Page 26 - CFCM Nov-Dec-2020 Final_Neat

FINISH TESTING EQUIPMENT

try are very strict. Car exteriors use
lacquers as protection from corrosion
and external damage, and these need
to be checked very carefully.
Fischer’s Fischerscope HM2000 is de-
signed simplify the determination of ma-
terial characteristics such as surface hard-
ness, crosslinking, elastic modulus and
healing behavior in case of scratches.
“These lacquers are exposed to
environmental influences such as
extreme temperature fluctuations or
moisture and salt,” the company says.
“In addition, automotive coatings must
exhibit a certain toughness to make
them resistant to stone chips and
scratches, for example in car washes.
This requires the right balances
between hardness and elasticity.
An Elcometer model 3l1 being used to check a car’s paint finish. “Car paint has to fulfill different
functions and possesses therefore var-
ious properties. A quick differentiation
market today. It is used to instantly to-read values in mils and microns, and determination of its properties is
measure paint thickness and provide and has a scratch-, solvent- and wa- possible with the characteristic param-
an indication of the overall condition ter-resistant color display for protection eters obtained from the instrumented
of paint work. against accidental damage. indentation test.”
The unit, the company says, “al- A similar product, the Elcometer The Martens hardness (HM) and the
lows the user to quickly identify ve- 500, performs equivalent testing on Martens hardness after creeping
hicle’s damage not reported in public concrete and similar substrates. (HMCR) are values that specify plastic
or commercial condition reports.” Fischer Instruments’ MMS Inspec- and elastic properties of the paint coat-
This can include hidden rework, ve- tion SPG (surface profile gauge) de- ing. The indentation hardness (HIT)
hicle impact damage, vehicle respray termines the profile of a surface pre- test considers only the plastic portion
or filled body panels. cisely and quickly. Users can tell of the material deformation. The hard-
The gauge offers a reading rate of immediately whether the reading is ness parameters provide conclusions
over 60 readings per minute, which within the specification or not by about aging, curing, cross-linking,
Elcometer says significantly reduces in- means of an LED light, a sound and embrittlement through UV radiation,
spection times. It also measures coat- vibrations. The profile measurements hardness change through temperature
ings on steel. comply with ASTM 4417-B and SSPC- influences and the degree of polymer-
It features an ergonomic design, im- PA 17, among others. ization of the lacquer.
portant for workers measuring vehicles The unit’s ergonomic design and “One of the most important advan-
all day, and has four function keys make it easy to op- tages of an instrumented indentation
automatic temperature compensa- erate with just one hand, even when test is the determination of elastic
tion to measures accurately in desert wearing gloves. A dustproof and wa- properties,” the company says. “Para-
or alpine conditions alike. terproof housing (IP65) protects the meters like the modulus of indentation
An automatic rotating display allows surface profile gauge. (EIT), elastic recovery (hIT), creep at
a user to read the thickness value on There is full oversight of the meas- maximum load (CIT 1) and creep at
horizontal and vertical surfaces, and urement via LED, sound and vibration. minimum load (CIT 2) can be detected
an ambient light sensor automatically The high-contrast, automatically rotating using this method.”
adjusts the screen brightness to current display is reportedly easy to read even Konica Minolta’s CM-26dG spec-
lighting conditions. in poor lighting, and the unit is available trophotometer works on a different
It is proof against dust and water, with large memory, offering 250,000 principle to other surface measuring
with a design equivalent to IP64, and values in up to 2500 batches. It has a instruments. This is a portable
is thus capable of measuring in wet or USB interface for fast data transfer. sphere spectrophotometer with an
dry conditions. It features large, easy- Standards in the automotive indus- integrated 60-degree gloss sensor

26 CAnADIAn FInISHInG & COATInGS MAnuFACTuRInG nOvEMbER/DECEMbER 2020