Surface profile

The peak to valley roughness imparted to a substrate by abrasive blast cleaning, which provides a mechanical key for coating adhesion. The profile must be matched to the coating system and is measured using comparators, replica tape or stylus instruments.

Also known as: anchor pattern, blast profile, anchor profile

Related terms

Abrasive blast cleaning

Surface preparation in which abrasive particles such as grit, shot or garnet are propelled at high velocity against a surface using compressed air or centrifugal wheels, removing rust, mill scale and old coatings while creating a surface profile. The achieved cleanliness is assessed against standardised preparation grades.

Coatings & protectionManufacturing processesAerospaceAutomotiveConstructionMarineGreen energyIndustrial

Surface preparation grade

A standardised description of the visual cleanliness of a steel surface before painting, defined in ISO 8501-1 as Sa grades for blast cleaned steel and St grades for hand and power tool cleaned steel. Coating specifications state the required preparation grade because coating life depends heavily on surface preparation.

Coatings & protectionTesting & standardsConstructionMarineGreen energyIndustrial

Dry film thickness

DFT

The thickness of a coating measured after it has dried or cured, usually specified per coat and for the complete system. It is a key quality control parameter, checked non-destructively on metal substrates with magnetic induction or eddy current gauges.

Coatings & protectionTesting & standardsAerospaceAutomotiveConstructionMarineGreen energyIndustrial

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