Assessment of Surface Cleanliness Prior to Coating: A Technical Review of the Pressure-Sensitive Tape Test (ISO 8502-3)
: Press a strip of tape (approx. 150mm) onto the steel surface. dust test iso 8502-3
| Limitation | Details | |------------|---------| | | Different inspectors may assign different ratings. | | Only loose dust | Does not detect embedded or soluble contaminants. | | Sampling variability | Dust is often non-uniform – multiple tests needed. | | Tape quality | Variation in tape tackiness affects collection efficiency. | | No clean/dirty definition | Standard gives no universal acceptance limit. | | Poor for very fine dust | Sub-10 µm particles are hard to see, but may still affect coatings. | Assessment of Surface Cleanliness Prior to Coating: A
is a practical, cost-effective, and widely accepted field test for assessing loose dust contamination on abrasive-blasted steel. While subjective and limited to visible particles, it remains a valuable quality control tool when combined with clear acceptance criteria and inspector training. For critical applications, it should be complemented by soluble salt testing (ISO 8502-6/9) and surface profile measurement (ISO 8503). | | Only loose dust | Does not