substrate. Many different types of defects or failures may occur in the absence of proper bonding. This includes cratering, blistering, detaching, orange peeling, improper wetting, and uneven gloss.  
  • Application Environment: Coating failure can also be caused by different environmental factors during application. Variances in temperature, humidity, cleanliness, and air purity can make the bond less effective or result in uneven spreading. 
  • Application Technique: Application technique plays an extremely important role in creating a robust coating. Most of the liquid formulas are applied by dipping, brushing, spraying, or rolling. If specific equipment and technique is not used for these application methods, there may be issues such as sagging, orange peeling, or running. 
  • Formulation: Improper formulation leads to coating failures, even if all three factors mentioned above are taken into account. Some examples of wrong coating formulation include inadequate cure time, over or under engineered product, and using too much material.  

Coating Failure Prevention:  

By improving the coating process, it is possible to prevent coating defects such as erosion, chalking, blistering, pin-holing, undercutting, and orange peeling. Some of these improvement measures can eliminate the primary causes of failure.  

  • Improved Surface Preparation: Removal of contaminants is essential for eliminating compounds that contribute to blistering, improper wetting, coverage failures, and other adhesion issues. Therefore, the operators must have clear understanding of the surface contaminants that may be present in their process and address them through appropriate precleaning protocols.  
  • Operator Feedback: Operators can provide important feedback about the challenges involved in coating application or curing. This feedback can help manufacturers improve their production processes by adjusting coating formulas and application procedures. 
  • Proper Formulation: When facilities makes changes in equipment, materials, and processes, coating formulations must be altered accordingly to continue performing as before.  
  • Process and Equipment Audit: Just like any other equipment, spray tips, hoses, paint guns and other coating equipment tend to wear down over a period of time. Many potential coating related issues can be prevented by putting together a standard equipment audit process.  

Instead of taking corrective action after a coating failure has taken place, its likelihood can be reduced significantly by regular and extensive coating inspection. At CMS, we offer comprehensive inspection services for performance, compatibility, and conformity. Please contact our team of experts today to find out more.